On June 3, 1933, while the country was enduring the hardships of the Great Depression, the first issue of The State magazine rolled off the presses, emerging as a beacon of positivity and igniting a sense of hope and celebration in North Carolina. Over the course of 90 years and more than 2,000 issues since, the magazine, now known as Our State, has covered everything from the tallest lighthouse on the East Coast to the world’s largest frying pan — and everything in between.
Split-rail fences don’t shout “keep out.” They lean, they shift, they invite. And in western North Carolina, they remind us that some lines are meant to hold, not harden.
Each May, spring climbs nearly 3,000 feet to the seat of Alleghany County. Here, as the rhododendrons blush, a beloved mountain town welcomes visitors with its food, art, and flourish of color and creativity.
Brief but delicious, soft-shell crab season is cherished by diners as well as the folks who work around the clock to put these native pinchers on our plates.
When it comes to poultry, the best is raised close to home.
