65 Interesting North Carolina Facts That You Should Know

North Carolina is the 28th largest state in the US.

The small state of North Carolina is geographically divided into three types of landforms. Visitors have a great time visiting this diverse state in North America.

The largest mountain range of the east United States, the Appalachian Mountains covers the entire western North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Mountains rise steeply from the eastern Piedmont region.

The highest peak of the Blue Ridge mountains, the Grandfather Mountain is honored as the only private park in the world recognized by the United Nations as an international biosphere reserve. The central part of the state has the Piedmont region.

It is an elevated region with a flat top resembling a plateau. The plateau lies in between the eastern coastal region and the western mountain region.

The eastern part of North Carolina is the lowest region of all, it is the Atlantic coastal plain and is characterized by flat plains, beaches, longleaf pines, and swamps. In ancient times most of North Carolina's coastal plain used to be below sea level.

The east coast of the state is threatened by the effects of global warming.

The rising of the sea level every year by 1-2 in (2.54-5.08 cm) indicates that in the distant future there's a possibility that the entire state might go below sea level once again.

Off the coast of North Carolina, a large string of islands called the Outer Banks to extend along the coast of Virginia up to South Carolina. The Outer Banks is known for its extensive beaches and sand dunes which attracts many tourists each year.

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North Carolina Facts For Kids

North Carolina is a state in the United States which is bordered by the states of South Carolina in the south, Virginia in the north, Tennessee in the west, and the Atlantic ocean surrounds the state in the east. There are many interesting facts about the state which will fascinate you.

The North Carolina state motto is 'Esse quam videri' which means, to be rather than to seem. The highest peak on the east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchell is a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

The Cape Fear River Basin located in the southeastern part of the state is the largest river basin of the state.

The diverse lands of North Carolina also shelter many wildlife species.

It acts as a home to many mammals like coyotes, raccoons, and black bears, iconic reptiles like sea turtles, native birds like northern cardinal (state bird) and osprey, and amphibians like salamanders. The North Carolina biome also consists of 300 species of trees and more than 3000 flowering plants.

The state flower, flowering dogwood fills North Carolina with beautiful colors. Nearly 60% of the state is covered with forests making timber North Carolina's most important natural resource.

It is the largest furniture-producing state in the USA, High Point in North Carolina is known as the furniture capital in the world since it manufactures the highest number of wooden furniture each year.

Some say that North Carolina was the first state to declare independence from the English through the Mecklenburg Declaration of 1775. The art museum of Raleigh, North Carolina was the first state art museum.

Various renowned artists and authors have been to that museum. The tallest dam of the eastern United States, Fontana Dam is also located in North Carolina.

North Carolina Nickname

The state of North Carolina has a long list of nicknames but the two most popular nicknames of the state are The Tar Heel State and the Old North State.

North Carolina's nickname Tar Heel has originated from the state's prominent dominance in the production of tar, turpentine, pitch, and other materials from the pine trees in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Previously, the name Tar-heel was used to denote the laborers who used to produce or supply the naval store products such as tar. This new nickname of the state grew into popularity during the Civil War and was commonized by the North Carolinians eventually.

There is a rumor that during the Revolutionary War, some British soldiers stepped on the sticky tar which slowed them down.

During the 18th and the 19th century, the production and tar and turpentine was largely used in ship manufacturing, it helped in sealing any gap in the ship and well as to prevent its hull from any worm infestation.

North Carolina's tar production became an important source, especially for the Royal navy. It led the world in naval stores production from 1720 to 1870.

After 1824, North Carolina became the leading producer of tar and pitch, thousands of barrels of naval store products were shipped to England each year.

The vast amount of tar produced in the state led to Walt Whitman giving the name tar boilers to the residents of North Carolina. At that time, North Carolina has named the tar and turpentine state.

The name gradually evolved and finally, the residents of the state were referred to as Tar-heel.

