The Bungalow by Shallowbag Bay

A few things have changed in Manteo since the 1920s, when a boatbuilder constructed his house, piece by piece, using a Sears kit. Croatan Cottage now welcomes guests to recall a simpler time, when plans for a dream home came from a catalog.

A Peaceful, Easy Village

A country doctor created an idyllic ghost town of 19th-century log cabins in rural Catawba County. Five decades later, his granddaughter continues to nurture Hart Square Village, a living museum of pioneer life for new generations.

The Perfect Season

In the era before integration, Ridgeview High School’s football team was the pride of Hickory, breaking state records left and right. Today, the remaining players are seeing to it that their legacy is not forgotten.

Collecting Carolina: A Photo Essay

From UNC Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library — housing what’s believed to be the largest library collection in the country devoted to a single state — to personal troves of duck decoys, pottery pieces, trains, tractors, and more: Meet the passionate collectors who curate the past and present, the serious and curious, the tangible items that tell the story of life in North Carolina.

34 Amazing Historic Places to See in North Carolina

The National Register of Historic Places has documented some 95,000 structures, sites, and districts across the country. In North Carolina, around 2,900 properties — from churches and cotton mills to farms, homes, and schools — have earned this designation. Now, these special spots representing our state’s history are known nationwide.

The Little Hardware Store That Could

When a Wilkes County farmer opened his namesake hardware store a century ago in North Wilkesboro, no one could have predicted that Lowe’s would go from selling snuff and horse collars to becoming one of the largest home improvement chains in the world.