Most people don't know this one tiny town in North Carolina is The Pottery Capital of the World, or that the main highway running through the area is officially dubbed the 'Pottery Highway.' If you've never driven down (or up) NC-705, The Pottery Highway, then you're in for a real treat.
Although other tiny towns are included in this world pottery mecca, the center of it all is found in the tiny town of Seagrove (population approximately 250).
Within about a 20 mile radius of Seagrove (and including Seagrove) you'll find 100 pottery studios filled with all sorts of incredible creations. For a pottery lover, each and every one of the studios is filled with candy for the eyes — and you'll love the many sizes, colors, styles and types of pottery creations so much you may need some of each!
Most of the pottery studios include an actual workshop where you can often see the potters at work. The process of watching a pot, or in this case a pitcher, expertly take form and come to life is simply mesmerizing...
It's especially nice when you have the chance to exchange a few words with the artist who created a lovely work of art you're purchasing. It's not always possible, but on the Pottery Highway, you have a great chance of meeting any number of potters in their studio.
Don't expect any big fancy galleries like you'd find on the first floor of a five-star hotel. These are working studios.
Which is even better since you get to see the potters at work. Many of the potters here are 6th and 7th generation Seagrove artists. This area has been an active pottery community for the past 200 years.
In fact, the oldest continuously operated pottery shop in North Carolina is located in Seagrove.
Original Owens Pottery opened in the late 1800s and still produces outstanding pieces by today's owner Boyd Owens.
We couldn't possibly feature each and every shop on the Pottery Highway in one article, so we chose one of the oldest. But there are at least 99 more pottery shops in this short stretch of highway — and they're all fantastic!
Have you discovered North Carolina's Pottery Highway and the Pottery Capital of the World in Seagrove, North Carolina? We'd love to know! The pottery studios in Seagrove are open 365 days a year, however; hours may vary. The best resource for information about all of the galleries, including a map, is this collective website that features the potters: DiscoverSeagrove.com.
Make a weekend of your visit to the Pottery Capital of the World in Seagrove by pairing it with a trip to the Largest Zoo in the World - it's less than 10 miles from Seagrove!
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