Welcome to North Carolina Historic Sites

Transcription

Welcome to North Carolina Historic Sites
Welcome to North Carolina Historic Sites
What do a boarding school for African Americans, a roundhouse once used to repair
steam locomotives, and a Civil War field hospital have in common? How about an antebellum
plantation, a gold mine, and reconstructed mounds and temples on ground sacred to Native
Americans? They are all N.C. Historic Sites – 28 separate places devoted to the diverse
heritage of our state. Spanning 600 years of history, the historic sites are preserved and
operated for the enjoyme nt of all visitors. And they are used to teach, bringing history to life
in ways not possible inside the walls of the classroom.
We invite you to visit North Carolina’s state historic sites along with your students.
You will find tours and activities designed to engage your students and stimulate their curiosity
about the people and ways of life from days gone by. Interactive exhibits and living history
demonstrations are only two of the many interpretive techniques found at our sites. We hope
that this brochure will assist you in determining how a site visit can complement your school
curriculum. Our programs are as varied as life and history itself.
Your work is so important in the development of our children and the future of our
state. Thank you for your extra effort and commitment.
1
Scheduling Your Visit
Procedures to Follow When Scheduling Your Visit
Please contact the historic site you wish to visit by telephone, fax, email, or a written letter.
We recommend that you contact the site at least one month prior to a planned field trip.
Consider a visit outside the busy months of April and May. Please be prepared with the
following information when you call:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
School name
Contact person (person to call if there is a change in scheduling)
Phone number of school
Address of school
Date of field trip and arrival time (please have an alternate date and time)
Number of students and chaperones
You will receive a confirmation letter and other necessary information once the trip is
scheduled. Please bring this with you on the field trip.
If the trip needs to be rescheduled, please contact the site as soon as possible.
Preparing for Your Visit
Many of the tours, activities, and demonstrations occur outside at historic sites. Please
remind students to dress according to the season. Weather may force cancellation of some
activities. Should this occur, the site may offer alternative activities. Please contact the site for
its inclement weather plan.
Groups should be prepared for walking and standing dur ing the visit. We recommend
students and teachers wear comfortable walking shoes and avoid open-toed footwear.
Picnic areas are available at most sites. They are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Rules for a Safe and Enjoyable Visit
For the comfort and safety of all our visitors, and for the protection of our artifacts, we ask
that these guidelines be followed:
1. Groups must stay together unless instructed to do otherwise.
2. Visitors should not touch artifacts.
3. Student behavior is the responsibility of the teachers and chaperons.
4. No gum, candy, food, or open drink containers are allowed inside visitor centers
or historic structures.
5. We request two chaperons for each class of students.
6. Headphones, radios, and compact disc players distract from our educational
programs and are not welcomed at historic sites.
2
Individual historic sites may have site-specific rules. Be sure to ask when scheduling your
visit.
Hours of Operation
Because hours may change throughout the year and vary from site to site, please call
individual sites for their specific hours and days of operation.
What to Do Before the Visit
Please review these rules and any others provided by specific sites before arrival. Prior to
the visit, it is also helpful to educate students on the site’s history and what they should expect
upon arrival. If the site has provided any worksheets, videos, or brochures, these will be
helpful. Every site also has a website with additional information. Careful preparation will
make th visit more enjoyable and educational for all. Encourage the children to ask any
questions they may have thought of prior to the visit or along the way.
North Carolina Historic Sites - Northeast
Historic Bath
(4 -5)
Historic Edenton (5-6)
Historic Halifax (6-7)
North Carolina Historic Sites - Southeast
Aycock Birthplace (pp.10-11)
Bentonville Battlefield (pp.11-12)
Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson (12-13)
CSS Neuse / Caswell Memorial (13-14)
North Carolina Historic Sites – Piedmont
Alamance Battleground (18-19)
Bennett Place (19-20)
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial (21-22)
Duke Homestead (22-23)
North Carolina Historic Sites – West
Fort Dobbs (28-29)
Horne Creek Farm (29-30)
James K. Polk Memorial (31)
North Carolina Transportation Museum (32-33)
Roanoke Island Festival Park (7-8)
Somerset Place (9)
Fort Fisher (14-15)
Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens (15-16)
USS North Carolina Memorial (17-18)
Historic Stagville (23-24)
NC State Capitol (25-26)
House in the Horseshoe (26-27)
Town Creek Indian Mound (27-28)
Reed Gold Mine (33-34)
Zebulon Vance Birthplace (35-36)
Thomas Wolfe Memorial (36-37)
3
North Carolina Historic Sites - Northeast
Historic Bath
Palmer-Marsh House
(Beaufort County)
Box 148
Bath, NC 27808
(252) 923-3971 fax number: (252) 923-0174
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bath/bath.htm
email address: [email protected]
The village of Bath provides modern-day travelers with a glimpse of the
beginnings of a colonial community. North Carolina’s first town, Bath was
incorporated in 1705. During the Tuscarora War, Bath was a refuge for settlers caught in the turmoil. The town
was also a safe haven for the notorious pirate, Blackbeard. At Historic Bath, visitors may tour St. Thomas Church,
the state’s oldest church in continuous use, as well as the 1751 Palmer-Marsh House and the 1830 Bonner House.
These structures represent nearly a century of colonial and early national life in coastal North Carolina. Students
can learn skills from interpreters such as rope making and candle making, as well as some of the leisure activities
of that day. The visitor center and Van Der Veer house also offer exhibits tracing the history of Bath Town.
Facilities
Gift shop
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
On-site bus parking
Picnic areas (not covered)
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Exhibits
Limited nearby restaurants
Activities and Tours
Guided tours of historic features, including the Palmer-Marsh House and the Bonner House.
Admission is $.50 to $1.00 (chaperon cost $1.00 to $2.00), depending on activities chosen.
Teachers and bus drivers free.
Activities will be adapted to fit grade level and size of group. These include:
Hearth cooking
Weaving/spinning
Quill writing
Candle making
Rope making
Harpsichord demonstration
Crosscut sawing Colonial toys
A complete tour of the site will take 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Living history demonstrations are available to groups throughout the year.
Guidebook of Bath. $.50
Directions to Site
From the town of Washington, take U.S. 264 east. Approximately ten miles east of Washington, bear right on
N.C. 92 to the town of Bath. Once in Bath you will find the visitor center on the right of N.C. 92 (Carteret Street).
4
From the North Carolina Outer Banks, take U.S. 64 west from Manteo. In Manns Harbor take U.S. 264 west. At
Belhaven take N.C. 99 south to N.C. 92 west. This road becomes Carteret Street in Bath; the visitor center will be
on your left.
Historic Edenton
PO Box 474/ 108 North Broad Street
Edenton, NC 27932
(252) 482-2637 Fax number: (252) 482-3499
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/iredell/iredell.htm
Email address: [email protected]
Revolutionary events and politically influential people intermingled to
Iredell House (Chowan County)
weave a colorful history for Edenton, the first colonial capital of North
Carolina. Edenton is North Carolina’s second oldest incorporated town (1722) and was the home of such remarkable
leaders as governor and U.S. senator Samuel Johnston; U.S. Supreme Court justice James Iredell; Justice Iredell’s son,
James Iredell Jr., a North Carolina governor; Joseph Hewes, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; and Hugh
Williamson, a signer of the United States Constitution. In 1774 Penelope Barker led 51 Edenton women in demonstrating
their support for the patriot cause with a political statement supporting the Provincial Assembly; this event became known
as the Edenton Tea Party, believed to be the first political activity by women in the American colonies. Harriet Jacobs,
born into slavery, escaped to freedom, and became a writer, abolitionist, and educator, publishing her autobiography in
1861. In 1998 a N.C. historical highway marker was erected honoring her.
Facilities
Audiovisual program
Bus parking
Exhibits
Nearby Picnic area (not covered)
Rest rooms
Nearby restaurants
Gift shop
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided walking tours of the historic district and waterfront can include the following sites: 1736 Saint Paul’s
Episcopal Church, 1758 Cupola House, C. 1782 Barker House, 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, and circa 1825
Jail, and the 1800/1827 James Iredell House and Dependencies (shown above).
Guided riding trolley tours of the Edenton Historic District, including the Historic Cotton Mill Village
Harriet Jacobs Student Bus Tour
Colonial Crafts Acti vities with costumed interpreters:
Grades 2-8
Grades 3-8
Grades 4-8
Quill writing
Rope making
Quoits (a game resembling horseshoes)
Colonial games
Candle making
Crosscut sawing
Butter churning
Corn shuck dolls
Clay marbles
Admission prices and tour length vary depending on tour and activity selected. Admission $.25 to $3.00.
