A Slower Lifestyle, rich history and a new economy

Hometown of Ava Gardner, renowned actress and a movie star

Smithfield is a town in Johnston County, and also serves as the county seat of government. Smithfield is 30-miles to the southeast of the state capitol of Raleigh.

Johnston County is still an agricultural, rural county, boasting the state's largest number of farms and highest total farm income. Although huge agri-business operations have become the county's mainstay, there is still a considerable number of family farms that several generations have owned for a century or more.

Smithfield is a lovely town, sitting on the once important and still scenic Neuse River. The town is small but carries a big history, as Johnston County's first town, which began as a river settlement at the site of Smith's Ferry on the Neuse River.

All in all, Smithfield is a lovely southern town with a slower lifestyle, rich heritage and a new economy. Oh, and Smithfield is merely 90- minutes from the beach, or you can be in the mountains in three hours!