The links below will help you find information about the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina. Historic landmarks, physical features, festivals and famous people-- its all here, waiting for you to explore!
Wright Brothers National Memorial and Park, Kitty Hawk
Even though the famous innovators Wilbur and Orville were from Ohio, North Carolina is very proud to claim that the first successful flight of an airplanetook place in Kitty Hawk, in the Outer Banks off our coast. Learn about the lives of the famous brothers, and visit the site of flight, and the Wright Brothers Monument.
Take a tour of the royal Governor's mansion, built when New Bern was the capitol, and North Carolina was still a royal colony, ruled by England. See what life was like when the first North Carolinians were living in our area!
USS North Carolina Battleship
Tour a piece of our nation's history on the USS North Carolina, a World War 2 era battleship that defended our country in most of the battles at sea during World War 2. Saved from being taken apart by fourth graders who raised money to have it moved, it is permanently docked in the Cape Fear River in Wilmington, and is open for tours as well as special events such as concerts, ceremonies, and even a "haunted Battleship" attraction! The Battleship is a reminder of the strength of our nation's military and its proud history of defending ourselves and others!
A mysterious character that many local people became very familiar with was Robert Harrill, who lived outdoors at Fort Fisher State Park for decades. The link takes you to an article in Our State magazine, but there is LOTS of great information to be found on search engines!
The Azalea Festival is one of the favorite events in North Carolina each year, with concerts from major bands and performers (such as The Beach Boys, Donna Summer, and the Avett Brothers), fabulous parties, beautiful young Southern Belles in hoop skirts, and tons of flowers! Lasting for a week, the Azalea Festival celebrates spring time in the South!
Hurricane Hazel hit southeastern North Carolina in 1954 when most of your grandparents were just kids! The worst Hurricane anyone living could remember, Hurricane Hazel wiped out many homes in Brunswick County as well as causing major flooding in the Coastal Plain.
Somerset Place was one of the largest and most productive plantations in the south for 80 years, with over 800 slaves living and working the fields. The owners did a very good job documenting their slaves' lives, and Somerset Place gives us a clear picture of what life was like-- for slaves and their owners.
Located on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the Outer Banks of NC, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has a long history of guiding ships through the dangerous waters of the "Graveyard of the Atlantic", and continues to be a symbol of North Carolina.
Learn about NC's rich history in the maritime industry, including boat building, shipping, fishing, coastal life, local marine life... even pirates! There are several museums located in coastal towns!
Explore the under water habitats of the native plants and animals that live along the North Carolina coast line. You'll be amazed at the variety of animals, from albino alligators, to slithery snakes, to ferocious sharks! The four locations of North Carolina's aquariums allow you to interact with a SCUBA diver and ask questions while they dive in a tank, marvel at the largest collection of sharks in the tank, or touch sea urchins, sting rays, observe a real sea turtle nest, and horse shoe crabs in the touch tank!
He began his basketball career at EA Laney High School, played for UNC-Chapel Hill, and became a basketball legend while playing for the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan has kept true to his NC roots throughout his career as an athletic superstar.
If you found it difficult to imagine what it was like for the colonists who first came to Roanoke Island, this play will help your imagination soar! One of the longest running plays in America, The Lost Colony is a retelling of the events of the first attempt to colonize the New World... but their fate is still unknown! Several famous actors and actresses got their start in this play!