All About North Carolina
Story by Bill F. Hensley
There is a good chance that you are a newcomer to North Carolina, because the state is growing steadily. With that in mind, I have prepared this handy guide to living here. It’s an all-you-need-to-know look at the state that will help you understand local customs and traditions, since they may be different where you came from.
North Carolina’s history goes back to 1540 when DeSoto and his men explored our mountains, moving up from their base in Florida. That makes them the first tourists from the Sunshine state.
Later, in 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh of England sent over an expedition to our shores, landing in the Outer Banks area. They liked what they saw, so another group came back a year later to form a colony in the “new world.”
There weren’t many people living in the area at that time, except for some hostile Indians, so Virginia Dare added to the population. She was the first child of English parentage to be born in America. That was 1587.
The state is named after England’s King Charles I who granted colony rights in 1629. The word “Caralana” means “land of Charles” in Latin. I think old Charles had an ego problem.
Our capital is Raleigh and was named in honor of the polite, gentlemanly Brit who once laid his expensive cloak over a mud puddle so a pretty young lady wouldn’t get her long skirt and her feet wet as she crossed it. He was a cool dude.
After the first colony didn’t make it, a second, more serious attempt was made in 1663 under the reign of Charles II. At that time the territory was divided into North and South Carolina, with us getting the better of the deal.
One of the reasons we were founded, I’m told, was so there would be a place later on to put Grandfather Mountain, the Biltmore House and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Also, the Wright Brothers needed a place to invent the airplane.
We became a part of the union in 1789, the 12th of the 13 original colonies. It’s the only union we have ever belonged to.
Our state motto is Esse Quam Videri, which is Latin and means “to be rather than to seem.” The state bird is the Cardinal, the tree is the Longleaf Pine, and the flower is the Dogwood. We have some other things; too, like an official fish, seashell, vegetable and hunting dog, but to know them would be pure trivia. You could look it up, however.
If we have a state song, it’s probably that old jazz favorite, “Struttin’ With Some Barbecue.”
We are called the “Tar Heel” state. That’s because the North Carolina basketball team is known as the Tar Heels, and doesn’t relate to any of those Civil War stories you may have heard about brave soldiers sticking to their posts like they had tar on their heels.
You will learn quickly that basketball is a matter of life and death here, and maybe more important than that. In no time you will establish a love/hate relationship with Carolina, Wake Forest, Duke and N. C. State, and come to realize that the annual ACC basketball tournament is bigger than the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby, a NASCAR race, or a midnight raid on a moonshine still.
At one time, we were known as “the good roads state,” but that slogan was abandoned when all the potholes appeared.
Over the years, the state has produced a number of celebrities such as authors Thomas Wolfe and “O. Henry,” politicians Zeb Vance and Jesse Helms, movies stars Ava Gardner and Andy Griffith, basketball immortal Michael Jordan, baseball star James (Catfish) Hunter, racer Richard Petty, football great Charlie (Choo Choo) Justice; and musicians Theolonius Monk, Randy Travis, Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson. We put them right up there with the greatest Southerners since Robert E. Lee.
The pirate Blackbeard made his base in North Carolina and looted numerous ships in our ocean waters. But he was an import, so we don’t talk much about him.
Believe me, you will come to like sweetened tea, grits and genuine pork barbecue. A word about grits: they can be eaten plain, with cheese, butter or gravy, but they have to be eaten. Don’t fight it.
There are a lot of really small, one-horse towns scattered around the state with familiar names: Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Dallas, Denver, Nashville and Pensacola. Most are just wide spots in the road, and aren’t nearly as well-known or colorful as Whynot, Loafers Glory, Bat Cave, Duck, Frog Pond, Pigeon Roost or Calypso.
Speaking of towns, this may come as a surprise: the city of Henderson is not in Henderson County, Washington is not in Washington County, Beaufort is not in Beaufort County, Hertford is not in Hertford County, and Rockingham is not in Rockingham County. That would be too easy.
What’s more, don’t look for Asheville or Asheboro in Ashe County, Pittsboro in Pitt County, Scotland Neck in Scotland County, Lenoir in Lenoir County, Cherokee in Cherokee County or Columbus in Columbus County.
But don’t despair. You will find Camden in Camden County and Cumberland in Cumberland County, if you want to be nitpicky. North Carolinians are not bound by tradition.
The state is internationally famous for its beautiful mountains—the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge—and the Outer Banks, a unique chain of barrier islands along the Atlantic coast. We are also well known for basketball (or have I mentioned that?), Pinehurst, Tweetsie Railroad and great fishing. Just ask anyone.
If you are looking for something to brag about when you write home, let everyone know that our Mt. Mitchell, at 6684 feet, is the tallest peak east of the Mississippi. That will impress them. You can also tell them that three of our universities have won national basketball championships.
In the past, we were one of the nation’s leading producers of tobacco and textiles, but those products are having a tough struggle at the moment. But we are a major banking center and still a top producer of furniture, fiber optic cable, and bricks. We have nearly 600 golf courses, and that helps make us big in the travel industry. A lot of folks visit each year, so be prepared to house lots of friends and relatives when they are passing through.
As a major agricultural state, our main crops are corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans. There are a lot of farmers out there as you will notice from the many pickup trucks.
One of the best things about living in North Carolina is our attractive year-round climate. Sure, we get some snow now and then—usually in the mountains, where there is skiing—but it’s not like it was up north. You will like the mild winters, glorious springs and falls, and summer days that last until nine o’clock in the evening. Hot and humid? Nah, that’s just an idle rumor that Yankee invaders like to spread.
One thing you will notice if you drive from the mountains to the coast—Murphy to Manteo, as we say—is that it’s a long way, nearly 600 miles. It isn’t too bad from north to south, however, measuring only 200 miles at the widest point.
Occasionally, you will hear a rumor that the South is still fighting the infamous war of northern aggression, and that we are poor losers. Forget it. The only grudges we hold concern basketball scores. We don’t take kindly to losing.
I hope this useful information brings you up to date on North Carolina. It’s a great state. Our tourist promoters used to call us “Variety Vacationland,” and that’s an accurate statement because we have a lot to offer and to enjoy. So make yourself at home and become one of the family.
And if you run across any ACC tickets that you don’t need, give me a call.