Press Releases

John Privette, a veteran park ranger, has been promoted to superintendent of Raven Rock State Park in Harnett County, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation. He succeeds Superintendent J.R. Murr, who accepted a position with the N.C. Forest Service. A superintendent manages 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 and environmental education.

Visit Historic Stagville Saturday, April 7, for a birthday celebration for American Girl doll Addy Walker! Addy is based in part on the story of a real person from Stagville in Durham. The site will celebrate with traditional birthday party foods and hands-on activities from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost is $5 per child. plenty of colorful cupcakes, make your own ice cream, and enjoy plenty of snacks. The many hands-on activities will include making cloth dolls and cowrie shell necklaces, dressing up in historic children’s clothing and trying popular hairstyles from Addy’s day.

Surveyor, soldier, statesman, governor – Richard Caswell served North Carolina in many capacities and the Richard Caswell Memorial State Historic Site reopens April 7 with a celebration, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Damage from Hurricane Matthew led the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to temporarily close the Vernon Avenue site in October 2016.

Assignment editors: WRAL will be providing a pool video feed at this meeting. The North Carolina Historical Commission Confederate Monuments Study Committee will hold a public meeting from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 21, to accept public comment on a petition to relocate three Confederate monuments from the State Capitol grounds in Raleigh to the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site in Four Oaks, N.C.

The North Carolina Historical Commission Confederate Monuments Study Committee will meet via conference call Monday, March 12 at 4 p.m.   During the meeting, the committee intends to determine parameters for an upcoming public meeting where members of the public may express their views on a proposal to relocate three Confederate monuments from the State Capitol grounds in Raleigh to the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site in Four Oaks, N.C. 

North Carolina’s state-owned attractions continue to rank among the most visited in the state according to an annual survey of North Carolina museums and historic attractions just released by Carolina Publishing and Associates. Four of the top five most-visited sites in 2017, and 15 of the 30 total sites in the annual ranking, are managed by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The significant roles and contributions of women in North Carolina are being recognized at venues of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources during Women’s History Month. Take this opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the accomplishments and activities of women in the state. East

Prohibitionist Carry A. Nation is taking a break from her busy schedule of smashing saloons for a night at the State Capitol! Join us for a casual evening of drinks and conversation with legendary saloon smasher Carry A. Nation Thursday, April 19 from 7-9 p.m. Beer, wine, and food will be served in the Capitol’s rotunda.

Nominations are being accepted for the 2018 North Carolina Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by the state, now through April 15. Created by the General Assembly in 1961, and administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the award recognizes “notable accomplishments by North Carolina citizens” in the fields of literature, science, fine arts and public service.

From earlier days at Palmer Memorial Institute, visionary women shaped the institution into an elite preparatory school for African Americans that closed in 1971. Now functioning as the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, some of these women will be featured in “Leading Ladies of Palmer Memorial Institute” with tours March 3 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.