Press Releases

North Carolina students were among top 10 finishers in the National History Day Competition held June 9-13 at the University of Maryland, College Park. From more than 3,000 competitors, four North Carolina student projects were among the top 10 and one was a special prize winner, on the theme, “Triumph and Tragedy in History.” More than 100 students overall took home cash prizes of from $250 to $1,000 after a journey involving local, state and national competitions.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which manages the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, requests the public’s help in locating a missing historical marker. The marker was located in Southport at Supply Road at N.C. Highway 133 (Old Bridge Road) and is about a fort that the U.S. government began construction on but that was taken over by Confederates in 1861. It is named for Governor Caswell.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which manages the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, requests the public’s help in locating a missing historical marker. The marker was located at the corner of Broadway and Chestnut Streets in Asheville and is about Locke Craig, North Carolina governor from 1913 to 1917. 

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is pleased to announce that four districts across the state have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The following properties were reviewed by the North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee and were subsequently nominated by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register for consideration for listing in the National Register.   

Most able-bodied men were required by North Carolina law to serve in the colony’s militia in the 1750s. They gathered several times a year for military training and could be called away at any time, leaving homes and businesses to defend the colony. Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will feature living history interpreters recreating an 18th century militia muster June 29.

North Carolina’s copy of its original Bill of Rights will be displayed for a limited time in a lobby case at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, June 29 through July 7. 

In 1948 polio rapidly spread through North Carolina causing 147 deaths with 2,517 cases recorded. The Guilford County outbreak was the highest per capita both in the state and the nation. Citizens rallied and built a hospital there in just 95 days after fundraising began. After the epidemic subsided, the facility was used as a jail for civil rights protestors in 1963. The unique evolution and roles of the facility will be recognized with a N.C. Highway Historical Marker Saturday, June 15 at 3 p.m.

While the traditional school year is ending for teachers and students across the state, it is never too early for educators to think of exciting ways to engage their students next year. The North Carolina Aquariums team wants to help by making it easier to access marine education and connect young people to nature and the ocean. 

N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Susi H. Hamilton today announced more than $2 million in 2019-20 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants for local N.C. libraries at an event held at UNC-Wilmington’s Randall Library. 

See the magic and skill as fabric, tools or toys take shape at the “Saturday on the Farm” program June 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Governor Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site. The free event will showcase blacksmithing, woodworking and spinning talents and will celebrate 19th century North Carolina farm life. Music will be performed by the Waterbound Dulcimers in the morning.