2022 Map of Harrells

About this map

Harrells and the surrounding coastal plain of Sampson County are defined by a network of slow-moving water and low-lying basins. The settlement of Newtons Crossroads serves as a central junction, while smaller hamlets like Ezzelltown are tucked between the Black River and numerous wetlands known locally as bays, such as Bear Bay and Gap Bay. The landscape is etched with history through dozens of family and church-affiliated burial sites, including the Iron Mine Burial Ground and Royal Chapel Cem. These features, alongside drainage systems like Mill Cr and Bulltail Cr, reveal a rural economy still deeply tied to its hydrology and traditional land divisions. The transition across county lines into Duplin and Pender is marked by these same winding creeks and named timberlands, illustrating the persistent geography of eastern North Carolina.