Places

Subject

Places

Riverside Cemetery

1866-1915

As a prevalent burial place for prominent North Carolinians, Riverside Cemetery continues to keeps the stories of Zebulon B. Vance, Thomas Wolfe, and O. Henry accessible to onlookers and history enthusiasts. Riverside Cemetery, an 87 acre burial plot, overshadows the French Broad River, attracting numerous tourists to its serene landscape. The cemetery was founded in 1885 and it has since remained an important cultural and historic venue in Buncombe County.

Places

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

1916-1945

Founded in 1941, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was named in honor of Lt. Seymour Johnson. During WWII, the base served as a important training center for bomber pilots, but the camp was closed after the war. Seymour Johnson was reopened in 1956 due to the work of local political leaders, and it has since remained home to the Fourth Tactical Fighter Wing.

Places

North Carolina Resorts

1776-1835

With an ocean to the east and in the west, North Carolina has long been a popular tourist attraction. Mineral springs in the mountains, for instance, attracted medical patients during the 1830s, and after word spread of the beautiful western landscape, tourists flocked to the state to vacation. In the piedmont region, golf resorts have been a favorite for sport enthusiasts from around the world. On the coast, Nags Head, Morehead, and Wrightsville have long remained resort towns in North Carolina.

African American

James City

1836-1865

James City emerged as a haven for free black men and women in eastern North Carolina during the Civil War.  By 1865, approximately 3,000 blacks had migrated to the city, and the town thrived after the war. However, after the federal government allowed the original landowners sole ownership of James City, the black community started leaving the area. Today, nearly 700 black residents live in James City, and social organizations have sought to preserve the history of the region.

Civil War

Stoneman’s Raid

1836-1865

Stoneman’s Raid has been described as the final blow to the Confederacy during the Civil War. From March until April 1865, Major General George Stoneman led a Union army into North Carolina and Virginia with the order to destroy Confederate structures and railways. The raid caused utter destruction in western North Carolina.

Early America

Wachovia Tract (Moravians)

1664-1775

The site of the first Moravian settlement in North Carolina, Wachovia, or Wachau, was the 100,000 acre tract in present-day Forsyth County. The name Wachovia was derived from Der Wachau, the name of Count Zinzendorf’s estate where the early Moravians lived in Eastern Europe. Today, most may associate the land name with the former Wachovia Corporation.

Counties

Mitchell County (1861)

1866-1915

Home to the prominent crafts school, the Penland School of Crafts, Mitchell County holds an important place in North Carolina mountain culture. The county was established in 1861, and its county seat is Bakersville. Mitchell County has long remained a source of over fifty precious metals and other minerals.

Counties

Columbus County (1808)

1776-1835

Columbus County, named in honor of the famed Christopher Columbus, was established in 1808, and its seat of government, Whiteville, was formed in 1832. The Waccamaw tribe inhabited the early region before European settlement. Some important natural attractions and features of the region are Lake Waccamaw, Green Swamp, and the North Carolina Museum of Forestry.

Counties

Jackson County (1851)

1836-1865

A western mountain county, Jackson is known for its interesting natural and physical characteristics, particularly the Great Smoky Mountains, the Tuskasegee River, and the Nantahala National Forest. Formed in 1851, Jackson’s county seat is the town of Sylva, and other communities include Cashiers, Glenville, and Balsam.

Early America

Judaculla Rock

Sacred to the Cherokee, Judaculla Rock has long remained a tourist attraction, but also a mystery to archeologists and geologists. Located in Jackson County, the large soapstone exhibits intricate carvings that Cherokee believe were imprinted by the god of all Game Animals, Judaculla or Tsu’kalu. Yet, historians and archeologists have proposed different theories regarding the rock’s meaning.

Business and Industry

Penland School of Crafts

1916-1945

Located in Mitchell County, the Penland School of Crafts has long been heralded as a haven for young craftsmen and women from around the world. Since its inception in the late 1920s, Penland has offered courses ranging from weaving to glassworking to silversmithing. Today, 1,200 people attend the school annually, and a vibrant, local crafts culture surrounds the school.

Cities

Salisbury Prison (Civil War)

1836-1865

Operating from July 1861 until February 1865, the Confederate Prison at Salisbury held nearly 10,000 Union soldiers during the Civil War. The prison was the only one of its kind in North Carolina, and overcrowding and poor prison conditions led to the deaths of many Union prisoners of war. Today, the Salisbury National Cemetery honors those who died at the prison garrison.