RALEIGH — History on a stick. Tombstones on posts. History by the spoonful. The most recognizable sights along North Carolina’s roadways are the familiar cast-aluminum highway historical markers that commemorate Tar Heel people and events of statewide significance. In conjunction with the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources’ 2007 theme, “History Happens Here,” a new, revised guide to the state’s markers is now available from the N.C. Office of Archives and History.
North Carolina’s first marker was dedicated more than 75 years ago, on Jan. 10, 1936, in the Stovall community of Granville County. The plaque identified the home site of John Penn, one of the state’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Since that date, the silver-and-black markers have become a familiar part of the landscape for Tar Heel travelers. By the spring of 2007 there were a total of 1,513 markers scattered from Manteo to Murphy. Every county in the state has at least one marker.
Edited by Michael Hill, the new, revised “Guide to North Carolina Highway Historical Markers” is the tenth edition of the popular paperback book. It contains the location, title and inscription of each roadside marker. The markers are grouped by county, with the counties arranged alphabetically.
The 265-page paperbound volume is indexed and includes separate maps for each of the 100 North Carolina counties. The text is illustrated with 107 images of the people, places, and events commemorated on the highway markers. The striking new cover features the marker for Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick, the Henderson native who was the first woman to parachute from an airplane.
Editor Michael Hill coordinates the N.C. Highway Historical Marker Program and is supervisor of the Research Branch of the N.C. Office of Archives and History. A native of Hendersonville, N.C., he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and journalism and a master’s degree in history from UNC-Chapel Hill. He was editor of the eighth and ninth editions of the Highway Marker Guide and co-author of “Sherman’s March through North Carolina: A Chronology.” Both books are published by the Office of Archives and History.
The tenth revised edition of “Guide to North Carolina Highway Historical Markers” (paperbound, 265 pages, illustrated, index) sells for $24, which includes tax and shipping. Order from the Historical Publications Section (N), Office of Archives and History, 4622 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4622. For credit card orders call (919) 733-7442, ext. 0, or click here.
The Historical Publications Section offers more than 190 North Carolina books, maps, and document facsimiles.For a free catalog, write to the address above; call (919) 733-7442, ext. 0; or e-mail trudy.rayfield@ncmail.net. The publications section (www.ncpublications.com) and the N.C. Highway Historical Marker Program (www.ncmarkers.com) are administered by the Office of Archives and History, which is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (www.ncculture.com).