North Carolina is known as the “Tar Heel State” and its residents are called “Tar Heels.”
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, conducted their first powered flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903.
The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is the largest privately owned house in the United States. It has 250 rooms and covers 178,926 square feet.
The state’s official beverage is milk.
Pepsi Cola was invented and first served in New Bern, North Carolina, in 1893.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the oldest public university in the United States, chartered in 1789.
The state’s Outer Banks are a chain of barrier islands that are constantly shifting due to ocean currents and winds.
The state is known for its beautiful lighthouses, including the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States.
North Carolina is one of the leading producers of sweet potatoes in the country.
The town of Wilmington, North Carolina, is a popular filming location for movies and TV shows, earning it the nickname “Hollywood East.”
The “Research Triangle” is a region in North Carolina that includes Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. It is home to several prestigious universities and research institutions.
Blackbeard, one of the most infamous pirates in history, had a hideout in Beaufort, North Carolina.
North Carolina is the largest producer of tobacco in the United States.
Cheerwine, a cherry-flavored soda, was created in Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1917 and remains popular in the state.
The city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was originally two separate towns, Winston and Salem, which merged in 1913.
North Carolina is home to the largest military installation in the world, Fort Bragg, which covers over 251 square miles.
Silly Laws Still on the Books in North Carolina
It is illegal to use elephants to plow fields unless they are accompanied by a state-licensed elephant driver.
Bingo games cannot last more than five hours.
Alligators may not be kept in bathtubs.
If a man and a woman who are not married enter a hotel room together, they may be arrested.
It is against the law to sing off-key.
Women must have their bodies covered by at least 16 yards of cloth at all times.
Fights between cats and dogs are prohibited.
It is illegal to sell more than two drinks to the same person at a time.
No one may sing “Happy Birthday” in a public restaurant.
It is illegal to go to bed without first having a full bath.
