Littleton
Littleton, a town of about 600 residents, is located on US 158 in Halifax County. Known as "The Gateway to Lake Gaston," Littleton is also where one of the more interesting referendums in modern North Carolina history occurred.
Named for William Little, a state senator and the town's first postmaster, Littleton incorporated in 1877.
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| The Roanoke Valley Veterans Museum is open on weekends. |
Though Littleton's population is small, its downtown is very lively. Boutiques, hardware stores, outfitters, the town library, restaurants, and a brewery keep Main Street busy. There are also two museums in Littleton, the Roanoke Valley Veterans Museum and the Cryptozoology & Paranormal Museum.
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| Timber Waters Brewery has quickly become a Littleton destination. |
In 1973, Littleton held one of the most unique referendums in North Carolina history. The questions at hand were whether the town, then split directly in half by the Warren/Halifax County Line, should reside solely in one county? And if yes, which county, Warren or Halifax, should it reside in?
The first vote, held in August 1973, saw a one-county Littleton win by a margin of 170-82. The second vote to decide what county Littleton would officially call home occurred on Election Day, November 6, 1973. Halifax County won 227-121.
The Warren County side of Littleton formally moved to Halifax County on July 1, 1974. Minor changes, like the Warren County ABC store relocating about a quarter of a mile west outside the new Halifax County town's limits, occurred. More difficult items, such as Littleton school students remaining within the Warren County System, took longer to settle.
All photos taken by the post author - January 11, 2026 unless otherwise noted.
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