10 Fun Facts About North Carolina

Every state has its quirks, and North Carolina is no different. The Tar Heel State is home to some of the most fascinating tidbits of history, making for a long list of exciting facts. Here are 10 fun facts about North Carolina that make it stand out from the rest.

1. The tallest brick lighthouse

North Carolina is home to Cape Hatteras, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Original construction was in 1802 and it stands at 210 feet-tall, with a range of 24 nautical miles. 

2. The first English-born child in America

Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America, was born in Roanoke, NC in 1587. What ever became of Dare is a mystery, and she’s become a significant figure in American myth and folklore. 

3. Birthplace of Pepsi

This widely-popular soft drink was created in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1893. The creator, Caleb Bradhem, made it as his drugstore and originally called it “Brad’s Drink.” 

4. The first flight

The Wright Brothers made the first successful powered flight in 1903 in North Carolina at Kill Devil Hills.

5. Sweet, sweet potatoes

North Carolina’s state vegetable is the sweet potato, and the state is the biggest sweet potato producer in the country. The state has held the top spot in production for over four decades. 

6. The famous Biltmore Estate

Asheville, North Carolina’s Biltmore Estate, with more than 250 rooms, is the largest private home in the United States. 

7. The first public university

America’s first public university was the University of North Carolina, known today as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, the university has a total enrollment of nearly 30,000 students. 

8. The Great Bambino

Babe Ruth hit his first professional homerun in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1914.

9. Separation from England

North Carolina was the first state to declare independence from England, on May 20, 1775. 

10. Shipwreck central

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” because more than a thousand shipwrecks have been discovered in the area. 

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Best Things To Do Near You
Best Things To Do Near You
Mar
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Live Irish Music with Barrowburn

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Doherty's Irish Pub and Restaurant, Apex, NC
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The Rocket Summer

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Cat’s Cradle (Back Room), Carrboro, NC
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Jervis Campbell

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Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro, NC
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Live Irish Music with Pamlico

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Guster

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Best Places To Go Near You
Best Places To Go Near You
4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC
About Us:Located just south of Asheboro, the North Carolina Zoo is seated on a 1,500-acre tract of land in the Uwharrie Mountains.  Approximat... Read More
233 East Avenue, Seagrove, NC
Welcome to the North Carolina Pottery Center, the only state-wide facility in the nation devoted solely to pottery. Designed, funded, and construct... Read More
572 Pumping Station Road, Sanford, NC
San-Lee Park is a 177+acre park, located at 572 Pumping Station Road, that offers hiking trails, a mountain bike trail, a Nature Center, playground... Read More
1024 Ft. Bragg Road, Southern Pines, NC
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve is a unique window onto the longleaf pine forests that once covered millions of acres in the southeastern ... Read More
3910 South Holden Road, Greensboro, NC
When you think summer, think Wet'n Wild. The largest water park in both the Carolinas is the place to cool off, get sun and have fun. With over 36 ... Read More
280 State Park Road, Apex, NC
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is a collective of nine access areas scattered around the shoreline of this undeveloped, 14,000-acre reservoir. M... Read More
1615 Kersey Valley Road, High Point, NC
Maize Adventure is the most famous corn maze in NC that is the perfect way for your family, school, home school or church group to experience a day... Read More
131 West Church Street, Ellerbe, NC
The Rankin Museum is fun for all ages. Take yourself away from your everyday world and explore faraway places and times past in our exhibits. Imagi... Read More
310 South Greene Street, Greensboro, NC
History:The Carolina Theatre, originally billed as “The Showplace of the Carolinas,” opened on Halloween night in 1927 as a 2,200-seat ... Read More
134 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC
Vision:We seek to memorialize the courageous stand of the Greensboro Four as they launched, for posterity, the sit-in movement on February 1, 1960.... Read More
200 North Davie Street, Greensboro, NC
Mission Statement: Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art is a non-profit organization devoted to the stateÔ³ visual arts, artists, and cultura... Read More
220 North Church Street, Greensboro, NC
Mission StatementThe Greensboro Children’s Museum’s Mission is to provide children and families with fun, interactive, educational expe... Read More
200 North Davie Street, Greensboro, NC
The Greensboro Cultural Center provides four levels of galleries, studios, classrooms, and rehearsal halls to stimulate the mind and excite the sen... Read More
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