North Carolina: The Tar Heel State

North Carolina: The Tar Heel State — page 1 — 4 NORTH CAROLINA INTRODUCTION North Carolina is located on the Atlantic coast At just under 600 miles when measured from east to west North Carolina is the longest state east of the Mississippi River Its coastline is dotted with lighthouses particularly along the treacherous Outer Banks Situated on the Outer Banks Cape Hatteras has been the site of many shipwrecks earning it the nickname the Graveyard of the Atlantic One of the original 13 states of the United States North Carolina is rich with history In 1587 it was the birthplace of the first child born of English parents in America In 1775 it became the first colony to authorize a vote for independence from England The state contains many historic sites from the American Revolution 1775 83 and the American Civil War 1861 65 North Carolina is known as the Tar Heel State Historians disagree about the origin of the nickname Some believe that it dates back to colonial days when North Carolina was a leading producer of tar Others trace the name to the American Civil War During one battle as Confederate soldiers from other states retreated North Carolina’s soldiers refused to retreat as if their heels were glued to the ground with tar The beaches along the Outer Banks are dotted with the remains of old shipwrecks some of which date back to the 1500s The Currituck Beach Lighthouse built in 1875 was the last brick lighthouse erected on the Outer Banks The state flag was adopted in 1885 The flag must be displayed at all public buildings state institutions and courthouses The Outer Banks are a chain of sandy islands found along the coast of North Carolina Some of the houses along the Outer Banks have been constructed out of the hulls of old shipwrecks whereas others are decorated with items rescued from sunken ships

North Carolina: The Tar Heel State — page 2 — North Carolina has the largest state-maintained highway system in the United States North Carolina’s area of 52,672 square miles makes it the 29th largest state in the country North Carolina’s official state flower is the dogwood The dogwood grows throughout the state and its beautiful white or pink flowers bloom every spring North Carolina is also known as the Old North State This nickname comes from the early 1700s when the colony of Carolina was being divided Since North Carolina was the older colony of the two most people simply referred to it as Old North Carolina INTRODUCTION 5 North Carolina is located in the southeastern part of the United States It covers an area of 52,672 square miles North Carolina is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east Virginia on the north Tennessee on the west and Georgia and South Carolina on the south There are many ways to get to North Carolina Several major interstate highways run through the state and secondary highways provide links to the state’s towns and cities Rail service is also available with passenger trains offering daily trips across the state The state also has several international and regional airports The busiest airports are in Charlotte and in Raleigh-Durham Travelers can also reach North Carolina by boat The state has ports along the Intracoastal Waterway which is a protected sailing route along the Atlantic coast North Carolina Location Map Capital Raleigh Interstate highways 30 0 0 Scale Population 8,049,313 48 60 96 Mi Km Size 52,672 square miles Highest peak Mount Mitchell 6,684 feet

North Carolina: The Tar Heel State — page 3 — 6 NORTH CAROLINA North Carolina was the 12th of the original 13 colonies to ratify the U S Constitution It finally did so in 1789 after a Bill of Rights had been introduced in Congress Two presidents were born in North Carolina James K Polk in Mecklenburg County and Andrew Johnson in Raleigh Both North and South Carolina claim to be the birthplace of another president Andrew Jackson The state’s official song is The Old North State The song written by William Gaston was adopted in 1927 In the late 1500s North Carolina became the location of the first English colony in North America Founded on the island of Roanoke in 1585 this early settlement was not successful A second group of colonists that landed on the island in 1587 mysteriously disappeared by 1590 These early tragedies did not prevent other Europeans from settling in North Carolina By the time of the first U S census in 1790 nearly 400,000 people lived in the state including about 100,000 slaves Royal control was overthrown in 1775 and during the American Revolution several battles were fought in North Carolina including one at Guilford Courthouse in 1781 Slavery played a major role in North Carolina’s economy during the state’s early years African American slaves planted and harvested the state’s many crops During the first half of the 1800s tensions arose between the North and the South over slavery This led to the American Civil War Many Civil War battles took place in North Carolina and the state suffered widespread destruction After the Union won the war in 1865 slavery was abolished across the country American Civil War historical groups often reenact the battles that took place in North Carolina

North Carolina: The Tar Heel State — page 4 — INTRODUCTION 7 North Carolinians rebuilt their state quickly after the war By the end of the 1800s agriculture and other industries were once again prosperous On Dec 17 1903 from high atop a towering sand dune near Kitty Hawk called Kill Devil Hill two brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conducted the first successful airplane flight The Wright brothers had been visiting North Carolina’s sand dunes for two years prior to the flight During those two years they flew prototype kites and gliders made out of bicycle parts These experiments led to the construction and operation of the world’s first functional airplane Today North Carolina continues to be a site of innovation It is home to a number of thriving industries and manufacturing is very important The state is also known for its excellent research facilities and its highly respected colleges and universities These features along with the state’s beautiful scenery and friendly atmosphere attract millions of visitors and new residents each year A 90-foot-tall monument to the Wright brothers achievement was built on Kill Devil Hill in 1932 Boating is a popular recreational activity in North Carolina The eastern box turtle became North Carolina’s official state reptile in 1979 The official state stone is the emerald In 1970 the largest emerald ever discovered in the state weighing 1,438 carats was found in Hiddenite near Statesville The emerald was valued at 100,000 The Plott hound was adopted as the official state dog in 1989 This breed the only one known to have originated in North Carolina once hunted wild boar Charlotte is one of the most important financial centers in the United States

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