December 2, 1903, the trustees of Trinity College—the predecessor institution of Duke University—voted not to accept the resignation of history professor John Spencer Bassett, opting instead to issue a strong statement on the necessity of free speech.
Topics Related to This Day in North Carolina History
On December 2, 1924, the Bob Julian Roundhouse at the Spencer Shops Southern Railway Repair Facility opened. The structure replaced a smaller 15-stall roundhouse that had been built in 1896. The new building was more than twice the size, with 37 work bays for repairing and servicing Southern Railway’s growing number of locomotives. Southern officials announced the project in February 1924, and construction began almost immediately. In addition to the roundhouse, a new turntable was built to accommodate the increased number of stalls.
On December 1, 1566, Spanish Captain Juan Pardo left Santa Elena (in present day South Carolina) to explore the region. He built Fort San Juan at Joara, a large native town in the upper Catawba Valley near the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains. In so doing, he founded the earliest European settlement in the interior of what is now the United States.
On December 1, 1922, the Rowland Lumber Company in New Bern caught fire. While firefighters were still battling the Rowland blaze, a second fire started in a residence on Kilmarnock Street. It was reported that the flames “spread out like a giant fan” until they reached the Neuse River. Altogether about 1,000 homes, businesses and churches burned that day. Fire crews from Kinston and Washington, along with men from the Coast Guard Cutter Pamlico, assisted the fire fighters of New Bern.
On December 1, 1875, the Currituck Beach Lighthouse was lit for the first time.Built in response to the many wrecks in the 40 miles of “dark space” of coastline without lighthouses at the time, the idea for the structure was conceived in 1872. Construction began in 1873, and when completed, the 162-foot lighthouse was left unpainted to distinguish its exterior from other lighthouses along the coast.
On November 21, 1894, the Asheville Farm School, primary forerunner of Warren Wilson College, was established as a mission school by the Presbyterian Church. The site selected was a 420-acre farm in the Swannanoa Valley about ten miles east of Asheville.
On November 30, 1956, Cleveland County native Floyd Patterson, only 21-years-old at the time, became the youngest undisputed heavyweight champion in history after knocking out Archie Moore in the fifth round of a boxing match.
On November 30, 1853, Hyde County resident and Baptist preacher George Washington Carawan shot the prosecutor who secured his murder conviction and then turned the gun on himself.
On November 30, 1952, Charles George died at age 20 near Songnae-dong, Korea. Private First Class George, a member of the 45th Infantry Division, had sustained injuries the night before when he threw himself on a grenade to shield his comrades. With enemy forces near, George suffered from his wounds in silence to protect his company.