Press Releases

The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (DPR) recommended 12 local community projects to the National Park Service for grant funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF is a federal matching grant program to improve and develop outdoor recreation opportunities. To date, 11 projects have received approval.

The North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program recently established a partnership with the non-profit North Carolina Literary and Historical Association for a historical marker maintenance endowment fund.

The State Library and State Archives of North Carolina will host a virtual program, “North Carolina Trivia Night,” Thursday, Oct. 14, 6-7:30 p.m. Think you’re an expert on North Carolina history, geography, and culture? Here's your chance to show off your skills! On Oct. 14, 2021, at 6 p.m., players can participate — as individuals or in teams — from their homes, as we present fascinating trivia about the Old North State. Bragging rights are on the line in this Carolina contest of wits! We look forward to seeing you there.

Person County has been chosen as the subject of a comprehensive survey of historic buildings and landscapes planned from 2021-23. Funding for this architectural survey comes from the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF), administered by the National Park Service, for hurricanes Florence and Michael.

Andy Sicard is the new superintendent of Grandfather Mountain State Park in Avery, Caldwell and Watauga counties, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. Sicard succeeds Kevin Bischof, who transferred to serve as superintendent at Gorges State Park in June. A superintendent is the chief of operations and administration at a state park or state recreation area with wide-ranging responsibilities for staffing, training, law enforcement, visitor services, natural resource protection, environmental education and community outreach.

The Parks and Recreation Authority has awarded three local park projects a total of $491,893 in grants from the bequest of Ms. Barbara McIntyre to the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF). All three selected projects are in Tier 1 Counties.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences announces the second season of its “Love Nature” podcast with New York Times best-selling author, journalist and environmental advocate, Richard Louv, as the first guest on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021. The podcast is co-hosted by Museum Director and CEO Eric Dorfman, along with the Museum’s Chief Veterinarian Dan Dombrowski.

The North Carolina Historical Commission will hold their regular meeting via conference call Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.

The North Carolina Arts Council announced today that five traditional artist teams from western North Carolina have received the third annual North Carolina Appalachian Folklife Apprenticeships awards.

In 1761, the western part of North Carolina was in crisis. Warfare between British colonists and the Cherokee had raged for two years. By the summer and fall, armies massed for a final invasion of the Cherokee's homeland. Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will host a living history event Sept. 25 that will demonstrate the experiences of the soldiers, Cherokee, and settlers caught up in the Anglo-Cherokee War. Ongoing displays of life in military camps will include period cooking, trades and crafts, as well as scheduled weapons firing demonstrations.