Topics Related to Things to Do

Hear stories of how freed people built Durham, the wealth and influence of the Cameron family, and how sharecropping shaped the lives of African American families post-Emancipation. All of this will be revealed during in-person tours at Historic Stagville in Durham, Feb. 20. 

“Over 900 people were enslaved by the Cameron family in what is now part of Durham, Orange and Granville counties,” observes Site Manager Vera Cecelski. “The people and profits from these massive plantations shape the history of our communities to this day.”

Fort Dobbs in Statesville is the state’s only historic site about the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, that spanned five continents from 1754 to 1763. Discover various aspects of the soldiers’ lives through a virtual program Feb. 27. Participants may sample subjects during the day, or make a day of it, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 

African American History in North Carolina involves a range of rich experiences and you can enjoy some of them during Black History Month from the comfort of home. Several museums and programs of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will offer online programs during February for children and adults. All are free. Sit back and enjoy any or all of them from anywhere in the state. 

East 

When north winds would blow with falling snow in the 1800s, handmade quilts kept families warm. Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center in Old Fort presents an exhibit of vintage textiles, “Uncovered: Airing the Stories of Heirloom Bedcoverings” through Memorial Day. 

North Carolina state parks experienced a record number of visitors in 2020. 

State parks and recreation areas welcomed 19.8 million visitors last year — 400,000 more than any other year on record and 1.2 million more visitors than in 2019. The previous record for visitation was set in 2017 when the parks welcomed 19.4 million visitors. 

Celebrate literature and hear from North Carolina authors with the Fourth-Annual Black History Month Read-In! The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, in partnership with the North Carolina State Capitol, the State Library of North Carolina, the Richard B. Harrison Community Library, Liberation Station Bookstore, and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, is presenting the Read-In virtually for 2021. Throughout Black History Month in February, the Commission will highlight individual Black North Carolina children’s book authors. 

The North Carolina state parks system now includes 250,000 acres of land and water, according to the Division of Parks and Recreation. Recent acquisitions, including 230 acres for Deep River State Trail and 300 acres for Salmon Creek State Natural Area, brought the system’s acreage up to the new total.

The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation launched a new web page to seek public input as staff develop the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail master plan. The master plan is a long-term strategy for the park that details how and where access will be provided and prioritizes projects and investments. Master plan development involves identifying recreation and conservation needs for the trail and collecting stakeholder input on priorities for the park. 

The State Archives of North Carolina is seeking volunteers who can help transcribe some of the state’s earliest court documents.

North Carolina’s Executive Mansion will soon be decorated for the season, and visitors are invited to view the outdoor holiday decorations beginning Friday, Dec. 4.

While the Executive Mansion remains closed to the public due to Covid-19, additional exterior decorations are planned for the public to enjoy. The mansion grounds will be decorated for the holidays, and lit trees will be visible through the mansion’s windows.