5
Tour length 1 to 3 1/2 hours
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Colonial Living History Days (October): grades 4th through 8th
Natural egg dying (before Easter): grades 2-3
Easter egg hunts: grades K-1
Please call the site for more information or to schedule your groups for these programs.
Directions to Site
The Historic Edenton Visitor Center is located at 108 N. Broad Street on U.S. 17 Business and N.C. 32 in
Edenton. Bus parking is on the East Gale Street side of the building. The parking lot is behind the visitor center.
From U.S. 17 traveling north, take Queen Street (Business 17), exit 224, into town. Turn left onto Broad Street.
The visitor center is two blocks on the right. Traveling south on U.S. 17, take exit 227. Turn left onto NC 32,
follow NC 32 South to East Gale Street, the Visitor Center is on the left.
Historic Halifax
Halifax Jail (Halifax County)
P.O. Box 406
Halifax, NC 27839
(252) 583-7191
Fax number: (252) 583-9421
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/halifax/halifax.htm
email address: [email protected]
The colonial river port town of Halifax, founded in 1760 along
the banks of the Roanoke River, quickly grew into a social and
political hub. It was here on April 12, 1776, that 83 delegates
to the Fourth Provincial Congress, representing virtually all
parts of North Carolina, risked their fortunes, reputations, and indeed their lives by adopting the Halifax Resolves,
which made North Carolina the first colony to officially call for independence from Great Britain. Halifax’s
golden age followed the American Revolution as wealth and influence poured into the small town. Many of the
elite of Halifax built grand homes to attest to their wealth and power. The labor of slaves and free blacks
supported the town’s society. Halifax continued to flourish until a new railroad, one of the first built in the state,
bypassed the town in the late 1830s. Exhibits in the visitor center give a rich presentation of the history of the
town. Tours of the site can be tailored to meet specific needs of groups.
Facilities
Gift shop
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
On-site bus parking
Handicapped accessible visitor center
Vending
Picnic tables (not covered)
Exhibits
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
6
Activities and Tours
Guided tours of historic features
Choose from the four guided tours below:
Owens House (c.1760) – home of a prosperous colonial merchant
Colonial Taverns Tour – covers a restored tavern and a tavern museum
Middle of Town Tour – covers several buildings in the site’s historic area
Sally-Billy Plantation House (c. 1808) – an antebellum plantation home
Tours can be adjusted to groups’ schedules.
Activities:
Period toys and games: grades 2-8
Quill writing: all grades
Whirligigs: grades 4-8
Hands-on colonial tavern: all grades
Other activities may be available; call in advance for details.
All activities are subject to availability and may change without prior notice.
Organized groups must schedule in advance.
Fees may apply.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Halifax Day – April 12
Teacher’s packets – available in the media centers of area elementary and middle schools or upon request
13-minute orientation film available for loan
Directions to Site
From Interstate 95, take exit 168. Follow the signs south on N.C. 903 to the town of Halifax. Directional signs
will guide you to the site located on Business U.S. 301 at the corner of St. David and Dobbs Streets.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
One Festival Park
Manteo, NC 27954
(252) 475-1500, ext. 253
24-hour events line: (252) 475-1506
fax number (252) 475-1507
www.roanokeisland.com
email address [email protected]
Elizabeth II under sail
(Dare County)
Roanoke Island Festival Park, a 27-acre North Carolina state
historic site and cultural center, celebrates Roanoke Island’s
unique history as the starting point for English colonization in the New World. It was here that settlers arrived
under Sir Walter Raleigh’s sponsorship from 1584 to 1587. Learn of America’s first attempts at colonization by
7
boarding the Elizabeth II, a representative 16th -century sailing vessel. Visit with soldiers in the Settlement Site
who keep watch over Roanoke Island, maintaining cook fires, weaponry, and musket drills. The Legend of TwoPath film recounts the Native Americans’ story of the arrival of the colonists and how it changed their lives.
Students can also visit the Roanoke Island Adventure Museum that explores 400 years of Outer Banks history—
from boat building to shipwrecks, from pirates to lighthouse keepers, from the Civil War to a 1950s general
store—or the Art Gallery that hosts monthly changing exhibits by a my riad of renowned artists.
Facilities
Vending
Gift shop
Rest rooms
Exhibits
Picnic area, alternate inside area available
Walking trails
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
On-site bus parking
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Tours:
Elizabeth II (replica vessel)
Settlement Site
Roanoke Island Adventure Museum
Film: The Legend of Two-Path
Fossil Search (large area stocked with fossils, such as sharks’ teeth and coral, present in colonial times.)
A complete visit will take 3 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Material
Roanoke Island 1862—A Civil War Living History Weekend: mid-February
Elizabethan Tymes: A Country Faire: mid-November
(both events held outside)
During the summer months top-quality children’s performances are held Tuesday-Friday at 10:30 A.M. The
“illuminations” Summer Performing Arts Series, presented by students from the North Carolina School of the
Arts, is held for five weeks from late June to early August and features drama, music, film, and dance.
Student instructional materials, including a student manual, can be downloaded from our website or obtained by
mail.
Directions to Site
Follow U.S. 64 Bypass East to Manteo, turn left into Manteo on U.S. 64. Once in town, turn right on Budleigh
Street. At stop sign, turn left. When roads ends at Tranquil House Inn, turn right and cross short bridge to Festival
Park.
8
Somerset Place
2572 Lake Shore Road
Creswell, NC 27928
(252) 797-4560 Fax number: (252) 797-4171
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/somerset/somerset.htm
email address: [email protected]
This historic site offers a realistic view of 19th-century life on a
large-scale North Carolina plantation. Somerset Place became an
active plantation in 1785 and remained active until
1865, when the institution of slavery ended in the United States.
Originally the Collins family plantation encompassed more than
Collins Family Home (Washington County)
100,000 densely wooded and predominantly swampy acres. The
enslaved labor force converted swampland into cultivated fields by digging six huge irrigation, drainage, and
transportation canals and miles of intersecting ditches. The plantation’s major crops included rice, corn, wheat,
and lumber. In 1860, Somerset Place was one of only four North Carolina plantations with over 300 enslaved
people. Today this unique historical attraction is the state’s only such plantation preserved as a historic site.
Students can learn valuable lessons from the lives of both the free and enslaved inhabitants of Somerset through
exhibits and tours of buildings in the slave community and owner’s compound. They also can experience
antebellum domestic chores by ginning cotton, dipping candles, and making sedge brooms
Facilities
Gift shop
On-site bus parking
Vending
Picnic area (partially covered)
Limited nearby restaurants
Exhibits
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features, including the buildings and grounds.
Activities:
Rope making
Ginning cotton
Open hearth cooking
Basket making
Candle dipping
Making thread buttons
Broom making
Call the site to determine which activities are appropriate for your grade level. Each student will make a
traditional craft to take home.
Cost of hands-on program is $1.00 per participant.
A complete tour of the site without activities takes 1 hour.
A complete tour of the site with activities takes 2 hours.
Additional Teaching Materials
Study guide with pre- and post-visit classroom activities. Worksheets for grades 3-7.
Directions to Site
From U.S. 64 in Creswell, follow the brown signs south through downtown Creswell. Turn right on
Thirty-Foot Canal Road. Proceed for approximately five miles, and turn left on Lake Shore Road. Somerset
Place is on the right approximately one-half mile past the Pettigrew State Park headquarters
9
North Carolina Historic Sites - Southeast
Governor Charles B. Aycock Birthplace
(Wayne County)
P.O. Box 207
Fremont, NC 27830
(919) 242-5581
fax number: ( 919) 242-6668
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/aycock/aycock.htm
email address: [email protected]
Life for Charles Brantley Aycock began on his
family’s farm in rural Wayne County on November
1, 1859. Shaped by his family’s values of hard work,
education, and his father’s interest in local politics,
Charles grew to become a skilled orator, lawyer, and
leader in the Democratic Party. Elected governor of
North Carolina in 1900 in an election involving both
white supremacy and “universal education,” Aycock served until 1905. He earned a reputation as the state’s
“Education Governor” because of his relentless championing of better school facilities and increased training and
pay for teachers. Today’s students can experience farm life as it was for young Charles by dipping candles,
churning butter, and observing costumed interpreters performing daily chores. Visitor center exhibits trace
Aycock’s life and political career.
