Topics Related to This Day in North Carolina History
On July 2, 1935, the state’s first Alcoholic Beverage Commission—ABC, for short—Store opened in Wilson to an excited public. The store offered legal alcohol in the state for the first time in 26 years.
On July 2, 1831, an advertisement appeared promoting gold coins minted by the Bechtlers in Rutherford County.
From about 1803 until California’s gold strikes of 1848, North Carolina led the nation in gold production. Gold was a key industry in the state, and about 50 mines were operating in the western part of the state by the 1830s.
Anna Pauline "Pauli" Murray was a groundbreaking lawyer, professor, writer and outspoken civil and women's rights activist from Durham.
On July 1, 1950, the outdoor drama Unto These Hills premiered to a capacity crowd at the Mountainside Theater in Cherokee.
On July 1, 1909, I. O. Schaub, a North Carolina State University researcher, organized the first Corn Club in Ahoskie. The club was eventually recognized as North Carolina’s first 4-H club.
On July 1, 1939, Linville Caverns, North Carolina’s only show cave, opened to the public. The caverns became an overnight success, as their development coincided with construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway in McDowell and Avery Counties in 1938.
On June 30, 1963, a month of protests known as “Freedom Rallies” began in Williamston.
The seat of Martin County on the Roanoke River was a “hotspot” of the civil rights movement, and Green Memorial Church, a Disciples of Christ church rooted in the Holiness tradition, was the epicenter. Discontent had simmered in the area since the 1957 acquittal of white men charged with the murder of a local black man.
On June 30, 1814, Otway Burns’ privateering ship Snap Dragon, temporarily under the command of Captain W. R. Graham, was captured by the British near, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Burns was at home suffering from rheumatism. The Snap Dragon mounted six guns and was carrying 70 men at the time it was seized. The vessel was on its fourth privateering voyage, and had recently captured the schooner Linnet laden with fish and oil and another schooner full of fruit.
On June 30, 1863, the 35th United States Colored Troops regiment officially mustered in New Bern.
On June 29, 1837, Nathaniel Macon died at his plantation in Warren County. In a long political career, Macon held various positions. Throughout his career, he remained an advocate for the agricultural, social and economic values of North Carolina.