A covered dish picnic, wreath-laying ceremony, and a “Colonial Medicine” program are highlights of the May 16 program at Alamance Battleground in Burlington. The free celebration continues with the “18th Century Living Experience” program on Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20. Donations are appreciated.
During the Colonial Living Experience on May 19-20, the Guilford Militia and Craven Regiment will fire flintlock muskets and rifles, and also cannon. Visitors can talk to colonial soldier re-enactors at a working military camp or interact with costumed re-enactors as colonial settlers doing day-to-day tasks. Open hearth cooking and spinning can be seen in the circa 1780 Allen House. Visitors can even dip their own beeswax candle to take home. The Saturday schedule is 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday is 1-5 p.m.
Revolutionary War engagements in present day Alamance County include Pyle’s Defeat, the Battle of Clapp’s Mill and the Battle of Lindley’s Mill. The Alamance Battleground Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will mark the 241st anniversary of these military events at its annual Patriots’ Day at the battleground on May 19, 2-3 p.m.
The Alamance County Historical Association and Battle of Alamance Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution co-sponsor the May 16 event, which includes a short business meeting. Re-enactor Michael Williams will present the Medical Program. Persons attending the picnic are asked to bring a dish or two to share. The commemorative activities will occur from 6-9 p.m.
Backcountry settlers known as the Regulators battled Royal Governor William Tryon and the colonial North Carolina militia at the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771. The Regulators sought better representation and better regulation of government officials, and though defeated served as an example to others prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.
For additional information call (336) 227-4785. Alamance Battleground State Historic Site is six miles south of I-85/I-40, exit 143, on NC 62 in Burlington, and is part of the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives.
Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ndcr.gov.
For an action-packed day about North Carolina sports, come to the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh on Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The free event Celebrate North Carolina Sports will feature activities for all ages. See famous NASCAR stock cars, watch the Bouncing Bulldogs jump rope team, talk with athletes, and more. Jump into games and hands-on activities. Admission and parking are FREE! The event is presented as part of the statewide 2nd Saturdays program series.
All the fun takes place at the museum and outside on Bicentennial Plaza. Begin the day in the exhibit N.C. Sports Hall of Fame to learn about the state’s sports heroes. Kids can enjoy a scavenger hunt through the exhibit and win a prize.
Among the happenings on Bicentennial Plaza, watch the Carolina Roller Girls skate, witness a “jump start” motorcycle demonstration presented by Ray Price Harley Davidson, and follow the fast steps of cheerleaders from Raleigh Cheer Extreme All Stars Gym.
Look for games and hands-on activities at every turn!
▪ Take the basketball-shooting challenge.
▪ Join baseball, table tennis, and flag rugby activities.
▪ Make your own trading cards, and create a NASCAR racing flag.
▪ Play putt-putt golf on a three-hole course.
▪ Try bocce (similar to bowling) and a game of rounders (a precursor to baseball).
▪ Taste-test tailgating dishes and take home recipes.
▪ Learn new steps in a cheerleading miniclinic.
▪ Test your knowledge of North Carolina sports trivia.
▪ Enjoy much more!
Learn about North Carolina sports teams and related organizations!
Meet athletes who play sports ranging from soccer to roller derby. Also, meet individuals from sports-related organizations and businesses. These include the:
▪ Carolina Hurricanes;
▪ N.C. Amateur Soccer Association;
▪ RDU Sting Semi-Professional Women’s Basketball;
▪ ABA Carolina Jaguars, Cougars and Cheetahs;
▪ Raleigh Rugby Football Club;
▪ Special Olympics North Carolina;
▪ 99.9FM The Fan sports radio station; and
▪ Raleigh Parks and Recreation.
Don’t miss the exciting event Celebrate North Carolina Sports on June 9! Media sponsorship is provided by 99.9FM The Fan and 620 The Buzz.
For more information call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org or Facebook. For details about 2nd Saturdays events taking place throughout North Carolina in June, July and August, go to www.ncculture.com.
About the N.C. Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton Street, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
About the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported symphony orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.
SPENCER, N.C. – The N.C. Transportation Museum is once again celebrating the golden age of railroading this June, but doing so in a bigger and better fashion than ever before. The Great Southeastern Rail Days Festival will be held Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 3 from noon to 5 p.m.
The Great Southeastern Rail Days Festival will feature an expanded offering of train rides, live music, magic, railroad artist Andy Fletcher, kid’s activities and a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the merger of Southern Railway and Norfolk & Western to form Norfolk-Southern Railways. Like our previous “Rail Days” events, there will be a huge offering for families and railfans alike. But like the name, this year’s event is bigger and better.
With each ticket, unlimited rides will be available aboard three passenger trains, including the Flagg 75 Steam Engine Caboose Train, featuring a coal fired steam engine pulling five colorful cabooses.
Railfans will delight in our themed passenger trains, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Southern and N&W merger. The Southern themed train will feature the Southern FP7 #6133 and E8 #6900 engines with the Royal Arch, Pine Tree State and Doris private rail cars, among others. Our N&W themed train will feature the N&W GP9 #620 engine pulling our 1950’s era passenger cars.