Facilities
Gift shop
Handicapped accessible visitor center
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Exhibits
On-site bus parking
Picnic area (not covered)
Vending
Limited nearby restaurants
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features including period schoolhouse and homestead
Activities:
Candle making: grades K-8
Whizzer toy making: grades 3-8
Butter making: grades K-8
Small fee for hands -on activities.
Please collect money from students prior to visit.
Hands-on activities are limited to groups of ten or more.
A complete tour of the site will take 2 ½ hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Living History Wednesdays in April, May, October, and November. Schools should register to attend.
Teacher packet with coloring pictures, games, and puzzles for grades K to 5. $2.00
Aycock Birthplace orientation video (grade 4 to adults). Available for loan at cost of postage.
10
Directions to Site
Take U.S. 117 north nine miles from Goldsboro or U.S. 117 south fourteen miles from Wilson. Turn right (from
Goldsboro) or left (from Wilson) on Governor Aycock Road. The site is one-half mile on the right.
From Interstate 95 take the U.S. 301 exit at Kenly. Take N.C. 222 east for ten miles to Fremont. Turn right (south) on U.S.
117. Go two miles and turn left on Governor Aycock Road. The site is one-half mile on the right.
Bentonville Battleground
5466 Harper House Rd.
Four Oaks, NC 27524
(910) 594-0789
fa x number: (910) 594-0027
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bentonvi/bentonvi.htm
email address: [email protected]
Hoping to stop the rampage of Union Gen. William T.
Sherman’s army through the South in March 1865, the
Confederacy made one last attempt to halt his advance. The
Battle of Bentonville took place March 19-21, 1865, in rural
Johnston County. Here Union forces met outnumbered
Harper House (Johnston County)
Confederate forces under Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. After three
days of intense fighting, Confederate forces retreated and Sherman’s army moved to Goldsboro to be resupplied.
During the battle, the Union army transformed the home of John and Amy Harper into a field hospital, where
more than 500 wounded soldiers were treated. On a visit to this historic site, students can tour the Harper House
and experience firsthand a Civil War field hospital, the monument area, the Harper family cemetery, and
reconstructed field fortifications. Visitor center exhibits tell the story of the battle with displays of artifacts from
the struggle.
Facilities
Gift Shop
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Exhibits
On-site bus parking
Vending
Picnic area (covered)
Limited nearby restaurants
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided tours include the Harper House and outbuildings.
Demonstrations of Civil War uniforms, equipment, and weapons: grades K-12
(call for availability)
No charge for activities
A complete tour of the site takes 2 hours.
Fiber-optic battle map
11
Directions to Site
From Interstate 95 in S mithfield, exit onto U.S. 701 (exit 90). Follow the signs south on U.S.701 approximately
fifteen miles to Harper House Road (State Road 1008). Turn left and go two and one-half miles; the battleground
is on the left.
From Interstate 40, exit onto U.S. 701 (exit 343). Follow the signs north on U.S. 701 to Newton Grove. At the
traffic circle in Newton Grove, continue north on U.S. 701 for approximately three miles. Turn right on Harper
House Road (State Road 1008). Go two and one-half miles, and the site is on the left.
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson
8884 St. Philips Rd. S.E.
Winnabow, NC 28479
(910) 371-6613
fax number: (910) 383-3806
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/brunswic/brunswic.htm
www.carolinarosesigns.com/brunweb
email [email protected]
A quiet embankment along the lower Cape
Fear River holds many secrets, including the
remains of colonial Brunswick Town. Under
the moss-covered branches once stood this
lively port town. Brunswick, a bustling
community, was home to royal governors and
St. Phillip’s Church
influential colonial citizens. Burned during a
British ra id in 1776, Brunswick faded into
(Brunswick County)
obscurity. During the Civil War the
Confederacy built Fort Anderson on the remains of the colonial town as part of the Lower Cape Fear defense
system. Union troops attacked the fort in February 1865 and the Confederates abandoned it under the cloak of
night. Today visitors can visit the site of these two conflicts as well as the visitor center exhibits detailing their
St. Phillips Church (Brunswick County)
history. Students are offered a variety of tour themes, such as colonial life and naval stores. Today’s students can
play games of colonial children or try on historical clothing.
Facilities
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
Gift shop
On-site bus parking
Exhibits
Vending
Picnic tables (partially covered)
Handicapped-accessible
Limited restaurants nearby
Activities and Tours
Teachers can request special tour themes (naval stores, colonial life)
Historical clothing: grades 2-5
Colonial toys and games: grades 2-5
A complete tour of the site will take 1½ hours.
12
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Teachers’ packet on website, www.carolinarosedesigns.com/brunweb
Directions to Site
From I-40 at Wilmington. I-40 ends; stay on N.C. 132 (College Road) south. Take U.S. 17/74 west and south
through Wilmington and across the river. Remain on highway to the Southport exit. Take this exit and follow N.C.
133 south. Go about 17 miles and follow signs to Brunswick Town.
From Southport, take N.C. 133 north approximately 15 miles to the site.
CSS Neuse and Richard Caswell
Memorial
CSS Neuse
PO Box 3043
Kinston, NC 28502
(252) 522-2091
fax number: (252)527-7036
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/neuse/neuse.htm
email address: [email protected]
Remains of the CSS Neuse (Lenoir County)
Two of the nation’s most pivotal events are represented
at this historic site. A memorial located here honors
Richard Caswell, North Carolina’s first state governor,
who began the first of his six one-year terms in 1776. Also on the property are the remains of the Civil War
ironclad CSS Neuse. It was one of twenty-two such ships commissioned by the Confederacy. During a Union
advance on the town of Kinston in 1865, its commander saw no alternative but to scuttle the vessel. For nearly one
hundred years, the Neuse rested on the river bottom before being raised from its watery grave. On a visit to this
historic site, students can listen to a Confederate soldier tell his story and demonstrate black powder weapons.
Students also can fashion rope as it was done a century ago. Exhibits tell the story of the ship and the men who
served aboard her. The Richard Caswell Memorial gives students a glimpse into the life of North Carolina’s first
state governor.
Facilities
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
Gift shop
On-site bus parking
Visitor center
Picnic area (partially covered)
Handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Numerous nearby restaurants
Exhibits
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features, including the remains of the CSS Neuse
Activities can be adapted to fit any age level:
Rope making
Weapons demonstrations
Uniform and equipment talks
13
A complete tour of the site takes 1½ hours with activities.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
A teachers’ packet is available for elementary grades at no cost.
Revolutionary War Living History – September (call site for more information)
Civil War Living History − November (call site for more information)
Directions to Site
From U.S. 70 west of downtown Kinston, exit U.S. 70 Business east (West Vernon Avenue). The site is located
approximately one-half mile on the right.
Fort Fisher
PO Box 169
Kure Beach, NC 28449
(910) 458-5538
fax number: (910) 458-0477
email: [email protected]
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/fisher/fisher.htm
Sheppard’s Battery (New Hanover County)
In the Civil War the agricultural South depended on
Europe for manufactured goods and war materials, so
President Abraham Lincoln declared a naval blockade of
Confederate ports. Wilmington’s proximity to the
Bahamas and rail connections to Virginia made it the
lifeline of the Confederacy. Tens of millions of dollars
worth of goods and war materiel came into the Confederacy under the protection of Fort Fisher’s 44 big guns, 4
field pieces, and 3 mortars. Nicknamed “the Gibraltar of America,” Fort Fisher’s massive earthen walls stretched
just under 1.5 miles long and averaged 30 feet high. The fort also had 30 underground bombproofs and
magazines. Fort Fisher was captured in January 1865, after the largest land-sea battle of the Civil War and the
largest naval bombardment in the world up to World War I! The South’s main supply line was severed, and the
Civil War ended less than 90 days later.
On a visit to Fort Fisher today, students may get hands-on experience with military drill and tactics. Students may
also get non-firing, hands-on experience with cannons, and learn the art and science of artillery. They can walk in
the footsteps of Confederate and Union soldiers and hear dramatic accounts of the battles at Fort Fisher. A 15minute orientation program has many period photographs, and a 16-foot fiber-optic map details troop movements
of the final battle. Artifacts recovered from the battlefield and sunken blockade-runners are exhibited in the visitor
center.
