WHATS GREAT ABOUT
N ORTH C AROLINA?
ANITA YASUDA
Copyright 2015
by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
Content Consultant: Mark Thompson,
Department of History, University of North
Carolina at Pembroke
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Main body text set in ITC Franklin Gothic Std
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data
Yasuda, Anita.
Whats great about North Carolina? / by
Anita Yasuda.
pages cm. (Our great states)
Includes index.
ISBN 9781467733397 (lib. bdg. :
alk. paper)
ISBN 9781467747158 (eBook)
1. North CarolinaJuvenile literature.
2. North CarolinaGuidebooksJuvenile
literature. I. Title.
F254.3.Y37 2015
975.6dc23 2014002557
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 PC 7/15/14
CONTENTS
NORTH CAROLINA Welcomes You!
Greetings from the Tar Heel State! This is a place like no other. It has
pine- covered mountains. It has swamps filled with mossy trees. Youll
also find miles of beautiful, sandy beaches. Theres a lot to see and do
in North Carolina. Read on to learn about ten great places to visit. Get
ready to find out what makes North Carolina great!
Explore North Carolinas
mountains and all the places
in between! Just turn the
page to find out about the
TAR HEEL STATE.
OCRACOKE ISLAND
Take a trip into North Carolinas pirate past at Ocracoke
Island. This was a popular hangout for pirates in
the 1700s.
One famous pirate called himself Edward Teach. But you
may know him by the name Blackbeard. This fearsome
outlaw had a hideout on Ocracoke Island. Blackbeard
was killed in a battle that took place just offshore.
British naval officers cut off the pirates head! You can
still visit the channel where Blackbeards ship, Queen
Annes Revenge, sank. Its known as Teachs Hole, after
the pirate.
Later, join in a ghost walk. Guides tell spooky stories
about the islands history. Legend says Blackbeards
ghost is still looking for his head!
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a pirate for the
day? Then hop aboard the Sea Gypsy. The ships crew
will take you on a pirate adventure. You will dress up
in pirate costumes, play pirate games, and fire water
cannons. You can even hunt for treasure. You wont
have to walk the plank. But you will walk away with
great stories!
Ocracoke Lighthouse was built
in 1823 to help guide sailors
through the dangerous waters
surrounding Ocracoke Island.
Pirate Edward Teach spent time on
Ocracoke in the 1700s. Some say
his ghost still haunts the island.
RALEIGH
Raleigh is a city that cant be missed. North Carolinas
capital has been an important city for hundreds
of years. But its not just about visiting old sites.
Raleighs downtown is buzzing with activity.
The citys super- cool museums are the highlight of
Raleigh. The Marbles Kids Museum is full of hands- on
fun. Kids rule at the Around Town exhibit. Pretend you
are a firefighter, a farmer, or a veterinarian. Then head
over to the IdeaWorks gallery. This fun exhibit lets kids
build what they imagine. You can design a race car.
Or you can build a skyscraper out of blocks.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is
another fun museum in Raleigh. This is the oldest
museum in North Carolina. It is also the biggest
natural history museum in the Southeast. Youll learn
everything you ever wanted to know about science
and nature. Come here in September for BugFest.
This yearly celebration is all about everything creepy
and crawly. Get your face painted or play bug bingo.
Brave visitors can even try tasty snacks made
of bugs!
SIR WALTER RALEIGH
The city of Raleigh was
named for Sir Walter
Raleigh. In the 1580s,
Englands Queen Elizabeth I
sent him to claim land in
North America. Raleigh tried
twice to set up colonies in
what is now North Carolina.
Both attempts failed. The
area wasnt settled until the
1600s. Thats when settlers
from Virginia, who were
looking for farmland, came
to the area.
Visitors can get an up- close look at
an ancient shark jaw at the North
Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
OCONALUFTEE
INDIAN VILLAGE
The Oconaluftee Indian Village is a special
place. Nestled in the woods, it is a model
of a Cherokee village from the 1760s. But
it is more than a group of buildings. At the
village, you will discover the stories and the
history of the Cherokee.
Set out on your own or with a guide to
experience Cherokee life. You will feel like
a time traveler. Reenactors make canoes
from logs. People weave with bright threads.
The village also has arrowhead- making and
mask- carving demonstrations.
You might hear a traditional Cherokee story
or see a play. Do you love music? Then join
in the Friendship Dance. Soon you will be
stomping your feet in time with the drums.
You may even learn a few words of Cherokee
by the end of the day!
THE CHEROKEE
The Cherokee have lived in North
Carolinas Appalachian Mountains
for thousands of years. But
Europeans spread out across the