Wayne County, NC - Heritage Series Reprinted with permission of the Mount Olive Tribune and cannot be reproduced without permission. State's Historic Sites Are Plentiful "Our Heritage" By Claude Moore Vacation time is almost here for most Tar Heels & they will be traveling to different parts of our own state. There is much interest now in learning about North Carolina by visiting historic sites while traveling to the coast or to the mountains. Besides state historic sites, there are several state parks & two national military parks. While in the vicinity of Asheville, it would be well to visit the Wolfe Memorial House (48 Spring Street, Asheville) where celebrated North Carolina novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938) lived & about which he wrote. Also in the vicinity of Asheville is the birthplace of Zebulon B. Vance of Weaverville, just off U.S. 19-23. Vance was one of the Confederate governors of North Carolina & later a U.S. Senator. Near Statesville is the restored Fort Dobbs, built in defense against the Cherokee Indians during the French & Indian War, 1755-1763. This site is just off U.S. 21. In Asheville are the Spencer Railroad shops (U.S. 219-70) which have been preserved by the state. The Reed Gold Mine & Museum are located ten miles from Concord off N.C. Highway 200. Gold was discovered here in 1799 & this mine flourished for a hundred years. North Carolina was the leading gold producing state until gold was discovered in California in 1848. Southeast of Charlotte is the site of the birthplace of President James H. Polk. This is a good example of a pioneer frontier log house. Town Creek Indian Mound is located five miles southeast of Mount Gilead on S.R. 1160, south of N.C. 731. This was the center of a great nation of Indians who came up from the South. The House in the Horseshoe is located west of Sanford near Carbonton on S.R. 1644. This is a colonial house built for the Allston family & was later the home of Governor Benjamin Williams. A battle of the Revolution was fought nearby. Alamance Battleground is located near Burlington in Alamance County. This site is well marked & preserved, but historians have de-emphasized the importance of this battle which had no connection with the Revolution. The Bennett Place near Durham is the place where General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to General William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865. Also near Durham is the old Duke family homestead which has been preserved as part of the story of the culture & manufacture of tobacco in North Carolina. There is much to see in Raleigh, but the most important site is the state capitol building which is an architectural gem & was built between 1835-40. The Bentonville Battleground in Johnston County, five miles northeast of Newton Grove, is always a treat for lovers of Confederate history. This is the site of the last major battle of the War Between the States, (March 19, 20, 21, 1865) Aycock Birthplace near Fremont just east of U.S. 17 is a popular site for N.C. school children. This is the restored birthplace of the "educational governor," the Honorable Charles B. Aycock. Wilmington, without a doubt, is the most historic city in North Carolina & the two historic sites in the vicinity are the old Brunswick Town site & Fort Fisher. Fort Fisher was built during the War Between the States & was the largest earthen fort ever built. It protected the New Inlet & held out during the War until January 13, 1865. Caswell Memorial at Kinston is the site of the old home & burial place of Richard Caswell, an officer of the Revolution & the first governor of the state. The Confederate "Ram Neuse" is also preserved at this site. Tryon Palace at New Bern is a must for all North Carolinians. It is the restored capitol building which was originally completed in 1767. Historic Halifax just off U.S. 95 in Halifax County has a number of restored buildings. The Iredell House in Edenton is one of the many places of historic interest in Edenton. The Somerset Place near Creswell, 9 miles south of Lake Phelps, was the ante-bellum home of the Collins family. The Elizabeth II at Manteo has recently been included as a N.C. Historic site. The old town of Bath, founded in 1705, is located on N.C. 92, 14 miles east of Washington. The Legislature of North Carolina has been generous in its appropriations for historic sites & this has encouraged & inspired local groups to restore & preserve buildings & sites of historic interest. ============================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. 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