Facilities
Gift shop
Exhibits
Rest rooms
Vending
Audiovisual program
Picnics are allowed, but there are no tables
On-site bus parking
Numerous nearby restaurants
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
14
Activities and Tours
Activities:
Hands-on activity to learn of Napoleonic tactics using cut-out wooden rifles
Live firing of 24-pounder mortar with a ball
Hands-on activity to learn how to load and shoot (non-firing) a 12-pounder bronze cannon
Battle walk: themed around troop movements of the second (final) battle, including the naval assault.
Basic tour: general tour involving the battle, people, science, and good old-fashioned stories.
Very special walk on the walls of the fort, normally off-limits to visitors.
A complete visit to the site takes 1½ hours. Guided tours take at least 45 minutes, excluding any special
demonstration. Thematic tours and activities are done on a limited basis, and are subject to staff availability.
There is no charge for activities; however, a small donation is required for artillery firings to offset the cost of
powder.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Teachers’ packet with instructional activities available for grades 3-5
Directions to Site
From Interstate 40, take College Road (N.C. 132) south through Wilmington to U.S. 421. Stay on U.S. 421 south
for about twenty miles through Carolina Beach and Kure Beach. Fort Fisher is on the right just south of Kure
Beach.
Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens
(Craven County)
610 Pollock Street
New Bern, NC 28563
(252) 514-4900
toll free number: 1-800-767-1560
fax number: (252) 514-4876
www.tryonpalace.org
email address: [email protected]
Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens—North Carolina’s first
capitol—is a living-history museum complex whose centerpiece
is a reconstruction of the home that Royal Gov. William Tryon
built in 1770 to become the first permanent capitol of the colony
in North Carolina. Governor Tryon’s mansion was widely regarded as the most beautiful building in colonial
America and, after the American Revolution, served as the state’s first capitol until the center of government
moved west to Raleigh in 1794. The North Carolina General Assembly held its first meetings in the palace in
April 1777 to enact the laws that would govern the new state of North Carolina.
In addition to guided tours of the palace and its adjoining kitchen and stable wings, visitors to Tryon Palace
Historic Sites & Gardens today can tour three other 18th- and early 19th-century historic homes, the New Bern
Academy Museum (a history museum housed in the building that was home to North Carolina’s first publicly-
15
supported school), and 14 acres of spectacular grounds and gardens. North Carolina students who visit Tryon
Palace learn about the early history of their state, as required in the North Carolina school curriculum, in addition
to making hands-on discoveries about how people lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Facilities
Rest rooms
Vending
Audiovisual program
Garden/walking trails
On-site bus parking
Picnic area (not covered)
Gift shop
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
All-sites tour (guided/self-paced): grades 1-12, length 4 hours ($5 per student/$12 per adult*)
Palace, gardens, Hay House tour (guided/self-paced): grades 1-12, 3 hours ($3 per student/$10 per adult*)
Gardens and kitchen tour (self-paced): grades 1-12, 2 hours ($3 per student/$8 per adult*)
Young Sprouts: grade 2, 2 hours ($3 per student/$8 per adult**)
Colonial Skills: grade 4, 2 hours ($3 per student/$8 per adult**)
Stepping Into History: grades 7-9, 2 hours ($3 per student/$10 per adult*)
Who Was I (New Bern Academy)? tour: grades 6-12, 1hour ($1 per student/$2 per adult*)
* = 1 complimentary adult ticket given per 12 student tickets
** = 1 complimentary adult ticket given per 5 student tickets
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Holiday Tours (December)
Home School Days (spring and fall)
Activity sheets available on website
Twice yearly classroom publication (Living History Classroom): grades 3-5
Limited copies of orientation video available for free loan on first come/first served basis
Directions
From locations to the east or west, follow U.S. 70 toward New Bern. From north or south, U.S. 17 is the major
highway to New Bern along the coast. As you approach New Bern, numerous highway signs will clearly direct
you to Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens from all the major highways.
16
USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial
(New Hanover County)
Eagles Island
P.O. Box 480
Wilmington, NC 28402-0480
(910) 251-5797
fax number: (910) 251-5807
email: [email protected]
www.battleshipnc.com
The battleship USS North Carolina was the first of ten fast
battleships built by the United States for service in World
War II. When commissioned in April 1941, she was
considered the world’s greatest sea weapon. Her imposing
size and heavy armament made her a floating fortress: with a crew of 2,339, she literally was a city at sea as well.
The USS North Carolina participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific area of operations and earned
15 battle stars, making North Carolina the most decorated U.S. battleship of World War II.
The surrender of the Japanese on September 2, 1945 ended World War II. The return of soldiers and sailors to
their peacetime lives cut short the Battleship’s service to our country. She was decommissioned in October 1947
and placed in the reserve fleet in Bayonne, New Jersey for the next 14 years.
When the Navy announced its intentions to scrap North Carolina in 1960, the state’s citizens mounted a
successful campaign to bring the battleship back to North Carolina to preserve her as the state’s memorial to
World War II veterans. Open to the public since October 1961, the proud North Carolina is an authentically
restored World War II battleship, a National Historic Landmark, and a memorial honoring the more than 10,000
North Carolinians from all branches of the armed forces who gave their lives to protect the freedoms we enjoy
today. Today students can come aboard and experience life as it was during the war.
Facilities
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
Bus parking
Partially-handicapped accessible
Picnic area (covered and not covered)
Vending
Gift shop
Activities and Tours
A complete visit will take approximately 2 ½ hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Charlie Alligator’s Family Fun Day in October
Lesson plans designed for grades K-12 can be found on the website,
http://www.battleshipnc.com/teach_reso/index.php.
These lesson plans are listed by discipline: language arts, mathematics, sciences, and social studies.
17
The website also offers a variety of oral histories from former crew members. These histories are helpful tools in
educating children on life on the battleship and use of the vessel.
A video is available upon request, by mail. There is a security deposit of $10.00.
Directions to Site
From the north on I-40. At Wilmington I-40 ends at N.C. 132/College Road. Continue about 4 miles to
Oleander Drive/U.S. 76. Turn right and go about 4 miles (over the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge). Follow signs to
the ship.
From the north on U.S. 17. At Ogden, just north of Wilmington, take a left onto truck route U.S. 17
South/Military Cutoff Road. Drive about 12 miles (road becomes Oleander Drive and then Wooster) to the Cape
Fear Memorial Bridge. Follow signs to the battleship.
From the south on U.S. 17. Outside Wilmington, U.S. 17 merges with U.S. 74/76 East. Follow signs to the ship.
From the west on U.S. 74. Near Wilmington, U.S. 74 merges with U.S. 76. Follow signs to the battleship.
North Carolina Historic Sites – Piedmont
Alamance Battleground (Alamance County)
5803 South N.C. 62
Burlington, NC 27215
(336) 227-4785
fax number: (336) 227-4787
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm
email address: [email protected]
Prior to the American Revolution, many North Carolinians were
dissatisfied with provincial and local government officials abusing
their power. High taxes, illegal fees, and dishonest leaders plagued
the everyday life of colonists in the western counties. The Regulators
formed in 1768 to oppose such injustices and tried through peaceful
attempts to gain reforms. Peaceful attempts soon gave way to armed
resistance, exploding into the so-called War of the Regulation. The “war” ended with the Battle of Alamance in
May 1771 when Governor Tryon’s militia defeated the Regulators.
At Alamance Battleground students can experience the eighteenth century and learn about American colonists’
early attempts at freedom from colonial abuse of power. They can connect with the daily lives of backcountry
farmers by watching costumed interpreters load and fire a flintlock weapon, prepare food on the open hearth, and
demonstrate the dress of these settlers. Through tours of the visitor center, Allen House, and battlefield, students
will experience the stories of early Americans united against injustice and corruption.
Facilities
Vending
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Exhibits
Limited nearby restaurants
On-site bus parking
Gift shop
Picnic area (no shelter)
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
18
Activities and Tours
Walking tour of battlefield and the Allen House
Demonstrations include:
flintlock weapons
food preparation and preservation
candle making
toys and games
historical clothing
woodworking
Activities can be adapted to accommodate students of all ages.
No charge for activities.
A complete tour of the site will take 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
2nd week in October: “Colonial Living Week.” Teachers call to make reservations
Free teacher packet available at site with materials for grades 1-8
Alamance - a video that tells the history behind the Battle of Alamance. $20.00
Directions to Site
From Interstate 40/85 in Burlington, take N.C. 62 south (exit 143). Follow the directional signs on N.C. 62 for
approximately six miles. The site entrance is located on the right.
