9 Sites Showing How American History Marched Through North Carolina - Atlas Obscura Lists
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9 Sites Showing How American History Marched Through North Carolina

From an 18th-century gold mine to a Civil War fort to an inspiring monument of the Wright brothers’ first flight, North Carolina offers visitors a rich tapestry of American history.

9 Places

North Carolina has always been at the crossroads of American history. Where else can you see wild horses descended from those of Spanish conquistadores, the site that inspired the first American gold rush, and the childhood home of one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time? In North Carolina, every road leads you toward a story, richly connected with the past.

Along the northeast coast, near the village of Corolla on the famed Outer Banks, you can find a remnant of early American history in the form of wild horses who roam freely along the beaches. These horses, protected by law, who once numbered in the thousands, are believed to be descended from animals who escaped from the shipwrecks of Spanish explorers 500 years ago.

Three hundred fifty miles away in the town of Midland is the Reed Gold Mine, where the accidental discovery of a brightly colored rock in a creek inspired a gold rush in the early 1800s, and the first commercial gold mine in the young United States. 

In the Blue Ridge Mountain town of Tryon, you can find the humble childhood home of Nina Simone, the passionate pianist and singer who was a powerful influence on other artists like Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack. When the home was put up for sale in 2017, a group of prominent artists joined forces to buy and preserve it, along with Simone’s legacy.

For travelers seeking a close encounter with American history, there is truly nowhere like North Carolina.

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Greensboro, North Carolina

Site of the Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit-in

This North Carolina store preserves a historic moment in America's movement for racial equality.
Added by Ashawnta
Cherokee, North Carolina

Unto These Hills Cherokee Theatre

Some North Carolina Cherokee have been keeping their history alive for decades with a single play.
Added by DoctorMoog42

For Real, Visit North Carolina.