At the Roundhouse, visitors can also climb into the cab of two engines for a quick run up and down the tracks with the engineer’s view of the rails. Visitors can also take a ride on our motor cars, smaller machines that run along the rails for maintenance. The original 1925 Bob Julian Roundhouse turntable is also available for visitors to take a spin, for a minimal fee.
Between rides, a host of activities will be happening all around. A hobo camp will be set up with stories of riding the rails without paying the fare. Chaz the Magician will roam the site, so visitors never know when magic may happen. Children can also enjoy crafts and activities in the Bob Julian Roundhouse.
One of the most popular musical acts at the museum, Piedmont Natural Grass will bring the harmonies and warm sounds of bluegrass to the Bob Julian Roundhouse, performing both Saturday and Sunday.
Railroad artist Andy Fletcher will also appear at the museum, showing his rail art and designs for some important cars rolling down the tracks today. Fletcher is a railroad artist, speaker, and advocate for freight rail in America. His drawings were the inspiration for Norfolk Southern’s 30th Anniversary Heritage Locomotives.
Rail fans both young and old will see S-gauge, N-scale, and HO-scale model train layouts in the Roundhouse, amazing displays of the railroading on the small side. The event will also feature rail car lifting demonstrations, a diesel engine horn display, tie-handler displays and much more for hard core rail fans.
Rail fan photographers will have two after-hours photo sessions. An Evening Photo Shoot and a Nighttime Photo Shoot will be available, with $20 tickets that include both sessions.
The evening photo shoot, Saturday from 5pm to 7:30pm, will include a recreation of the famous golden spike photo that announced the merger N&W/Southern merger, featuring a visiting locomotive, the GP9 #522. Photo run-bys and more will take place.
A nighttime photo shoot, 9pm to 10:30pm Saturday, will feature vintage rail equipment positioned around the site, with scenes beautifully lit.
General tickets to the Great Southeastern Rail Days Festival are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and active military and $15 for children. Tickets include unlimited train rides and all activities. Members receive discounted rates. More information can be found online at www.nctrans.org. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event or in advance at www.nctrans.org or by calling 704-636-2889 ext. 237 during regular business hours.
About the N.C. Transportation Museum
The N.C. Transportation Museum, located in historic Spencer Shops, the former Southern Railway repair facility is located just five minutes off I-85 at Exit 79 in Spencer, N.C., and about an hour from Charlotte, Greensboro or Winston-Salem. The museum is part of the Division of Historic Sites and the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
About the Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources serves as a champion for North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncdcr.gov.
RALEIGH – In honor of May’s designation as National Historic Preservation Month, the State Capitol will host a lunch-time lecture on Monday, May 14. The free talk will take place at noon outside on the south plaza.
Susan Little, of the Raleigh landscape architecture firm Little and Little, will speak on the history, evolution, and on-going preservation of Union Square. As the site of the State Capitol, the square was the centerpiece of William Christmas’ 1792 plan for the city of Raleigh. Preservation specialists from the State Historic Preservation Office will also be on hand to answer questions and to talk about the state’s role in the preservation and restoration of the Capitol and its grounds.
Preservation Month activities will continue on Saturday, May 19, when visitors are encouraged to join a member of the State Capitol staff for a closer look at the monuments on Union Square. The free tour is open to the public and will begin at the George Washington statue on the south plaza at 12:30 p.m. Registration is not required.
The hour-long walking tour will highlight the artists, symbolism and the sometimes surprising history of these public monuments. The first monument on the Square was unveiled in 1857 and the last was dedicated in 1990. These memorials honor North Carolina veterans, statesmen, and women, among others. “So often we drive or walk by these monuments without giving them much thought, but they all have fascinating back stories,” said Terra Schramm, education coordinator at the Capitol. “They show us what our forbearers thought was important and give us a glimpse into the social and political atmosphere at the time of their placement.”
The State Capitol is within the Division of State Historic Sites and has the mission to preserve and interpret the history, architecture and functions of the 1840 building and Union Square. The Capitol is bounded by Edenton, Salisbury, Morgan and Wilmington Streets. For more information, visit the State Capitol or call (919) 733-4994.
About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives.
Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy.
To learn more, visit www.ncdcr.gov.
RALEIGH – Determination, commitment and pride are among many characteristics of North Carolinians depicted in the Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit. The exhibit commemorates the role our state played in the Civil War (1861-1865), a defining period in United States history. It will visit the Wayne County Public Library from May 14- June 28.
“The Civil War was the first war widely covered with photography. The Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory exhibit provides images of historic figures, artifacts, and documents that brought the reality of the war from the battlefront to the home front, then and now,” explains Deputy Secretary Dr. Jeffrey Crow of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
Images gathered from the State Archives, the N.C. Museum of History, and State Historic Sites will illustrate valiant members of the Confederacy, African Americans fighting for freedom, and daring women dedicated to the South. A total of 24 images will be exhibited by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources in 50 libraries throughout the state from April 2011 to May 2013. A notebook will accompany the exhibit with further information and seeking viewer comments.