Bennett Place
Bennett Farmhouse and Unity Monument (Durham County)
4409 Bennett Memorial Road
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 383-4345
fax number: (919) 383-4349
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bennett/bennett.htm
email address: [email protected]
The largest surrender of troops in the Civil War occurred at the home of James and Nancy Bennett, as Joseph E.
Johnston and Willia m T. Sherman reached an agreement that ended the war in North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, and Florida. The generals met three times at the Bennett home to discuss both surrender and political
terms and begin the road to reconstructing the Union. This surrender steered North Carolina clear of the
19
destruction that had happened in neighboring states. North Carolina’s economy was also boosted tremendously
when troops were introduced to some of its commodities, mainly bright-leaf tobacco. All that remains of the
original house is the stone chimney, but the farmstead was reconstructed in the 1960s.
Students can come and pretend to be soldiers writing home about the events of Bennett Place or participate in
various games played by children played in the Civ il War era. Classes may also see the visitor center with all its
exhibits and learn the history of Bennett Place.
Facilities
Handicapped accessible visitor center
Picnic Area (not covered)
Rest rooms
Vending
Audiovisual program
Exhibits
Gift shop
Nearby restaurants
On-site bus parking
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Special activities include:
Letter-writing exercise. Students pretend they are soldiers writing home and
describing the activities at the Bennett Place: grades 4-5
Hoop-rolling relay. Students race with rolling hoops: grades 3-6
Various children’s games, depending on group size: grades 3-6
Soldier life demonstration: Can be adapted to any grade level
A complete tour of the site takes approximately 1 ½ hours. A tour with special activities takes 2 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Teacher’s packet: appropriate for Grades 3-5. $3.50.
Dawn of Peace video. $9.50
Directions to Site
From Interstate 85 northbound, take exit 170 and follow U.S. 70 to Bennett Memorial Road. Turn right, go
one-half mile, and the site is on the right. From Interstate 85 southbound in Durham, take exit 173 and turn left on
Cole Mill Road. Go one-half mile to Hillsborough Road and take a right. Follow this road to Neal Road and turn
left. Go one-quarter mile to Bennett Memorial Road, turn right, and the site is on the left.
20
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
(Guilford County)
Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum
6136 Burlington Rd. (Hwy 70)
Sedalia, NC 27342
(336) 449-4846
fax number: (336) 449-0176
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/chb/chb.htm
email address: [email protected]
From 1902 until shortly before her death in 1961, Dr. Charlotte Hawkins
Brown influenced North Carolina’s role in the development of African
American education, interracial cooperation, and women's rights. In the fall of
1902 at age 19, she founded the Alice Freeman Palmer Memorial Institute in
Sedalia, North Carolina. Over the next 50 years of her presidency, Dr. Brown
raised almost $1.5 million to make PMI into one of the most renowned
schools for African American youth in the nation. PMI and its graduates
exemplified Dr. Brown's hard work and dedication to African American
achievement.
Beginning as a primarily agricultural and industrial school, PMI evolved into an elite preparatory school
equipping its students with a classical education, discipline, high standards, poise and ambition. Dr. Brown set an
example for her students by being an active, influential member of many African American and women’s groups
throughout North Carolina, the South and the nation. She became a popular speaker and civic leader, constantly in
demand to deliver speeches on education, racial uplift, and interracial cooperation. The school continued to
operate under three successive principals and closed in 1971.
Located on the former Palmer campus, the Charlotte Ha wkins Brown Museum is North Carolina’s first state
historic site to commemorate the achievements of an African American and a woman. Today’s students can
explore and learn about a unique environment where many African American boys and girls lived and learned
during the greater part of the twentieth century. Visitor center exhibits tell the story of this remarkable woman and
North Carolina’s African American educational heritage. Tours of Dr. Brown’s residence and wayside exhibits
highlight the history of the site.
Facilities
Gift shop
Handicapped accessible
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Exhibits
Picnic shelter (partially covered)
Limited nearby restaurants
Bus parking
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features, including Canary Cottage (Dr. Brown’s home) and campus
Orientation video, lasts 12 minutes
A complete tour of the site takes 1½ hours, but can be tailored to fit the visitor’s schedule.
21
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
African American History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March): special programs. Call
site for more information
It’s About Time (fall): grades 4–8. Call site for more information.
Teacher packet with historical information and class projects (grade 4)
The Mission and the Legacy, video: grades 8 and older. $16.95.
The Correct Thing: To Do, To Say, To Wear, book: grades 8 and older. $16.95.
Charlotte Hawkins Brown and Palmer Memorial Institute: What One Young Black Woman Could Do, book,
teacher resource. $16.95
Charlotte Hawkins Brown: One Woman’s Dream, book, elementary through high school. $12.95
Directions to Site
From Interstate 40/85, exit on Rock Creek Dairy Road (exit 135) between Burlington and Greensboro. Follow
the
directional signs north on Rock Creek Dairy Road to U.S. 70. Turn left on U.S. 70 and travel approximately one
and one-half miles. The site is on the left.
Duke Homestead
Washington Duke Home (Durham County)
2828 Duke Homestead Rd.
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 477-5498
fax number: (919) 479-7092
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/duke/duke.htm email address: [email protected]
The American Tobacco Company, at one time the largest tobacco product manufacturer in the world, had its roots
on a small farm in Durham County. Confederate veteran Washington Duke returned to his farm after the Civil
22
War to discover Federal troops had helped themselves to his store of cured tobacco. Demand for the tobacco grew
quickly. Hardworking Duke and his sons were soon peddling their Pro Bono Publico brand of smoking tobacco
across much of the state. The Duke family was on the road to building a fortune that would change their lives and
the lives of many others who later benefited from their philanthropic ventures. The restored Duke Homestead is
the stage where students today can experience the daily lives of nineteenth-century small farmers and
businessmen. Through interactive exhibits, a film, and hands-on activities, school children will learn how to
gather, discover, and interpret the social and economic history of tobacco.
Facilities
Handicapped accessible visitor center
Gift shop
Exhibits
Audiovisual program
Picnic tables (not covered)
Rest rooms
Bus parking
Vending
Nearby restaurants
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features, including the tobacco factory and homestead
Activities:
Town ball: grades 2-8
Butter churning: grades pre K-4
Cooking and food preparation: grades pre K-8
Natural dyeing: grades pre K-4
Sweeping the yard: grades pre K-8
A complete tour of the site will take 1½ hours. A complete tour with activities takes 2 ½ hours. Call for tour
content that follows standard course of study.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Christmas Traditions and Celebrations: pre-K, kindergarten, 1st grades. Costumed interpreters demonstrate gifts,
food, and music of the mid 19th century. Students make an old-fashioned ornament and are served popcorn and
gingerbread.
Spring Living History. Program emphasizes “people making history.” Hands-on activities include archaeology,
food preservation, and games. Teachers’ packet accompanies confirmation letter. This program requires a
minimum of 2 hours on site.
Directions to Site
From Interstate 85 in Durham, exit on Guess Road (exit 175). Follow the signs north on Guess Road
approximately one-half mile to Duke Homestead Road. Turn right on Duke Homestead and go one-half mile. The
site is on the right.
23
Historic Stagville
P.O. Box 71217
Durham, NC 27722
(919) 620-0120 fax number: (919) 620-0422
email: [email protected]
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/do/stavill/default.htm
Historic Stagville contains the Bennehan-Cameron House
(c.1787, 1799), four surviving slave houses (c.1850), and
Horton Grove Slave Quarters
the Great Barn (c.1860). Richard Bennehan started this
(Durham County)
plantation in 1787, and by the time of the Civil War,
Stagville lay at the center of the largest plantation
complex in North Carolina, which included approximately 30,000 acres and over 900 slaves. Horton Grove
contains several surviving slave houses. These two-story, four-room timber-frame quarters are rare survivors of an
unusual form of slave house. Typical slave quarters were one-room, one-story structures. The Great Barn is one of
the last structures built at Stagville with slave craftsman labor. At the time of its construction, it was one of the
largest agricultural structures in North Carolina.
Today at Historic Stagville students can travel back in time when touring the site. All ages are offered tours of the
Bennehan-Cameron House, the family graveyard, Horton Grove (the slave cabins), and the Great Barn. Other
activities give children the opportunity to learn more about life on a pre-Civil War plantation.
