North Carolina

The breathtaking Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, has captured the fascination of people everywhere for over 100 years.

Created in the 1890s by George Washington Vanderbilt, a member of one of America's wealthiest families, the estate combined a 250-room French Renaissance-style chateau with 125,000 acres of gardens, forests, and working farms. Biltmore House served as Vanderbilt's primary residence for almost 20 years. After Mr. Vanderbilt's death in 1914, life at Biltmore continued for his wife Edith and daughter Cornelia. In 1930, Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and her husband, Hon. John Francis Amherst Cecil, opened Biltmore House - the largest private home in the United States - to the public, firmly establishing the Asheville area as a major tourist destination.

Tour the Old North State's famous--and not-so-famous--historic sites.

"First in Freedom," "First in Flight," and "First, Farthest and Last" are all honorifics that have been used to describe North Carolina's well-known history. Learn the truth behind each of these epithets and other tales from the sands of the Outer Banks to the bustling cities of the Piedmont and the western mountains. Tour the state's famous historic homes, gardens and cemeteries. Dive deep into its military conflicts, from the golden age of piracy to the Second World War.

"Join North Carolina's veteran historian, Michael C. Hardy, for an exploration of the many sites, monuments, museums, and public spaces that tell story of North Carolina's history.

The Outer Banks National Scenic Byway stretches the length of North Carolina's 200-mile barrier islands. The unique maritime culture shared by the 21 coastal villages led to the road's designation as a National Scenic Byway in 2009. The route is entered from the north at Whalebone Junction in Nags Head, North Carolina, and from the south at the North River Bridge on US 70 East, just past Beaufort, North Carolina. Encompassing 142.5 driving miles, six and a half hours of travel time, and two ferries, the byway traverses Hatteras Island, Ocracoke, and Down East in Dare County and Hyde and Carteret Counties. This book explores the region's rich maritime history, culture, and traditions, such as boatbuilding, decoy carving, fishing, lighthouse-keeping, and living with the powerful forces of water and wind. Travelers can experience local seafood, ascend three lighthouses, and discover outdoor trails and endless miles of marsh and beaches offering bird-watching and solitude.

Wilbur and Orville Wright made the world’s first successful controlled, heavier-than-air powered flight on December 17, 1903, after four years of glider experiments and scientific study.

At what is now the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the brothers discovered and developed the fundamental principles of mechanical flight, setting in motion a series of events that allowed the first generation of flight to travel from Kitty Hawk to the moon in the lifetime of a human being. Located in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, and administered by the National Park Service, the Wright Brothers National Memorial features a full-scale reproduction of the 1903 flying machine, an engine block from the original 1903 flyer, and a precise reproduction of the wind tunnel that the Wrights used to conduct their early experiments. Today, the park’s mission is to commemorate the Wrights’ success and to interpret the continuing worldwide significance of their dream, vision, and achievement.

Douglas Stover served as cultural resource manager and historian at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site and is now retired from the National Park Service. Darrell Collins worked with the National Park Service for almost 39 years, spending most of his time at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Collins is ranked as one of the top five historians in the world on early aviation and the Wright brothers.

Established in 1896, Spencer Shops was the Southern Railway's largest steam locomotive repair facility. After five decades of providing thousands of jobs to craftsmen and laborers, Spencer Shops and its company town became a victim of technology as diesel-electrics replaced steam locomotives. By August 1960, Spencer Shops had all but ceased operation, its workforce dwindling to a level 95 percent smaller than it had been in the early 1950s. Even as rust and pigeons ruled the largely abandoned complex, a dedicated group of state officials and railroad enthusiasts saw its promise as a state historic site. After years of hard work, Spencer Shops experienced its rebirth with the creation of the North Carolina Transportation Museum (NCTM) in 1977. Today, the impressive facility celebrates not only the rich history of Spencer but also the wide array of transportation history in the Tar Heel State.

In the late 1890s, the Blue Ridge Parkway was envisioned by many as a great getaway and nature preserve. The concept materialized in the early 20th century, when John D. Rockefeller donated the first $5 million to begin purchasing land for the project. Located at the top of the great Appalachian ridges, the parkway covers 469 winding miles of mountains and meadows lined with lush wildflowers, old farms, and split-rail fences. Inspiring scenery makes for a journey rich in history and mountain culture.

For two centuries, people have traveled through the mountains of North Carolina to the city of Asheville. Early visitors came on foot, driving animals to market down the Buncombe Turnpike. Later, stagecoaches brought wealthy planters out of the heat of low-country summers. The railway brought an influx of visitors from all over the country, including Northerners escaping cold winters and patients looking for health cures. The advent of the automobile made travel even more accessible, and people flocked to the mountain town for scenery and entertainment. Tourism became central to Asheville's growth and industry, with many of the towns' prominent citizens taking part in the hotel trade and building iconic hotels like Battery Park and Grove Park Inn that attracted famous guests from all over the world. From simple hotels to large grand inns, economical boardinghouses, and accessible motels, Historic Inns of Asheville showcases the city's abundant history of accommodation.

