In the 1970s, a group of women came together to save a historic train depot. Decades later, it’s a museum reminding locals of how their town began.
HISTORY
The Man Who Couldn’t Stop Running
Paul "Hardrock" Simpson of Burlington lived his life in the fast lane, and never passed up an opportunity to jog.
The 1960s: The Fast Cars and Outlaw Heroes of NASCAR
Thanks to the grit of its drivers and the thrill of its events, the sport started by moonshiners shifts into high gear. Born on the dirt tracks of the North Carolina Piedmont, stock car racing becomes a national pastime.
The 1960s: The State of Literature
In the 1960s, a renewed focus on culture and education brings a burst of energy to the state’s literary scene: Writers sing North Carolina’s praises in poetry and prose.
The 1960s: How Cape Lookout Became a National Seashore
By 1965, the diamond-patterned lighthouse has helped keep seafarers safe for more than a century. Now, a new kind of coastal protection takes shape for the pristine stretch of the Outer Banks.
North Carolina’s 8-Year-Old First Lady
Nearly a century ago, our state's new governor was a widower. So his daughter stepped in to a big role.
The Many Lives of Vade Mecum
A mineral springs resort in the Sauratown Mountains has seen its share of wild life — from circus animals to wealthy flappers to Episcopalian campers. Now, lionhearted locals are fighting to preserve the property.
Misfortune in the Barringer Gold Mine
A quarter-century before 300,000 gold prospectors headed west in search of their fortunes, a repository near Morrow Mountain produced some of America’s purest ore. Beset by bad luck, the Barringer Mine tells the story of North Carolina’s gold rush and the ways it changed the land.
How William Cecil Made The Biltmore Estate Into Asheville’s Biggest Tourist Attraction
The grandson of George Vanderbilt worked for decades to change his birthplace — once a crumbling, 250-room chateau — into a beloved Western North Carolina landmark.