Facilities
Audiovisual program
Bus parking
Rest rooms
Nearby restaurants
Gift shop
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities
Tours: Bennehan-Cameron House
Family graveyard
Horton Grove (slave cabins)
Great Barn
Freedom Quilt program
*Please call if you desire a specific activity or if you would like the tour to cover a certain topic. All attempts will
be made to accommodate requests.
*No charge unless an activity is requested that requires supplies. In that instance, there will be an activity charge
of $1.00 per child.
Tour of entire site takes about 1 ½ - 2 hours, plus an estimate of 20 minutes per activity chosen.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Pre- and post-visit reading lists can be provided.
24
February: Black History Month (call site for details)
Directions to Site
From Raleigh/I-40 westbound. On I-40 southeast of Durham, take Exit 279B to Durham (Durham Freeway
North). Get off at Exit 173 (Duke Street). Continue north on Duke St. across I-85 to Murray Avenue. Turn right
on Murray Ave. about 1 mile to Roxboro Road, then left briefly on Roxboro Rd. and then right onto Old Oxford
Highway. Follow Old Oxford approximately 6.8 miles; Stagville is on the right.
North Carolina State Capitol
(Wake County)
E. Edenton St.,
Raleigh, NC 27601
www.ncstatecapitol.com
*scheduling is done through the Capitol Area Visitor Center
(919) 807-7950 or (866) 724-8687
fax: (919) 715-4014
email address: [email protected]
The North Carolina State Capitol, completed in 1840, is one of the finest
and best-preserved examples of a major civic building in the Greek
Revival style of architecture. The capitol serves as the symbol of North
Carolina government. From 1840 until 1888, the capitol housed all three
branches of the state’s government, including offices of the secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, comptroller, and
Supreme Court. From 1840 until 1961, the state legislature met and passed laws in the second-floor chambers.
Many important decisions were made in the chambers, including North Carolina’s decision to enter the Civil War
on May 20, 1861, when elected officials signed the Ordinance of Secession in the House of Representatives
chamber. The legislative chambers also were used for state constitutional conventions and served as a nineteenth
century “civic center” for Raleigh’s citizens. Today the governor maintains his principal office on the first floor of
the capitol, and the second and third floors have been restored to their 1840s to 1850s appearances
Once the site of all three branches of government, today the capitol is used for many events including bill
signings, swearing-in ceremonies, press conferences, living history programs, and other events related to the
history of the capitol and the functions of state government. Tours include information about the development of
Raleigh as the state’s capital; the history of the statehouse, which sat on Capitol Square from 1794 to 1831;
construction of the current capitol; historical significance of the capitol; and the legislative process.
Facilities
Bus parking (remote)
Picnic area (remote)
Audiovisual program
Exhibits
Nearby restaurants
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Our visitors use the Polk Street parking lot and picnic area.
25
Activities and Tours
Guided 30-minute tours of first and second floors are available for groups of 10 or more. Guides will tailor tours
to grade level and interest, including tours with a focus on the Civil War, legislative process, architecture, and
Capitol Square statuary. Teacher-led outdoor statuary tour available upon request.
Tours are free.
Groups are pre-scheduled for 30-minute tours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Pre- and post-visit classroom activities that meet fourth- and eighth-grade curriculum goals are available online at
www.ncstatecapitol.com. A video, The North Carolina State Capitol, may be borrowed from the N.C. Museum of
History. Call 919/715-0200; borrowers pay return postage.
Directions to Site
From I-40 in southern Raleigh, take the Person Street exit 291 north to Edenton Street. Turn left and proceed
two blocks to the visitor parking lot (fee) on the right. The site is located to the left in the next block.
From I-440 in western Raleigh, exit east on Wade Avenue and merge onto Capital Boulevard South (toward
downtown). Turn left on Morgan Street and after three blocks, the site is on the left. Immediately past the capitol,
turn
left on Wilmington Street, go two blocks, and turn right on Jones Street to visitor parking lot (fee, entry on
right).
U.S. 1 north of Raleigh becomes Capital Boulevard. Drive downtown. Turn left on Morgan Street and after three
blocks, the site is on the left. Immediately past the capitol, turn left on Wilmington Street, go two blocks,
and turn right on Jones Street to visitor parking lot (fee) entry on the right.
U.S. 64 in eastern Raleigh (New Bern Avenue) becomes Edenton Street. Travel downtown and after the Blount
Street intersection, the visitor parking lot (fee) is on the right and the site is located to the left in the next
block.
House in the Horseshoe
324 Alston House Rd.
Sanford, NC 27330
(910) 947-2051
fax number: (910) 947-2051
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/horsesho/horsesho.htm
email address: [email protected]
On a rise above a horseshoe-shaped bend of the Deep River
sits the 1772 home of Philip Alston, known as the House in
Philip Alston House (Moore County)
the Horseshoe. A colonel in the patriot forces during the
American Revolution, Alston and his men were camped
around the house when it was attacked by a band of tories under the notorious David Fanning. The walls of the
house still bear the scars and bullet holes from that skirmish in the summer of 1781. The house was later
26
purchased by Gov. Benjamin Williams and named “Retreat.” Williams made the house the center of his profitable
cotton plantation, enlarging it with two wings. By 1803 his plantation was being worked by fifty slaves and valued
at thirty thousand dollars. On a visit to House in the Horseshoe, students may learn about the lives of early
piedmont settlers by making corn shuck dolls, hand dipping candles, and creating clay marbles. A costumed
interpreter provides demonstrations of the weapons and equipment used by Revolutionary War soldiers.
Facilities
Gift shop
Limited nearby restaurants
Rest rooms
Exhibits
Picnic area (not covered) Bus parking
Vending
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of the Alston House and surrounding buildings
There is a $1.00 per student charge for hands-on activities.
Activities:
Candle making: grades 2-8
Making clay marbles: grades 2-8
Quill pens: grades 2-8
Corn shuck dolls: grades 2-8
Colonial games (no charge): grades 2-8
A complete tour of the site takes approximately 1½ hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
A teachers’ packet with instructional materials for grades 4 and 8 is available upon request.
Annual battle reenactment (early August): please call site for more information.
Christmas Open House (December): call for more information.
Spring Militia Muster (April): call for more information.
Directions to Site
From U.S. 1 in Sanford, take N.C. 42 west for ten miles to Carbonton. Turn left on State Road 2307. Go four and
one-half miles and turn right onto Alston House Road. The site is at the end of the road.
From U.S. 421, take the Goldston exit at the brown House in the Horseshoe sign. Go west on the GoldstonPittsboro Road to Main Street. Take a left on Main Street, then a right on Colonial Street. Go three-tenths of a
mile and turn left on the Goldston-Carbonton Road for five miles. Go straight at the stop sign (across N.C. 42) for
four and one-half miles. Turn right on Alston House Road, which ends at the site.
From N.C. 24/27 in Carthage, turn north onto State Road 1006. Follow this road for ten miles to Alston House
Road. Turn left, and the site is at the end of the road.
27
Town Creek Indian Mound
(Montgomery County)
509 Town Creek Indian Mound Road
Mt. Gilead, NC 27306
(910) 439-6802
fax number (910) 439-6441
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/town/town.htm
Email: [email protected]
Town Creek Indian Mound is one of only a handful of reconstructed Native American
historic sites in the nation. Tucked on five acres at the junction of Town Creek and Little
River, Town Creek Indian Mound is dedicated to understanding, teaching, and
preserving the rich history of the ancient Indians who once lived in villages and farmed
across the floodplains of North Carolina’s Pee Dee River system. Since 1936,
archaeologists have studied Town Creek in detail. Today we share the results of their research in hands-on
educational programs taught to age groups ranging from elementary school students to senior citizens. Visitors
can take self-guided tours. Students can learn about aspects of Indian life and how the science of archaeology
reveals it.
Facilities
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Nature trial
Picnic area
Gift shop
Bus parking
Vending
Handicapped-accessible visitor center and historic site
Activities and Tours
School group tours of the visitor center and ceremonial complex take 1½ to 2 hours. Reservations are required.
Learning Center programs feature hands-on activities and demonstrations that can be adapted to age and grade
levels; these activities are fee-based and must be pre-arranged. Program options include:
Pottery making
Corn grinding
Dugout canoe construction
Rope making (cordage)
Open hearth cooking
Chunky (Native American game)
Hunting tools and strategies
Annual Programs and Te aching Materials
Teacher packets—adapted to fit grade level
Videos: Man of Lightening
Voices in the Wind
Backwoods Survival Skills
Education programs for youth and adults: please contact site for information.
