Formed in 1670, Perquimans is one of North Carolina's oldest counties. It was the entry point for many of immigrants to the colony. In this study, special attention is devoted to the colonial and antebellum periods and to the Quaker community that gave Perquimans a distinctive character during those two eras.

The text is divided into four broad chronological chapters: "The Colonial Era," "From Revolution to Civil War," "Civil War and Reconstruction," and "The Last Century [1880s - 1980s]." Twenty-eight illustrations enhance the text.