magazine

January 2008 Table of Contents

This Month

Features — Starting Place

Life is full of beginnings that set the stage for all that is to come. Join us for a look at significant North Carolina achievements and common yet classic Tar Heel encounters.

Jeanne Robertson By Bill Morris

Humorist and former Miss North Carolina's first big break

Dean and Starr Jones By Bill Morris

Special effects artists' first look at movie-making

Dino Hackett By Jay Ahuja

NFL linebacker's first purchase with big-league earnings

Michael Jordan By Jay Ahuja

Basketball legend's first season at UNC

Nido Qubein By Jimmy Tomlin

Business leader's first semester in America

Joey Cheek By Jimmy Tomlin

Olympic gold medalist's first time on skates

O. Henry By Janet C. Pittard

Famed author's first job

Mary Martin Sloop By Janet C. Pittard

Pioneering physician's first surgery in Avery County

Sam Ragan By Janet C. Pittard

Celebrated journalist's first big story

Remember When From the Our State Staff

Snapshots of quintessential North Carolina experiences

Pedal to the Medical By Diane Silcox-Jarrett

From our first female physician to robotic technology

Firsts in Flight By Kathy Grant Westbrook

Notable Tar Heel firsts that launched us into new heights

Fame to Claim By David La Vere

Famous folks who got their start in the Old North State

More features

Great Walks: Weymouth Woods By Lynn Setzer

Get a jump start on spring at this nature preserve near Southern Pines.

Winter Coat: A Photo Essay

There's nothing like a perfect snowfall to help us appreciate the warm familiarity that only a chilly season can bring.

Rockingham Palace By L.A. Jackson

With new owners and plans for a winery and overnight accommodations, Chinqua Penn Plantation www.chinquapenn.com is experiencing a fresh start that would make its builders proud.

Cafeteria Connection By Bob Garner

For 70 years, K&W Cafeteria has served up fresh, affordable food — without sacrificing quality.

Departments

Welcome to Our State

By Vicky Jarrett

Our State Quiz

That's a First

From steamboats to parachute jumpers, North Carolina's list of "firsts" may surprise you. Uncover the answers to these inaugural achievements.
By Alan Hodge

Tar Heel Treasures

Gilded Glow

An impressive, nickel-plated stove symbolizes the wealth created by our state's early textile empire.
By Alan Hodge

Tar Heel Literature

Down River; The Blue Ridge Parkway by Foot: A Park Ranger's Memoir; The Marines of Montford Point: America's First Black Marines

75th Anniversary

The Zipper Story

A favorite Carl Goerch tale is preceded by his explanation of why it also appeared in his book, Down Home, published in 1943.
By Carl Goerch

Tar Heel Towns

Goldsboro

A former railroad town, the seat of Wayne County is enjoying a cultural renaissance. By David La Vere

Tar Heel History

Paper Dreams

In the 1960s, Mars of Asheville created a cultural phenomenon by introducing disposable clothing to a population that had become newly obsessed with all things commercial.
By Alli Marshall

Tar Heel People

Mama Angus

Whether in a high school chemistry class or on the farm, Bette Laursen has always been a teacher.
By Kathy Norcross Watts

Carolina Artists

A Way with Clay

Cary's Lauren Van Hemert transfers images from vintage stamps, letters, and labels to create one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, watches, and earrings made from polymer clay.
By Kathy Grant Westbrook

Tar Heel Memories

Best Friends

Different backgrounds didn't stop two young girls from forging a lifelong bond.
By April Parker

Tar Heel Gardening

Working in a Winter Wonderland

It may be dormant, but the garden's not dead — and it still needs tending.
By L.A. Jackson

Tar Heel Tastes

At Emma's Carolina Cuisine and Spirits, it's all about the food you grew up eating, set against a backdrop of North Carolina memorablilia.
By Alan Hodge

Carolina Kitchen

Dinner's Ready

Putting less effort into a meal by using a slow cooker doesn't mean there's less love in it.
By Erica Derr

Agenda

"Amazing Feats of Aging"; Cape Fear Historic Byway ; "Taking Root"
By Lynne Gantz