Spring cleaning often means letting go of those things you really don’t use anymore, and the Aycock Birthplace Community Yard Sale could be the answer to what to do with your discards.
The Aycock yard sale Saturday, April 14, 7 a.m. to noon, is the perfect place to bring those dishes, artwork and whatnots that are sitting in a garage or closet. The booth fee for a table is $5. Contact the site at (919) 252-5581 or aycock@ncdcr.gov to reserve a space.
North Carolina’s Executive Mansion–the “people’s house”–will open its historic doors and beautiful gardens to the public for free tours this spring. School children, adults, civic groups and families are invited to experience the 127-year old mansion for guided tours conducted by volunteer docents.
The Executive Mansion boasts an outstanding collection of decorative arts while the beautiful grounds feature extensive flower and vegetable gardens and modern environmental practices.
Spring is here and Easter is just around the corner. Hop into the season and enjoy an event at a state historic site, state park, aquarium or the zoo. These destinations within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources have something for everyone, from train rides or breakfast with the Easter Bunny to hunting sea turtle eggs, fun times await the family.
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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.
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.
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.
In its heyday Somerset Place was a self-sustained plantation equal to many small towns. Home to hundreds of enslaved workers, efforts from across the community were required to ensure effective operations. To commemorate Women’s History Month, a special tour highlighting the roles of the women at Somerset will be offered March 6-10, at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. The fee is $3.
Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will offer a glimpse of the harrowing days of the Anglo-Cherokee War Feb. 24-25. The Cherokee had been allies of the British when the French and Indian War started in 1754, but tensions quickly spiraled into hostilities. The soldiers at the fort and local settlers were attacked by dozens of warriors in a confusing night time skirmish Feb. 27, 1760.
The 300th anniversary of the sinking of Blackbeard’s flagship is underway with a tour of artifacts recovered from the vessel, Queen Anne’s Revenge. The traveling QAR exhibit will be on display in the new Bath Exhibit Hall (formerly the northwest wing of the old Bath High School) from Mar. 1 to May 31. The exhibit is free.
The CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center in Kinston will present three free educational and engaging presentations, Saturday, Feb. 24, to celebrate Black History month.
Learn about nurses during the Civil War, the ways freedom was experienced in North Carolina in 1865, and Col. Edward Wild’s 1st North Carolina Colored Volunteers -- who later became the 35th United States Colored Troops. The presentations will be offered at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.