The name, in the beginning, had a pejorative meaning but from 1865, the name started to be used by the residents of the Tar state as an expression of pride. The name Tar-heel made news for the first time in an article in the Raleigh newspaper and is now embraced by people both inside and outside the state.

North Carolina History

In ancient times, before the Europeans arrived, North Carolina was inhabited by Native American tribes like the Cherokee, the Tuscarora, the Croatan, and the Catawba. Cherokees were the largest inhabitants of the territory, they lived occupying the western mountain and farmed beans, corn, and squash. European settlers started to arrive in North Carolina in the 16th century.

The first Europeans that arrived in North Carolina were Spanish settlers. Giovani da Verrazano mapped out the coastline of North Carolina for the first time in 1524.

Later, other Spanish explorers came in the search of gold and built forts in North Carolina. The Roanoke colony established by the English in Roanoke Island, in 1584 was one of the first English colonies in North America.

However, in 1588 it was discovered that the entire colony disappeared without leaving behind any substantial clue. Only a single tree carving that said Croatoan was left behind. However, throughout the 1600s and 1700s, many English settlers moved to North Carolina.

The first English town was established in Bath in 1705. The Native American tribes began to resist the English conquests but they were defeated in battle.

Carolina was ruled by the friends of King Charles who were collectively known as Lord's Proprietor. In 1712, North Carolina split from South Carolina and it became an official colony of the English in 1729.

The state was named by King Charles II in honor of his father, King Charles. The agitation among the American states against the English started in the mid-1700s.

North Carolina joined the other states in signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Many iconic battles of the revolutionary war took place in North Carolina. On 21st November 1789, North Carolina was added to the Constitution of the United States as the 12th state.

It was considered to be a 'slave state' with a greater number of African Americans who migrated from Virginia in the 18th century. It played a significant role in the American Civil War as well.

Weird Facts About North Carolina

Currently, North Carolina is a well-known state of the United States but there are many unknown facts about North Carolina's past which makes the state's history even more interesting. It was a land of discoveries and mysteries.

The first public university of the nation, The University of North Carolina was built at Chapel Hill in North Carolina. The center of higher education was established in 1789 started enrolling students wanting a higher education from 1795.

This university has a list of highly designated alumni including the 11th President of the United States, Michael Jordan. The University currently has nearly 30,000 students enrolled per year presently.

One of the most iconic facts about Carolina is that the Wright brothers, Oliver and Wilbur Wright launched the first successful modern flight in North Carolina. It was the world's first self-propelled flight that was powered and controlled by a heavier than air machine.

The flight launched on Kill Devil Hill near Kitty Hawk where the Wright Brothers National Memorial is present to celebrate their achievement.

One of the most mysterious stories of North Carolina is connected to one of the islands of Outer Banks off the coast of the state. The Roanoke Island was the first home of English settlers in the New World in the 1500s.

This English colony of the New World is popularly known as the lost colony since the families that settled on this island vanished without any trace of existence.

America's first English-born child, Virginia Dare was born in North Carolina. The Dare County was named after Virginia Dare. She disappeared with the rest of the people of the lost colony in 1588 and for the last 400 years became one of the most prominent icons of American folklore.

The state has a great knack for sports and games. Babe Ruth was one of the most famous personalities of baseball. Babe Ruth hit the first home run of his career in North Carolina on seventh March 1914.

The North Carolina ice hockey team was named The Hurricanes since the state was prone to hurricanes. However, the team members renamed the team as The Carolina Hurricanes in 1997. They currently play in the National Hockey League.

The food industry of North Carolina does not fall behind by any means. One of the most popular soft drinks companies in the world, Pepsi, originated in North Carolina.

It is also the biggest sweet potato producer in the nation. North Carolina's state vegetables are sweet potatoes. North Carolina has been topping the chart of sweet potatoes production for four decades.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for North Carolina facts, then why not take a look at Turkey facts or Dominica facts?