Amidst the photos will be an image from the Battle of Bentonville, Opposing Lines at Bentonville, which depicts the largest engagement to occur in North Carolina during the Civil War. The original battle took place March 19-21, 1865, involving more than 80,000 Union and Confederate soldiers. At its conclusion, the battle claimed more than 4,000 lives. Even today, soldiers from Fort Bragg visit the Bentonville battlefield to study the strategies used during this critical assault.
For information on the exhibit call the Wayne County Public Library (252) 329-4580. For tour information visit www.nccivilwar150.com or call (919) 807-7389.
About the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves over 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.
Walk, jump, run or slide into the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh for an action-packed day about sports. During the event 2nd Saturdays: Celebrate North Carolina Sports, talk with athletes, see famous NASCAR stock cars, watch the Bouncing Bulldogs jump rope team, and more. There will be activities for all ages during this free family event.
Other June programs include a cooking demonstration, a performance by the band GrassStreet, and a talk about Civil War flags in the museum collection.
Several slots remain open in the museum’s summer camps, which get rave reviews from kids and parents every year. Check out these and all June programs at the North Carolina Museum of History.
Admission is free unless otherwise noted. Parking is free on weekends.
PROGRAMS
[Editors: Please include registration information when applicable.]
Cooking Demonstration: The New Southern-Latino Table
Sunday, June 3
2-4 p.m.
To register, call 919-807-7992 by Sunday, May 27.
Sandra A. Gutierrez, Author and Chef
Explore recipes and sample lively dishes as Gutierrez blends ingredients, traditions and culinary techniques of Latin America and the American South. This program made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
*Time for Tots: Fit to Be Tied
Tuesday, June 5 or June 12
10-10:45 a.m.
Ages 3-5 with adult
$1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Learn about the origin of one of the top gifts for Father’s Day — the necktie. Then make a cool craft from ties to give Dad or Grandpa.
*History Corner: Start Your Engines!
Wednesday, June 6
10-11 a.m.
Ages 6-9 with adult
$1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Find out about the history of NASCAR. Listen to a story and make a fast craft! See famous NASCAR stock cars on exhibit. The program is presented with Cameron Village Regional Library.
*History Hunters: North Carolina Legends
Wednesday, June 6
10-11 a.m.
Ages 10-13
$1 per person
To register, call 919-807-7992.
Join an investigation into legends like the Lost Colony, the life and death of Blackbeard, and more.
*2nd Saturdays: Celebrate North Carolina Sports
Saturday, June 9
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Walk, jump or run to this action-packed event for all ages! Come celebrate all kinds of North Carolina sports.
● See famous NASCAR stock cars.
● Watch the Bouncing Bulldogs jump rope team.
● Take the basketball-shooting challenge.
● Go on a hunt through the exhibit N.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
● Talk to athletes about sports from soccer to roller derby.
● Create your own trading card.
● Enjoy much more!
Don’t miss the fun day at the museum. Media sponsorship for the event is provided by 99.9FM The Fan and 620 The Buzz.
*Music of the Carolinas: GrassStreet
Sunday, June 10
3-4 p.m.
Kick back on a Sunday afternoon when this Piedmont band performs a mixture of original compositions and bluegrass standards. The performance is presented with PineCone, with support from the N.C. Museum of History Associates, Williams Mullen, and WLHC-FM/WLQC-FM.
History à la Carte: Preserving the Past
Wednesday, June 13
12:10-1 p.m.
Bring your lunch; beverages provided.
R. Jackson Marshall III, Associate Director for Programming
The North Carolina Museum of History has one of the largest collections of Civil War flags in the world. Hear how the museum is partnering with individuals and organizations to preserve these unique banners for future generations.
Curator’s Choice Tour: A Fashionable Past
Sunday, June 24
2-2:45 p.m.
Conservator Paige Myers will take a close-up look at clothing and textiles from the late colonial and federal periods in the exhibit The Story of North Carolina and discuss the challenges of preparing textiles for display.
*SUMMER CAMPS 2012
Only a few slots remain for the North Carolina Museum of History’s summer camps. The fee for each camp is $90 per person, $80 for members. Register now to secure your spot. Need-based scholarships are available. Visit ncmuseumofhistory.org for complete information or call 919-807-7979.
Space is available in these camps.
Completed Grades K-2
Moccasins to Rocket Ships
Mountain Life
Through the Seasons
Pirates, Ships and Lighthouses 2
Completed Grades 3-5
Colonial North Carolina
They Got Game
Farm to Factory
Completed Grades 6-8
The Fabulous 1950s
History Training Shop
For more information about June programs, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org or Facebook.
* marks programs of interest to children or families
About the North Carolina Museum of History
The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton Street, across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Museum of History, within the Division of State History Museums, is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported symphony orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.