North Carolina’s State Boat: The Shad Boat
Early North Carolina coastal communities relied heavily on boats for transportation. Residents used oxen and horses to get around, but more often they went about their daily lives—visiting friends and conducting business—via the water. | Full Story

Shackleford Banks History
The island of Shackleford Banks may be small-it's only nine miles long and one-half mile wide-but it has a long and interesting history. American Indians were the first to visit the barrier island, hundreds or even thousands of years ago. | Full Story

Piedmont History in Your Backyard
Whether you live in Raleigh, Roxboro, orRockingham, you can find pieces of historywhere you walk every day. Many objectsbecome buried over time. Imagine losing abutton in your backyard. Grass, dirt, leaves,or even a new driveway might eventuallycover it. | Full Story

The Gift of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Our state contains many natural gifts. From its pearl necklace of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks to the hazy peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina is full of beauty. | Full Story

North Carolina's Hurricane History
Many people in North Carolina remember Hurricanes Floyd and Fran. Here’s a look at some other storms that made a big impression on our state. Before the 1950s, hurricanes did not have names, but coastal residents never forgot them. | Full Story

Piedmont Deer in History and Legend
American Indians in North Carolina’s Piedmont hunted white-tailed deer for thousands of years. Venison, or deer meat, was an important source of food for them. They also used the skin, bones, hooves, sinew (tendons), and antlers of deer to make items such as clothing, blankets, tools, thread, needles, drums, jewelry, and glue. | Full Story

Cherokee Hero Junaluska
Ever wonder how plants and animals get their special names? Salamander species that live in the North Carolina Mountains offer good examples. Several of them are named for the people who discovered or studied them. Weller’s salamander is named for Worth Hamilton Weller, a student who first found this species. | Full Story

Just in Time for Halloween: The Devil’s Tramping Ground
There’s a piece of land 10 miles east of Siler City, in western Chatham County, that’s as creepy as they come. It’s a perfect circle, 40 feet across, lying just off the highway. | Full Story