Hikers visit Dry Falls in Franklin County.

Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to

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A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

  Here’s to the land of the longleaf pine,   [caption id="attachment_186629" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] At Wrightsville Beach, surfer Peyton Coombs and a few early risers on Crystal Pier are among

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Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

  Here’s to the land of the longleaf pine,   [caption id="attachment_186629" align="aligncenter" width="1140"] At Wrightsville Beach, surfer Peyton Coombs and a few early risers on Crystal Pier are among

Sunlight shines through the land of pine trees in North Carolina

Photo Essay

The North Carolina State Toast

In 1957, the General Assembly adopted a piece by Leonora Martin and Mary Burke Kerr as our official state toast. Today, 120 years after it was written, those stirring words continue to conjure images of life in North Carolina.

by

 

Here’s to the land of the longleaf pine,

 

At Wrightsville Beach, surfer Peyton Coombs and a few early risers on Crystal Pier are among the first in the state to greet the morning sun. photograph by Eric Alter Photography

 

The summer land where the sun doth shine,

 

 

A 10-foot-tall sculpture at City Plaza was commissioned for the City of Oaks’ 1992 bicentennial. photograph by Bryan Regan

 

Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great

 

From tiny acorns grow great oaks — like the one in Raleigh’s Moore Square. photograph by Charles Harris

 

Here’s to “Down Home,” the Old North State!

 

The Coastal Plain provides the ideal environment for cultivating cotton. photograph by Chris Rogers

 

Here’s to the land of the cotton bloom white,

 

Our state fruit, the scuppernong grape, thrives in the Coastal Plain. photograph by Faith Teasley

 

Where the scuppernong perfumes the breeze at night,

 

An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly sips nectar from a Carolina jessamine flower in Uwharrie National Forest. At Airlie Gardens in Wilmington, Spanish moss drapes over the branches of centuries-old live oaks. photograph by Eric Abernethy, Charles Harris

 

Where the soft Southern moss and jessamine mate,

 

Along the Neusiok Trail in Croatan National Forest, you’ll pass through virgin longleaf pine stands.

Along the Neusiok Trail in Croatan National Forest, you’ll pass through virgin longleaf pine stands. photograph by Ryan McGurl/iStock/Getty Images Plus

 

’Neath the murmuring pines of the Old North State!

 

Summertime brings native rhododendron blooms to the North Carolina mountains: white rosebays and purple and pink Catawbas, like the ones at Flower Gap on the Art Loeb Trail in Haywood County. photograph by Tom Moors

 

Here’s to the land where the galax grows,

Where the rhododendron’s rosette glows,

 

At 6,684 feet, Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. From the observation deck at its summit, visitors can see as far as 85 miles on a clear day. photograph by Tom Moors

 

Where soars Mount Mitchell’s summit great,

 

Summertime brings native rhododendron blooms to the North Carolina mountains: white rosebays and purple and pink Catawbas, like the ones at Flower Gap on the Art Loeb Trail in Haywood County. photograph by Tom Moors

 

In the “Land of the Sky,” in the Old North State!

 

Little unites a crowd more than rooting for the same team. NC State University mascots Ms. Wuf and Mr. Wuf lead fans in cheering the Wolfpack to victory at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. photograph by Audrey Sherk

 

Here’s to the land where maidens are fair,

 

photograph by Lance King/Contributor/Getty Images

 

Where friends are true and cold hearts rare,

 

A double rainbow near Plott Balsam Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway east of Cherokee ends just beyond the trees, where a true treasure — a part of our beautiful state — awaits. photograph by Robert Stephens

 

The near land, the dear land, whatever fate,

The blest land, the best land, the Old North State!

This story was published on Jul 26, 2024

Our State Staff

Since 1933, Our State has shared stories about North Carolina with readers both in state and around the world. We celebrate the people and places that make this state great. From the mountains to the coast, we feature North Carolina travel, history, food, and beautiful scenic photography.