Cultural festivals: contact site for information.
Directions to Site
28
The site is located in Montgomery County, 5½ miles southeast of Mt. Gilead on Town Creek Mound Road. Signs
point the way south from N.C. 731 and north from N.C. 73. The site is about 1½ hours from Greensboro and
Charlotte and 2 hours from Raleigh and Durham.
North Carolina Historic Sites - West
Fort Dobbs
438 Fort Dobbs Rd
Statesville, NC 28625
(704) 873-5866
fax number: (704) 873-5866
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/dobbs/dobbs.htm
email address: [email protected]
Frontier Attack at Ft. Dobbs (Iredell County)
The French and Indian War began in the Ohio valley and eventually stretched around the world. In North Carolina
the colonial assembly made ready for war by voting for troops and ordering the building of forts. To protect
settlers on the colony’s western frontier and to provide a base for scouting expeditions, Fort Dobbs was
constructed in 1756. Named for royal governor Arthur Dobbs, the fort was built near the edge of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. A raiding party of Cherokees attacked the fort on February 27, 1760, but colonial troops repulsed the
raiders. The British defeated the Cherokees in 1761. Later the Treaty of Paris (1763) gave French-owned land in
North America to Great Britain. The colonial government abandoned Fort Dobbs. Today students can view the
site of the fort, play with the toys and games that entertained colonial children, make candles the traditional way,
and watch a colonial soldier prepare for sentry duty.
Facilities
Gift shop
Rest rooms
Covered picnic area
Exhibits
Vending
Visitor center
Nearby restaurants
Bus parking
Handicapped-accessible
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic features, including reconstructed earthen works.
Activities:
Colonial toys and games: grades 2-5
Candle making: grades 2-5
Native American activities: grades 2-5
Musket demonstrations: grades 2-5
Call ahead for availability of all activities.
A complete tour of the site takes 1½ hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Study guide with pre- and post-visit classroom activities
Worksheets for grades 3-7
29
Directions to Site
From Interstate 40 at Statesville, take U.S. 21 north (exit 151) approximately three miles. Turn left on Fort
Dobbs Road. The site is one mile on the right.
Horne Creek Farm
Corn-shucking Festival (Surry County)
308 Horne Creek Farm Road
Pinnacle, NC 27043
(336) 325-2298
fax number: (336) 325-3150
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/horne/horne.htm
email address: [email protected]
The land now comprising Horne Creek Living
Historical Farm was farmed by the Hauser family for
nearly two hundred years. By 1900, through good farm
management and sheer hard work, the Hausers had
increased the farm’s size to 450 acres. Thomas, his wife
Charlotte, their family of eleven boys and one girl, and several hired hands raised crops which had been grown in
the region for decades—fruit, corn, wheat, oats, rye, hay, and vegetables. In addition, they were growing tobacco,
a new cash crop which was rapidly becoming more and more important to the state’s economy. Today Horne
Creek Farm offers students a glimpse into agricultural life about 1900. Students can cut grass using a scythe or
listen as an elderly member of the community recounts the lives of farmers in earlier times. Boys and girls can
shuck corn, make a scarecrow, preserve fruits and vegetables, or tackle children’s chores of that era. The visitor
center also offers various tours and exhibits that depict farm life in bygone days.
Facilities
Rest rooms
On-site bus parking
Picnic area (not covered)
Vending
Nearby restaurants
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Age-appropriate guided tours of historic features, including the farmstead.
Hands-on activities include:
Barnyard animals: grades K-3
Natural dyeing: grades K-3
Scavenger hunts: grades K-3
Cider making: grades 4-7
Farm chores: grades 4-7
Scarecrow making contest: grades 4-7
Straw ticks, mattress making: grades 8-12
Bench making: grades 8-12
Drying vegetables: grades 8-12
30
Activities will vary according to the season.
Activity fee is $2.00 per student. Please contact the site for further details.
A complete tour of the site without activities takes 1 hour.
A complete tour of the site with activities takes 2 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Trunks of History. Grade-level appropriate traveling trunks with replicas and facsimiles of artifacts and
documents are available for classroom use. Please contact the site for more details.
Directions to Site
From Interstate 74/U.S. 52, take the Pinnacle exit (#129). Follow the signs southwest on Perch Road
approximately
four miles to Hauser Road. Turn right on Hauser Road, and go approximately one and one-half miles. Turn left at
the next brown-and-white state historic site sign and go approximately one-quarter mile. Horne Creek Living
Historical Farm is on the left.
James K. Polk Memorial
Box 475
Pineville, NC 28134
(704) 889-7145
fax number: (704) 889-3057
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/polk/polk.htm
email address: [email protected]
The nation’s eleventh president, James Knox Polk, was
born in Mecklenburg County in 1795. Nicknamed
Reconstructed Homestead (Mecklenburg County)
“Young Hickory” after his mentor Andrew Jackson, Polk
became the first dark horse candidate to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for president. The annexation of
Texas and the Oregon boundary dispute were the chief issues of the 1844 campaign against Whig opponent Henry
Clay. Polk ran the presidency like a business, with dedication and an amazing sincerity. Polk resolved not to run
for a second term. He died in 1849, three months after retiring from the White House. On a visit to the Polk
Memorial, students can learn about the life of young James Polk, play with period toys and games, and hear the
story of the early settlement of Mecklenburg County. A scavenger hunt of facts about Polk’s life helps students
learn of the events that shaped the character of our eleventh president. Exhibits and a film trace the life of this
native son.
Facilities
Gift shop
Rest rooms
Audiovisual program
On-site bus parking
Exhibits
Vending
Picnic area (not covered)
Numerous nearby restaurants
31
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Partially handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tour
Guided tour of historic features, including the Polk homestead
Activities:
Early toys and games demonstrations: grades K-4
Scavenger hunt, story of the settlement of Mecklenburg County: grade 3
Film on career of James K. Polk: emphasis on presidential years: grade 8
Musket demonstration: grades 3-8
Mexican War weapons demonstration: grades 7-12
Cooking demonstrations: grades 3-8
Additional activities are included if requested.
Some activities require separate charges, please call to inquire.
A complete tour of the site takes 2 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
A teacher’s packet is available for elementary students.
Directions to Site
From Interstate 77 south of Charlotte, take Interstate 485 east (exit 2). Take exit 65B and continue south through
the town of Pineville for about one and one-half miles. Polk Memorial is on the left.
North Carolina Transportation Museum
PO Box 165
Spencer, NC 28159
(704) 636-2889
toll free number: 1-877-NCTMFUN
fax number: (704) 639-1881
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/spencer/spencer.ht
m
www.nctrans.org
email address: [email protected]
Barber Junction (Rowan County)
Smoke and cinders from steam locomotives still hangs
in the air around Spencer, North Carolina, though not as thickly as it did sixty years ago. Today the steam and
diesel locomotives travel the one-and-one-half-mile track around the North Carolina Transportation Museum.
From 1896 until the late 1950s, hundreds of locomotives crossed the tracks of the Spencer Shops each day. The
shops were the halfway point for trains heading between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta on the Southern Railway.
Here steam, and later diesel, locomotives were serviced and repaired to keep Southern’s passenger and freight
lines running. By 1953 Southern Railway had retired its last steam engine; the shops became obsolete, gradually
closing down over the next twenty years. Today the shop facilities comprise the North Carolina Transportation
Museum. Here students can explore the role transportation has played in North Carolina's history and gain insights
into the science of steam, diesel, and electric power on railroads. The Bumper to Bumper exhibit highlights the
automobile in American life. The visitor center, roundhouse, and other buildings offer many hands-on exh ibits
and tours at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.
32
Facilities
Audiovisual program
On-site bus parking
Exhibits
Covered picnic area
Handicapped-accessible
Gift shop
Vending
Restrooms
Nearby restaurants
Activities and Tours
Two types of tours are offered:
Guided tour (staff member guides students through site)
Teacher-led (teacher leads students)
Groups may register to participate in museum learning center activities.
