Topics Related to Things to Do

Recently released prison records may offer clues for a project that will memorialize incarcerated laborers who died building the Mountain Division of the Western N.C. Railroad from Old Fort to Ridgecrest.

These records, housed in the N.C. State Archives, have provided additional information about those working, and at times dying, under dangerous conditions.

An upcoming virtual Lunch & Learn program hosted by the State Archives, “The RAIL Project: New Discoveries in the State Archives,” will present some of the early findings.

Throughout February, the North Carolina State Capitol will be commemorating Black History Month by hosting “We've Always Been Out There," a series of walking tours highlighting the protest and civil rights history of downtown Raleigh.

These short (0.5 mile) walking tours around downtown will discuss the lengthy history of protest and civil rights demonstrations in Raleigh. Topics range in time from the early 19th century to the 1980s and include an extended focus on the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 70s.

An annual nationwide tradition continues on Jan. 1, 2024, as North Carolina joins other states in offering First Day Hikes at state parks, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation announced.
Fresh off celebrating the Year of the Trail, North Carolina state parks will host more than 50 staff-led hikes to showcase the wonders of the Great Trails State. Visitors can choose from easy and short strolls on relatively flat trails to long excursions across mountainous landscapes.

By December of 1756, Fort Dobbs was complete. Its garrison of North Carolina soldiers prepared to spend the first of many winters in the building as they guarded the western edge of settlement in the British colony during the French and Indian War.

North Carolina’s Executive Mansion, the “people’s house,” will open its historic doors again for the beloved annual Holiday Open House Dec. 7-9.

Visitors are invited to tour the home, take in the decorations, and enjoy seasonal musical entertainment by local performing groups. The mansion's first floor will be decorated with North Carolina-grown Christmas trees, floral and mixed evergreen arrangements, and ornate mantle displays.

Visit the State Capitol Saturday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to make a rustic outdoor decoration to feed the birds and squirrels on Capitol Square. While the historic Capitol is closed for repairs, we’re bringing holiday cheer outside instead. Families, children, and wildlife enthusiasts are invited to make birdseed and critter-friendly ornaments to adorn the tree, provided by the N.C. Christmas Tree Association. The tree will stand on the east grounds through December.

An upcoming virtual Lunch & Learn program hosted by the State Archives will commemorate Pearl Harbor Day with “Remembering War in the Pacific: An Internment Camp Experience.”

A panel discussion will include Nash County resident Chris Larsen, who survived a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines during his early childhood, along with Ashley Latta, Military Collection Archivist, and Charlie Knight, Museum of History Military Curator, who will provide an overview of the war in the Pacific Theater, including documents, photographs, and artifact collections.

 Celebrate the holiday season at the Governor’s Western Residence Holiday Open House, Dec. 9-10, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day. The residence is located at 45 Patton Mountain Rd, Asheville.

Reservations are not needed to attend the open house. Guests are invited to tour the residence, which has been decorated for the season.

There’s a holiday happening to suit every taste at venues of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Holiday train rides at the N.C. Transportation Museum, a “Christmas Flotilla” at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort, “Christmas by Candlelight” at a state historic site and “Holiday Pops” or other performances with the North Carolina Symphony at home or on tour, are a few of the unique holiday experiences awaiting families at modest or no cost.

Join Duke Homestead State Historic Site for one last day of baseball this season at the Durham Athletic Park. Two vintage baseball games will be played Nov. 11, beginning at 1 p.m.