Benson

Sweet & Sensitive at JP’s Pastry

This baker has a secret: a wheat allergy. For those with similar restrictions, his gluten-free bakery in Benson offers hope and happiness.

by Rebecca Woltz

Features

I-95 Road Trip: The Science of Smoke at The Redneck BBQ Lab

The mad scientists of Johnston County have won hearts and awards with their smoked pork, chicken, and beef brisket. And the experiments continue: At The Redneck BBQ Lab in Benson, they’re always cooking up something new.

by T. Edward Nickens

Editors’ Picks

90th Anniversary

The Life & Times of Our State Magazine

To commemorate our 90th anniversary, we’ve compiled a time line that highlights the stories, contributors, and themes that have shaped this magazine — and your view of the Old North State — using nine decades of our own words.

by Our State Staff

Photo Essay

The Beach Road: A Stop-by-Stop Guide to Exploring NC Highway 12

From its northernmost point in Corolla to its southern terminus on Cedar Island, this scenic byway — bound between sound and sea — links the islands and communities of the Outer Banks.

by Katie King

Video

NC Icons: Our State Magazine

Us? An icon? Well, after 90 years and more than 2,000 issues celebrating North Carolina from mountains to coast, we hope you’ll agree that we’ve earned the title.

by Our State Staff

History

39 Legendary North Carolina Seafood Restaurants

After nearly a century — or just a couple of years — these seafood restaurants have become coastal icons, the places we know, love, and return to again and again.

by Abigail Keller