North Carolina played a critical, often overlooked, role in our nation’s founding. We at the North Carolina History Project have put together this timeline of our state’s contributions to the American Revolution. The following timeline chronologically lays out some of the most important events in North Carolina’s revolutionary history and links out to our more...
To academic historians and amateur (or avocational) historians: We explored the North Carolina Historical Review to find articles about the American Revolution. I hope these summaries (written by a person, not AI) will whet your appetite for the longer versions. (A link to each article on JSTOR is provided for each.) Did North Carolina’s Revolution...
The North Carolina Historical Review includes a rich collection of articles about the American Revolution. This list was compiled by Kathryn McKee and Jane Shaw Stroup.
Pyle’s Defeat occurred in February 1781 near the end of the Revolution. It was a savage blow to British hopes, as Lt. Gen. Charles, Lord Cornwallis attempted to stop the Patriots’ momentum.
The subject of Scottish folklore and myth, Flora MacDonald assisted Prince Charles Stuart in his escape from King George II. In 1774, she moved to North Carolina, where her Loyalist husband and son fought in the Battle of Moores Creek.
The Edenton Tea Party was one of the earliest organized women’s political actions in United States history. On October 25, 1774, Mrs. Penelope Barker organized, at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth King, fifty-one women in Edenton, North Carolina. Together they formed an alliance wholeheartedly supporting the American cause against “taxation without representation.”
Alexander County (1847)
Established from Iredell, Caldwell, and Wilkes counties in 1847, Alexander County was named in honor of William Julius Alexander. Its county seat is Taylorsville, and the city of Hiddenite remains a prime mining community. The largest emerald in North America, named “Carolina,” was found in Hiddenite in 1969.
Henderson Walker (1659 – 1704)
Governor of North Carolina from 1699-1703, when North Carolina was still under proprietary rule, Henderson Walker is known for being the executive during a time of economic growth and overall peace. However, his efforts to have the Anglican denomination become the official church of the colony angered a few and contributed greatly, some argue, to the later Cary Rebellion.
Island Ford Steel Bridge
In 1901 the Virginia Iron and Bridge Company of Roanoke received a contract to build a three-span iron bridge across the river in Franklinville at Island Ford. The bridge was more than 350 feet long, and spanned the Deep River in five sections.
Cabarrus County (1792)
Site of the first gold rush in the United States and the birthplace of iconic NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Cabarrus County provides a vital culture and historic piece to North Carolina’s history. Originally part of Mecklenburg County, Cabarrus was formed in 1792 and named after Stephen Cabarrus, Speaker of North Carolina’s House of Commons in the late-eighteenth century.
Duplin County (1750)
Home to the culturally significant Duplin Winery and Warsaw Veterans Day Celebration, Duplin County was established in 1852. Its county seat is Kenansville, and other townships within the area include Warsaw, Magnolia, and Rose Hill. The state’s first Presbyterian church, the Grove congregation, was formed in the 1700s, and the church continues in its affluence in present Duplin County.
Rockingham County (1785)
Formed out of Guilford County in 1785, Rockingham County was initially inhabited by the Cheraw Indians and later by the English, Germans, and Scotch-Irish. Its current population is approximately 92,000. Although not the county’s largest town, Wentworth serves as the county seat.
Edward R. Murrow (1908 – 1965)
One of the early communicators of the radio and television era, Edward R. Murrow was born in Guilford County. As a CBS broadcaster during World War II and the Red Scare, he was known for his command of language, signature phrases, and willingness to tackle difficult and controversial issues. He pioneered many programs that became the basis for the future of both radio and television news.
Earl Scruggs (1924-2012)
Considered “The Father of Bluegrass Music,” Earl Scruggs was born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina - Cleveland County, to be exact. Mastering the banjo at an early age, Scruggs later joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and earned wide acclaim for his “Scruggs-Style Picking.” After his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Scruggs retired with his wife to Madison, Tennessee.
Dolley Madison (1768–1849)
Wife of the fourth president of the United States, Dolley Madison was born in Guilford County, North Carolina, on May 20, 1768. A Southern belle and a charming social host, Dolley earned the distinction as one of the First Ladies to open up the White House to Washington politicians and foreign diplomats. One of the most intriguing tales of the First Lady remains her escape from the White House during the War of 1812, when she managed to save Gilbert Stuart’s famous portrait of George Washington.
Randy Travis (1959 – )
The “New Traditionalist,” Randy Travis, transformed the country music genre to its traditional, old style during his singing career in the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Marshville, a small community outside of Charlotte, Travis (born Randy Traywick) grew up on his family’s farm while playing and singing at concerts and parties. Travis’s big break came when he partnered with Lib Hatcher, and he became a country music legend before moving into an acting career.
Thomas Wolfe (1900 – 1938)
One of North Carolina’s greatest writers, Thomas Wolfe was born in Asheville in 1900. Wolfe’s childhood experiences in Asheville influenced much of the author’s masterpiece, Look Homeward, Angel. An eccentric, tall man, Wolfe lived in New York and Europe throughout his short life. He died from tuberculosis on September 15, 1938.
Richard Petty (1937 – )
Referred to as the King of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), Richard Petty remains the driver in stock car racing history with the most wins. Petty was born to a racing family in Level Cross (Randolph County), North Carolina, in 1937, and as a twenty-one year old, he started racing. Known also for his trademark racing techniques, such as drafting, and charming personality, Petty won seven championships and was voted the most popular driver in NASCAR for nine years.