2013 Map of Kenly East

About this map

Kenly and its surrounding rural hamlets are defined by a network of historic intersections and slow-moving drainages in this coastal plain landscape. The area is characterized by several distinctive crossroads communities including Kirbys Crossing, Watson Crossroads, and Hickory Crossroads, which served as local gathering points for the farming population. Low-lying wetlands and branches dictate the local geography, with Nelson Swamp, Juniper Swamp, and Nahunta Swamp threading between the dispersed settlements. The presence of both Kenly Airport and Benton's Airfield highlights the importance of small-scale aviation in this part of Johnston County. To the south, the Sässer Millpond along the Great Swamp indicates the historical utilization of the region's hydraulic resources. This survey captures a transition in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries where traditional agricultural communities like Pinkney and Nahunta remained resilient as modern infrastructure like Ramblewood Pl and Saint Marys Church Rd expanded.