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WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA
It happened here first!!
Everyone
knows that the Wright Brothers achieved man’s first powered
flight on the sands of Kitty Hawk.
More North Carolina
“firsts”....did you
know?
The first English attempts to settle the New World occurred on what is now Roanoke Island in 1584. The first child born of English parents in the New World was Virginia Dare, born Aug. 18, 1587. The first celebration of Independence Day in America was held in the town of Salem on July 4, 1783. The first gold nugget discovered in America was found near Concord in 1799. The first state university in America was the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, established in 1795. GO TARHEELS!! The first professional home run hit by Babe Ruth was at a game played in Fayetteville on March 7, 1914. WHAT IS A
“TARHEEL” ANYWAY?
The nickname of North Carolinians most likely evolved from the fact that during early days, turpentine, pitch and tar were among the colony’s chief exports. But most prefer a more romantic explanation, such as this tale from the Civil War: While marching back from the front after a fierce battle, North Carolina troops came upon another regiment that had fled the field. They were greeted by a taunt: “Any more tar left down in the Old North State, boys?” “Nope, Jeff Davis bought it all up,” replied a Carolinian. “Is that so? What’s he going to do with it?” “He’s gonna put it on your heels to make you stick better in the next fight,” came the reply. General Robert E. Lee, hearing of the incident, said, “God bless the TAR HEEL boys.” And the name “stuck”, if you know what we mean. Background
courtesy of Backgrounds
by Marie
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