NATIONAL NORTH CAROLINA DAY

NATIONAL NORTH CAROLINA DAY

As we near the last of the original 13 colonies, National North Carolina Day recognizes the 12th state to join the Union. Let's give a shout-out to North Carolina for the spirit of the Tar Heel State!

#NorthCarolinaDay

The Tar Heel state was the first state to vote for independence from the British at the first Continental Congress. Before the Civil War, North Carolina resisted secession from the Union. As a whole, the state was vehemently against dividing the nation even after other states had signed agreements to secede. Eventually, public opinion changed and the state was swayed to join the Confederacy.

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The state is filled with beauty from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Cape Fear and up to Kitty Hawk. Along with the beauty, you will find mystery buried in history and nature. Explore the sites of the first powered flight, the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists and with them the first English child born in the New World.

North Carolina is also home to the 82nd Airborne, blue fireflies, and the lavish Biltmore Estate. Studios find the state ideal for filming on location, so don't be surprised if you recognize places from TV shows or films you have seen.  And don't forget, both the Carolinas are home to NASCAR.

HOW TO OBSERVE NORTH CAROLINA DAY

Join National Day Calendar as we celebrate North Carolina's mysteries and history. Explore all the epic vistas and ocean views. There is an adventure in every corner! Use #NorthCarolinaDay to share on social media.

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For a complete list of North Carolina State and National Parks visit www.ncparks.govand www.nps.gov.  Check out a few of the featured sites around the state below.

North Carolina Short Lists

Nature and History

• Hanging Rock State Park - Danbury

• Raven Rock State Park - Lillington

  

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• Merchants Millpond State Park - Gatesville

• Fort Macon State Park - Atlantic Beach

• Dismal Swamp State Park - South Mills

  

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• Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Resource - Hillsborough

• Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Greensboro - Nags Head

• Guilford Courthouse National Military Park - Greensboro

  

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• Moores Creek National Battlefield - Currie

• Blue Ridge National Heritage Area - Asheville

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Bryson City

Art and History

• North Carolina Museum of History - Raleigh

• City of Raleigh Museum - Raleigh

• Airborne & Special Operations Museum - Fayetteville

• 82 Airborn Division War Memorial Museum - Ft. Bragg

• Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center - Old Fort

• Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art - Winston-Salem

• Levine Museum of the New South - Charlotte

• Carolina Aviation Museum - Charlotte

• Wright Brothers National Museum - Kill Devil Hills

• Folk Art Center - Asheville

• Cape Fear Museum - Wilmington

• Museum of the Cherokee Indian - Cherokee

• Greensboro Historical Museum - Greensboro

Famous People

The 11th President of the United States, James Polk pursued westward expansion. He served from 1845 to 1849 and succeeded in annexing Texas and acquiring California and New Mexico. Overall, U.S. territory grew by more than 1/3 during his time in the White House.

Born into slavery, Harriet Ann Jacobs learned to read and write within her mistresses home. It was after her escape from slavery years later that she wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Despite being the only Southern senator to remain loyal to the Union, President Andrew Johnson would end his only term in office as the first president impeached by Congress. Johnson took the oath of office after President Lincoln's death. He had been Vice President just six weeks. His restoration policies and actions toward the Secretary of War led the House to a vote on impeachment.

Founder of the Palmer Memorial Institute, Charlotte Hawkins Brown became a noted activist, educator, speaker and author.

In his short life, Thomas Wolfe published three autobiographical novels. His first and best-known work, Look Homeward, Angel, introduces a young, moody Harvard graduate student named Eugene Gant and explores his coming of age.

Noted radio and television news broadcast pioneer, Edward R. Murrow brought the world into people's living rooms by allowing them to hear the action as it happened. Murrow was respected for his integrity in journalism. The Radio Television Digital News Association has awarded journalists in the field with the Edward R. Murrow Award since 1971.

Known as The King in the NASCAR world, Richard Petty began racing when he was 21 years old. Petty, along with Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, has won the NASCAR championship seven times. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2010.
The 1976 Olympic gold medalist, Sugar Ray Leonard, turned to professional boxing the following year. In 1987 he defeated "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler for the middleweight title. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997 after his retirement.