Tar River

Catchment areas of the Tar River and Neuse River

Template: Infobox River / Obsolete

The Tar River is a river in the state of North Carolina in the United States of America. A bridge that carries U.S. Route 17 over the river and connects Washington with Chocowinity, separates the river. Above ( west ) of the bridge, the river Tar River, below called ( eastward towards the Atlantic ) Pamlico. They differ in that the Pamlico River tidal range is available. The Tar River is about 346 km long and flows from the north-east of the state in a southeasterly direction to the estuary of Pamlico Sound.

North Carolina was in colonial times, a key supplier to the marine industry, from the pines in the state masts, tar and pitch for the British Navy were produced. The river's name comes from this period, when heavily loaded ships full of tar use ( Tar ) the flow towards the Atlantic Ocean as a major trade route. The town of Tarboro is located on the banks of the Tar River, just derived the epithet of the State Tar Heel State ( tar heel state ) of this historical event.

Among the other cities on the banks of the Tar River are Greenville, Louisburg and Rocky Mount. The location of Old Sparta was formerly an important river port lost its importance in the 20th century.

The river has been hit hard by Hurricane Floyd in 1999 caused severe flooding in the area. The Tar River exceeded the high tide mark by 7.3 meters and so reached the highest level in its lower reaches for 500 years.