The name "Pasquotank" is derived from
pashetanki, a
Carolina Algonquian word translated as "where the current forks." The river was originally controlled by the
Secotan people, and later gained importance in trade and shipping during the
colonial period of North Carolina. The
Battle of Elizabeth City was fought on the Pasquotank River where a small Confederate fleet was sunk in defense of the City. The Confederate ships sunk on the Pasquotank River in the battle were the
CSS Black Warrior,
CSS Fanny,
CSS Sea Bird, and the
CSS Appomattox. Some principal industries along the Pasquotank were transport, logging, and oyster harvesting. Since the twentieth century, the commercial viability of the river has declined, as more traffic uses the
Intracoastal Waterway by way of
Coinjock. The river is now primarily frequented by pleasure boaters. ==References==