The April 2026 Issue

Explore hidden gardens and tasty places to eat and drink in Charlotte’s historic neighborhood.

In Weymouth Woods, and in other mature forests beyond the Sandhills, we find trees that offer a lesson in coexistence.

This storied stretch in the Coastal Plain chronicles a past faithfully preserved by local historians, evolving from a pivotal Revolutionary battleground to a welcoming corridor of beloved businesses and ancestral dwellings.

Where to shop, sip, and chow down on a smashburger on Bladen County’s iconic thoroughfare.

In Iredell County, Fort Dobbs State Historic Site provides a window into pre-Revolutionary War life at the edge of North Carolina’s western frontier.

A boy grew up on the tales of Appalachia told by his grandmother and our great writers — one of whom inspired him to join their literary legacy.

It takes more than April showers to bring on the beauty of spring. As waves of yellow coat everything in sight, North Carolinians stock up on tissues and allergy medicine. Welcome to pollen season.

At a Wrightsville Beach resort, a most unexpected resident frolics through sandy dunes and secret gardens.

In art class, we learn to notice texture, form, color, and light. On the plate, those same techniques guide chefs, bakers, and makers across North Carolina, turning ingredients into compositions meant to be admired before they’re savored.

Reynolda Gardens is where curiosity meets grace — and its caretaker learned to see himself anew.

In the South, we happen upon fatback in our stores and well-seasoned sides. This month, fatback finds its way, finally, into our columnist’s kitchen.

Double-cooking bits of fatback turns it into meaty, crunchy croutons that gussy up the beans.

A full tray, an ice-cold sweet tea, and a midday break bring us back to our days at the K&W Cafeteria.

These seared, seasoned fillets cook in a snap, so make your sauce ahead of time to serve everything while it’s still hot.

Make this retro, finely chopped slaw as a cooling accompaniment for blackened fish or barbecue.

With just a dash of vanilla and nutmeg, the beauty of this cool and creamy pie lies in its simplicity.

In the heart of Raleigh, at the intersection of modern and traditional, Longleaf Swine puts in the time to cook barbecue with care.

A historian traveled thousands of miles around our state on a quest to compile stories of the American Revolution. In North Carolina, that history lives all around us — even if we can’t see it.

Hidden since 1849, the footprint of the colonial courthouse that helped spark America’s independence has finally been located.

A beloved outdoor drama in Alamance County finds new life through the people who refuse to let it fade.

In Charlotte, a Daughters of the American Revolution chapter has been getting things done for 127 years — and it’s just getting started.

Although its complete history has been lost to time, a document drafted by patriots in Charlotte is believed to be the colonies’ first written declaration of independence.

From towns to battlefields, these 17 sites across our state still echo with the footsteps — and sacrifices — that helped forge a new nation.

An Asheville nonprofit is helping farmers develop seeds tailored to western North Carolina’s climate and community.

A family returns to the mountain land that once fed them — and discovers that what was planted generations ago still grows.

For 127 years, this Wilson County store has been keeping its community well supplied — by relying on people just as much as what’s on the shelves.

Decades later, these stores are still nourishing the farms, gardens, and towns around them.