Did you know that the now ubiquitous Pepsi Cola originated in North Carolina at the hands of pharmacist Caleb Bradham way back in 1896? For more interesting North Carolina facts, read on.

North Carolina Facts

North Carolina lies in Southeastern United States and contains 100 counties. Raleigh, its capital and the second largest city is also known as the ‘City of Oaks’ because of its abundant oak trees. North Carolina has a humid sub-tropical weather with short and mild winters and sultry summers. Spring and fall bring them refreshing periods of transition. It leads the nation in furniture, tobacco, brick, and textile production. Metal working, chemicals and paper form the state’s important industries. An exponential growth is evident in various sectors including engineering, biotechnology and finance. Tourism is also an important industry with the estimated annual revenue at 1 billion Dollars. Sporting events like golfing, skiing at mountain resorts, fishing and hunting also draw many visitors to this state. Some of the major attractions in North Carolina are the Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge National Parkway, The Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, Carl Sandburg’s home near Hendersonville and the Old Salem Restoration in Winston-Salem. Read on to know more interesting facts about North Carolina in the section that follows.

Image: Doug Kerr@flickr

Interesting And Fun Facts About North Carolina
  • The first powered flight by man was flown by the Wright Brothers at Kill Devil Hill near Kitty Hawk in North Carolina.
  • Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was founded in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
  • Fontana dam the tallest dam in the Eastern United States is situated in North Carolina.
  • North Carolina was home to O.Henry, the famous short-story writer known for his surprise endings. He was born in Polecat Creek in 1862.
  • North Carolina has the largest state-maintained highway system in the United States which currently has 77,400 miles of roads.
  • The carnivorous plant ‘Venus fly-trap’ is native to Hampstead in North Carolina.
  • In 1987, North Carolina declared milk to be the official state beverage.
  • The women of Edenton opposed the British tax on tea by deciding not to drink it. A teapot-shaped monument pays tribute to this decision.
  • Mount Mitchell in the Blue Ridge Mountains is the highest peak east of the Mississippi. It towers 6,684 feet above sea level and is situated in North Carolina.
  • The largest producer of sweet potatoes in the US is North Carolina. Interestingly, the humble sweet potato is also the state vegetable.
  • North Carolina towns include names such as Frying Pan Landing, Sandy Mush, Lizard Lick, Whynot, and Climax.
  • The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is the largest private house in the world with 250 rooms.
  • The first state owned art museum in the country is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
  • High Point, the Furniture Capital of the World, in based in North Carolina.
  • The state motto of North Carolina is “Esse Quam Videri” i.e., “To be, rather than to seem”. 
  • The first outdoor drama in America, The Lost Colony, is staged every year in Manteo, North Carolina.
  • The largest air base in the Marine Corps is Cherry Point in Havelock in North Carolina.
  • Tarheels is theUniversity of North Carolina's mascot. It is a nickname for North Carolinians that supposedly came from the days when the state produced a lot of tar, and someone saw a set of footprints made by someone who had stepped on it.
  • Texas is not the birthplace of Texas Pete hot sauce. The spicy condiment was actually developed in the 1940s in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
These are but a few interesting and fun facts on North Carolina. The state is also famous for its jewels, impressive homes and beautiful national parks.

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