It’s an old story: the bond between a man and his animal. For Hugh Morton, the wildlife photographer and conservationist who owned Grandfather Mountain, it didn’t matter that his animal was a fully grown black bear.
As gentle as could be from being raised and bottle-fed by humans at the Atlanta zoo, Mildred the Bear was the unofficial mascot of Grandfather Mountain for 25 years, brought there to help increase western North Carolina’s black bear population. Mildred and Morton became fast friends, going on nature walks and picnics together and eating one of Mildred’s favorite snacks: Fig Newtons with orange soda.
Known as “the bear who didn’t know she was a bear,” Mildred loved people, to the point of causing a little chaos at times. Her first day at Grandfather Mountain in 1968 was full of stops at the snack bar, getting chased by dogs, and unintentionally terrorizing golfers on the green.
When she wasn’t hamming it up for the camera with visitors, Mildred tended to her motherly duties, caring for nine cubs and adopting three others. Through it all, she and Morton remained close pals, companions who knew well the deep comfort of friendship.
Growing up in North Carolina, the swelter of a late Southern summer was all about finding the best ways to cool off.
North Carolina pharmacists may not prescribe Pepsi anymore, but the sweet treats at these historic soda fountains can still cure a case of the blues.
The National Register of Historic Places has documented some 95,000 structures, sites, and districts across the country. In North Carolina, around 2,900 properties — from churches and cotton mills to farms, homes, and schools — have earned this designation. Now, these special spots representing our state’s history are known nationwide.
Boiled, brittled, or bagged at the ballpark, there’s a peanut for practically every time and place. We’re proud that so many of them come from eastern North Carolina — ranked fifth in the nation for peanut production — where a whole lot of legumes find purchase in our sandy soil.
