Considered part of the Charlotte metropolitan area, Rowan County was formed in 1753 as part of the British Province of North Carolina. It was originally a vast territory with unlimited western boundaries, but its size was reduced to 524 square miles after several counties were formed from Rowan County in the 18th and 19th centuries, …
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Journey through Surry County
I purposely planned this trip for when Surry County would (hopefully) be in peak fall color season–and this day didn’t disappoint. A nestled Appalachian Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains foothills community, Surry County is alive with peaks and valleys and untouched lands. It seems every corner you turn, a majestic mountain or valley view awaits …
Journey through Scotland County
Scotland County was founded in 1899 from the southeastern part of Richmond County, which was divided to reduced the travel time for residents to the county seat of Rockingham. The county name documents the strong historic and cultural influence from the early settlers from Scotland. Scotland County is often referred to as the “Soul of …
Journey through Hoke County
Discover rural life in Hoke County, bordering the low country of South Carolina. Hoke county is dotted with small, unincorporated communities like Ashley Heights, Five Points, Silver City, Arabia, and Rockfish. Raeford is the county seat of Hoke County, and the most populated area of the county. Hoke County is among the smallest counties in …
Journey through Harnett County
You’ll find Harnett County filled with Civil War history. And there’s more for you here–even if you’re not a Civil War buff. Harnett County was formed in 1855 from land given by Cumberland County. It was named for American Revolutionary war soldier Cornelius Harnett, who also served as a delegate to the Continental Congress. The …
Journey through Catawba County
Wow! Catawba County was chockful of little discoveries! This county is well worth the trip. Catawba County, name after the Catawba River, was formed in 1842 from Lincoln County. The word “catawba” is rooted in the Choctaw sound kat’a pa, loosely translated as “to divide or separate, to break.” However, scholars are fairly certain that this word was imposed …
Journey through Chapel Hill, NC
You’ll find Chapel Hill to be a little bit urbanist and a little bit village. The town of Carrboro runs right into Chapel Hill, so it may seem difficult to determine where one begins and the other ends. Hailed as one of America’s Foodiest Small Towns by Bon Appétit, Chapel Hill is rapidly becoming a …
Journey through Orange County
Orange County was formed in 1752 from parts of Bladen, Granville, and Johnston Counties, and was named for the infant William V of Orange, whose mother Anne, daughter of King George II of Great Britain, was then regent of the Dutch Republic. In 1771, the western portion of Orange County was combined with the eastern …
Journey through Wilmington, NC
Wilmington is one of the most beautiful cities by the sea (situated between a river and an ocean), boasting a large historic district that encompasses nearly 300 blocks along the Cape Fear River, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. A short drive (30 minutes or less) from several local beaches (Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, …
Journey through Moore County
Moore County, named after Alfred Moore (an officer in the American Revolutionary War and associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States), is home of Southern Pines and part of the Sandhills region of North Carolina, and a border county between the Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This area is packed with …
Portable NC 