Choices include:
Guided progra ms:
Stories on the Road: grades pre-K-1, limit 2 classes
Salute to Heroes: grades pre-K-1
How Do We Get There?: grades 1-4
Transportation in the Community: grades 1-4
What Makes it Go?: grades 5-12
Historic Spencer Shops: grades 7-12
Classroom programs: (30 minutes, limit 25 people)
What is Transportation?: grades pre-K-1
Street Signs: grades pre-K-3
Map Skills: grades 3-6
Times Zones and Railroads: grades 3-8
Bicycle Safety: all
Railroad Safety and Communications: all
Interactive activities offered at the site include train and turntable rides
Turntable ride: $.50 per person
Train ride: $1.50 per person for grades K-12, students and teachers
$3.00 per person for chaperons (including parents)
A complete tour of the site takes 3 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
December: Polar Express Train
February: African-Americans in Transportation
Please call site for more information.
Directions to Site
From Interstate 85, take exit 79. Turn west toward Spencer, following the brown signs to Salisbury Avenue.
Make a left; the entrance is approximately one-half mile on the left. Travel time from Charlotte, Greensboro,
Winston-Salem, and Statesville is less than one hour.
33
Reed Gold Mine
9621 Reed Mine Rd.
Midland, NC 28107
(704) 721-4653
fax number: (704) 721-4657
www.reedmine.com
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/reed/reed.htm
email address: [email protected]
Young Conrad Reed was unaware that the yellow
Reed Visitor Center (Cabarras County)
rock he found in Little Meadow Creek in 1799 would
launch the nation’s first gold rush. In fact, the rock
served as the family’s doorstop until his father, John
Reed, took it to a Fayetteville jeweler in 1802. The jeweler purchased the rock from John Reed for $3.50, when in
reality it was worth $3,600. John Reed learned from this mistake and began mining for gold on his Cabarrus
County farm. Eventually gold fever spread to other counties and states. Gold mining during its peak years was
second only to farming in the state’s economy. North Carolina led the nation in gold production until California’s
gold rush in 1848. On a visit to Reed Gold Mine, travel back into time and become a gold miner, panning for
gold. Come on a scavenger hunt and search for clues to gold history in North Carolina. Go underground and see
firsthand the working conditions of the miners. Exhibits and a film also detail the history of Reed Gold Mine and
the mining industry in North Carolina.
Facilities
Gift shop
Picnic areas (not covered)
Audiovisual program
Vending
On-site bus parking
Limited restaurants nearby
Trail
Restrooms
Exhibits
Handicapped-accessible visitor center, historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided tours of historic features, including the underground and stamp mill, for all ages
Reservations required for groups of 10 or more.
Activities:
¾-mile Talking Rocks Trail
Scavenger hunt: grade 4
Gold panning (in season): grades 3-12
Group rate: $1.50/pan
Individual rate: $2.00/pan
Panning season is April 1 - October 31 (weather permitting).
A complete tour of the site takes 3 ½ hours.
All activities, except panning, are free.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
34
Heritage Days—two days in April (please call site for more information)
Teachers’ packet available on-line. Suitable for grades 3-8. Aimed at grade 4.
The film All That Glitters may be purchased for a minimal fee.
Directions to Site
From Charlotte, take U.S. 74 (Independence Blvd.) east to N.C. 24/27 (Albemarle Road). Follow N.C.
24/27 to Reed Mine Road. Turn left on Reed Mine Road, go approximately three miles, and the site will
be on the right.
From I-85 in Concord, take U.S. 601 south to N.C. 200. Turn left on N.C. 200 to Reed Mine Road at
Georgeville. Turn right (south), go approximately three miles, and the site will be on the left.
From Monroe, take U.S. 601 north. Follow U.S. 601 to N.C. 24/27 east. Take N.C. 24/27 to Reed Mine Road,
turn
left. Site will be three miles ahead on right.
From Albemarle, take N.C. 24/27 west through Locust. Turn right on Reed Mine Road and follow signs to the
site three miles ahead on the right.
Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace
(Buncombe County)
911 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville, NC 28787
(828) 645-6706
fax number: (828) 645-0936
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/vance/vance.htm
email address: [email protected]
On May 13, 1830, Zebulon Baird Vance was born on the
family homestead in the Reems Creek valley of the Blue
Ridge Mountains. Zebulon was among the third generation
of the Vance family to live on the farm acquired by his grandfather, David Vance, in 1795. The family, which
included veterans of the American Revolution and the War of 1812, state representatives, United States
congressmen, physicians, lawyers, merchants, and farmers, raised Zeb to be a resolute, highly principled leader
with a quick wit and sharp tongue. Zeb’s rural, mountain heritage instilled in him a belief in self-government,
individual liberty, and public service. Vance served in public office for more than thirty years, holding the
positions of state representative, United States representative, three-term governor, and United States senator. As
governor during the turbulent Civil War years, Vance was the only governor in any state to uphold the writ of
habeas corpus. He also motivated North Carolina to commit the greatest contribution of men and spirit to the
Southern cause, earning him the title “War Governor of the South.” Students visiting Governor Vance’s home
place can experience many of the daily activities that occurred on the family farm, from weaving cloth to cooking
over an open fire.
Facilities
35
Gift shop
Handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Audiovisual program
Rest rooms
Exhibits
On-site bus parking
Vending
Covered picnic area
Limited nearby restaurants
Activities and Tours
Guided tour of historic Vance homestead
Activities:
Weaving demonstration: grades K-12
Cooking demonstration: grades K-12
Candle making: grades K-3
Rifle/weapon demonstration: grades 4-12
Open-hearth cooking: grades 4-6
There is no charge for tours without activities.
Cooking and candle making activities are $.50 per student.
A complete tour without activities takes 1 1/2 hours.
A complete tour with activities takes 2 hours.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
A teacher’s packet with instructional materials appropriate for grades 3 and 4 is available.
The site offers various demonstrations either in classrooms or as part of a heritage day program. Please call for
information.
Directions to Site
From Asheville take U.S. 19/23 north to New Stock Road. Follow the brown directional signs to the site
on Reems Creek Road. From the Blue Ridge Parkway take the exit between mileposts 375 and 376. Follow the
brown directional signs to the site.
Thomas Wolfe Memorial
(Buncombe County)
52 N. Market Street
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 253-8304
fax number: (828) 252-8171
www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/wolfe/wolfe.htm
email address: [email protected]
Many literary greats left their mark on history. One of
those greats was Thomas Wolfe, whose work Look
36
“Old Kentucky Home” Boarding House
Homeward, Angel (1929), became an American literary classic. Thomas Wolfe was born in Asheville on October
3, 1900, into a middle -class family. Growing up in his mother’s boardinghouse influenced Tom’s writing for the
rest of his life. Today’s students can step into Thomas Wolfe’s shoes and write a work of their own creation while
visiting the writer’s boyhood home. On scavenger hunts through the visitor center exhibits, students learn about
the life of this North Carolina novelist. Through fun and games at the Old Kentucky Home, boys and girls
experience a bit of the life of children in turn-of-the-century America. A walking tour of Pack Square allows
students to see Asheville through Thomas Wolfe’s eyes. Visitor center exhibits trace the life of one of America’s
most powerful twentieth-century writers.
Facilities
Gift Shop
Exhibits
Rest rooms
Nearby restaurants
Audiovisual program
On-site bus parking
Handicapped-accessible visitor center
Handicapped-accessible historic area and buildings
Activities and Tours
Guided costumed tours of historic features, including the visitor center and Old Kentucky Home
Activities:
Thomas Wolfe’s Asheville (walking tour of Pack Square): grades 4-12
Scavenger Hunt of exhib its: grades K-8
Tools and gadgets at the Old Kentucky Home: grades 4-8
Chores at the Old Kentucky Home: grades 4-6
Fun and games at the Old Kentucky Home: grades 4-6
Staff-led creative writing: grades 4-12
There is no charge for activities.
A complete tour of the site takes 1½ hours.
Please call the site for availability of the tours and activities above.
Annual Programs and Additional Teaching Materials
Teachers’ booklet, containing pre- and post-visit classroom activities available for elementary teachers upon
request.
Directions to Site
From Interstate 40, take Interstate 240 to Asheville. From Interstate 240 east, take the Merrimon Avenue exit
(5A). Go straight through the traffic light onto Market Street. Go one-half block, the visitor center is on the left.
From Interstate 240 west, take the Merrimon Ave. Exit (5A). Turn left onto Merrimon Avenue. At the light, turn
left onto Woodfin Street. Go one block, and turn right onto the Market Street. Go one-half block; the visitor center
is on the left.
37