In 1928, Eli Reid purchased 400 acres of picturesque property on the banks of the Chowan River in Hertford County, North Carolina. Soon after he acquired the land, Reid began turning the area into a Segregation-era resort for African Americans, and Chowan Beach was born.

As the resort began to take shape in the late 1920s, it was clear that something special had been started. Wide sandy beaches were built, and construction was immediately started on guest cottages, bathhouses, a dance hall, photo studio, restaurant, picnic area and magnificent German-made carousel. Chowan Beach was an immediate success, and throngs of African Americans began to stream in from across North Carolina and the East Coast to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and spectacular views--an oasis of fun in a social desert of limited opportunities and unfair treatment. The water was cool and refreshing, the crowds were friendly, and the music was hot, as the beach was a popular stop for musicians touring on the "Chitlin Circuit," including B.B. King, James Brown, Sam Cooke and The Drifters.

In this nostalgic new book, author Frank Stephenson brings back the glory days of Chowan Beach with an array of vintage photographs and a brief history of the area. Come along as Stephenson revisits the past of this beloved beach and offers a reminder of what it meant to generations of African American visitors.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail shows off the most spectacular, historic and quirky elements of the North Carolina landscape.

Stretching one thousand miles from Clingmans Dome in the Smokies to Jockey's Ridge State Park in the Outer Banks, the route takes in Fraser fir trees and pelicans, old grist and textile mills, working cotton and tobacco farms, Revolutionary War sites and two British cemeteries complete with Union Jacks. The trail is half on footpaths and half on back roads, offering experiences not only in nature but also in small towns, at historic monuments, in family cemeteries and in local shops. Author Danny Bernstein has taken it all in and shares her knowledge for those who might follow in her footsteps.

Pamlico Sound is one of the most storied bodies of water among North Carolina's Outer Banks. Early colonists to Roanoke Island used it for protection. Blackbeard the pirate was killed there in 1718, and General Washington relied on it for transportation in the Revolutionary War. It wasn't a surprise, then, that the Confederate bastion of Fort Ocracoke was built in those same waters. Said to be capable of mounting fifty guns, the fort was part of the coastal defense system of the state. After Union victories on nearby Hatteras Island, the fort was destroyed and its whereabouts lost for generations. Author Robert K. Smith led an archaeological mission to find the once lost fort and presents the harrowing story of its past and discovery for the first time.

Albemarle Park was envisioned as a picturesque mountainside resort in north Asheville. It was a great success due to the collaborative efforts of railroad executive William Greene Raoul and his son Thomas; Bradford Gilbert, architect of New York City's first skyscraper; and Samuel Parsons Jr., landscape architect for the City of New York. The Manor and its surrounding cottages served as an alternative to standard late-19th-century Asheville hotels and boardinghouses. Dances, plays, bowling, archery, golf, motoring, and equestrian events were available for guests to enjoy, and meals were sourced from The Manor's own farm. Notable guests of The Manor included Eleanor Roosevelt and Grace Kelly. It was also a film set for The Last of the Mohicans. Consisting of enchanting architecture and romantic landscaping, Albemarle Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and as a local historic district in 1989. Through family archives, private collections, and ephemera, Asheville's Albemarle Park showcases the history of this significant Asheville neighborhood.

Deep in the heart of the southern Appalachian Mountains lies Roan Mountain, the second-highest peak east of the Mississippi and home to one of the most breathtaking, naturally recurring phenomenon in the world: 600 acres of Catawba rhododendron that bloom each year in mid-June. In an effort to promote tourism and draw attention to this area, North Carolina and Tennessee joined together to form the Rhododendron Festival in 1946. As attendance increased, it soon became necessary for each state to hold a separate festival, and in 1952, the first North Carolina Rhododendron Festival took place. Since then, Bakersville, a village nestled at the base of Roan Mountain, has hosted the North Carolina Rhododendron Festival. Visitors and locals gather to pay homage to one of nature's most magnificent wonders. After nearly seven decades, the festival continues to hold the distinction of being among the oldest and most respected festivals in the Southeast, confirming its potential to endure as long as the mountain itself.

Authors Deb Schillo and Barbara Miller take the reader through the fascinating history of the Southern Highland Craft Guild through a series of charming images and narratives of the craftspeople and artists throughout the 20th and into the 21st century that have made the Guild the world-renown cultural staple that it is today.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild is the oldest craft guild in the United States and the only guild to be defined by a geographical area. First conceived by Olive Dame Campbell in the 1920s, the craft guild was launched in 1930 with an exhibition of regional arts. Frances Louisa Goodrich contributed her Allanstand Shop so that families living in an already depressed region would have a sales venue for their work throughout the Great Depression and the years of World War II. From that early start, the Southern Highland Craft Guild has grown to nearly a thousand members and has established a worldwide reputation for fine workmanship. The guild is governed by the artist membership, which is made up of a wide range of craftspeople from institute-trained artists to local makers trained by parents and friends. Deb Schillo served as the guild's librarian and archivist for 20 years. Barbara Miller juried into the guild in 1965 and is still an active member, having served on the board and numerous committees. The authors have selected a sampling of the thousands of photographs and materials from the archives of the Southern Highland Craft Guild to provide a glimpse at some of the people and places that contributed to where the guild is today.