Culture Around Every Corner: May 16-19

Head to the James K. Polk Historic Site in Pineville Saturday for a living history event featuring civilian and military re-enactors.

Living history events in Pineville and Burlington, an antique truck show in Spencer and a scavenger hunt at our three historic sites in Durham are just a few of the opportunities for family fun offered by the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources this weekend.

The fun starts Thursday with a film exploration of the life of Frida Kahlo at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem. Alamance Battleground in Burlington will also host a commemoration of the Battle of Alamance, while Tryon Palace in New Bern presents a lecture on African-American cooks. In Beaufort, the N.C. Maritime Museum will continue its popular Talkin’ Art and Brown Bag Gams series.

Friday, the fun continues with behind-the-scenes tours of the kitchen gardens at Tryon Palace during the day, and a concert by Los Lobos and a preview of the annual auction at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh in the evening.

Saturday morning, the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh will offer tours of its History of Harvest exhibit, while the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort will host a workshop on using maritime navigation and communications equipment. Later in the day, the museum will host a meeting of the Carolina Maritime Model Society.

Throughout the day Saturday, the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) will host its spring community day, complete with art making activities for kids. The N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer will present an antique truck show and its first-ever spring event for Boy Scouts. In Pineville, the James K. Polk Historic Site will demonstrate military drills and practices, camp life and musket firing as part of a Mexican-American War living history event, while all three of our Durham historic sites—Bennett Place, Duke Homestead and Historic Stagville will host a scavenger hunt that encourages your family to explore history across the city.

On the coast, Historic Bath will participate in Bath Fest by giving free tours and hosting its annual croquet tournament, while the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City will offer hands-on activities and games as part of the city-wide N.C. Potato Festival.

The weekend rounds out Sunday with a celebration of the history and heritage of Northampton County at the Museum of Albemarle.

Throughout the weekend, the N.C. Symphony will play Stravinsky’s famed work “The Rite of Spring” in Raleigh and Chapel Hill, and Alamance Battleground will stage a living history event complete with military and domestic re-enactors. This weekend is also your first chance to see the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and Watergate exhibits at the N.C. Museum of History.

Secretary Kluttz Experiences Archaeology, Living History at House in the Horseshoe

Sec. Kluttz and John Hairr checking out the Revolutionary War bullet holes in the House in the Horseshoe

Secretary Susan Kluttz got to see North Carolina’s most famous bullet holes, try her hand at using ground-penetrating radar technology and enjoy a Colonial era-style tea underneath the trees on her trip to House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site in Moore County yesterday.

Located between the towns of Sanford and Carthage, the House in the Horseshoe was the site of a revolutionary skirmish between about 25 Whigs (or patriots) and many more Tories (or Loyalists to the British crown). Though nearly all of the Whigs were killed, the story of the skirmish is notable, in part, because of the efforts of the wife of the man who owned the house, Temperance Alston. Mrs. Alston protected her children by putting them in house’s two chimneys, running outside the house, waving her white apron and putting a stop to the fighting. Can you imagine what that was like?

Sec. Kluttz’s visit included a tour of the house, several outbuildings and the garden led by site manager John Hairr. In the loom house, Sec. Kluttz saw a live demonstration of weaving, and in the garden, she met with site interpreter Alex Cameron. Alex explained his deep love of site. After a tour of the grounds in the 8^th grade, Alex knew who wanted to work in historical interpretation, and his dream was fulfilled when he joined the site’s staff right out of college.

Sec. Kluttz meets site supporter Ruth Verbunt

While on the tour, Sec. Kluttz also met with two researchers–Dr. Roy Stine and Jacob Turner with UNC-Greensboro– who were using ground-penetrating radar technology to conduct an initial archaeological survey of the site. The team will use this first survey as the basis for more in-depth work, which will involve digging at various locations on the site’s grounds to try to locate the remains of those who died in the 1781 skirmish. She was even offered the opportunity to try and the machine herself!

Sec. Kluttz using ground-penetrating radar

Sec. Kluttz’s day rounded out with a discussion over tea with local supporters of the site. The tea took place under the House in the Horseshoe’s majestic the trees, and was complete with ham biscuits and pecan tarts. The supporters explained the value of the site to the community, representing a larger crowd that came to support the site last week when the Secretary’s trip was initially planned. Sec. Kluttz was deeply touched by all of the supportive input given

Check out more photos of the site and the trip here.

Secretary Kluttz Turns Back Time In Her Visit To Tryon Palace

Sec. Kluttz with Tryon Palace historic interpreter Haron Beatty in the Palace kitchen

Though this was Secretary Susan Kluttz’s second trip to New Bern, it was her first chance to experience all of Tryon Palace’s diverse offerings, which include the Governor’s Palace, the North Carolina History Center, a number of historic homes and beautiful gardens.  During a tour of the grounds led by Tryon Palace Interim Director Philippe Lafargue, Sec. Kluttz got to experience history and not just see it.

The Govenor’s Palace kitchen was what really caught Secretary Secretary Kluttz’s eye. The staff at the Palace—and several surveys of museums and historic sites—will tell that you that visitors spend more time in the kitchen than anywhere else, and the Secretary was no exception. While visiting it, Sec. Kluttz got to cook alongside Jonkonnu “Fancyman” and historic interpreter Haron Beatty. She also tried her hand at churning butter with local school kids and sampled a few of Tryon Palace’s popular 18^th century recipes. (Check out the Palace’s Facebook page to try a few of them yourself!)

The experiential approach to history didn’t stop there. On the grounds, Sec. Kluttz and Deputy Secretary Kevin Cherry met an interpreter playing graces, which was a popular children’s game during the Colonial era. The game involves players tossing a hoop back and forth using two roads each. The first player to catch the hoop ten times wins.

Sec. Susan Kluttz and Deputy Sec. Kevin Cherry play the game of graces

While in New Bern, the Secretary also attended a meeting of the Tryon Palace Commission, of which she is an ex-officio member. As part of that meeting she met Commission chair and long-time supporter Bill Cannon, and got a preview of the exciting new things to coming to the site during the next five years.

Two noteworthy pieces of that news are that the N.C. Symphony will perform on the Palace grounds on June 2, and that Pepsi, which was founded in New Bern, will hold its board meetings at the North Carolina History Center, located on the Tryon Palace ground for the foreseeable future. The company will also require all its new senior management team members to travel to New Bern within a year of being hired.  This is truly great news worth sharing!

Members of the Tryon Palace Commission

Check out more images of the trip here. You can also see pictures of the secretary’s trip to Tryon Palace with Governor McCrory here.

Secretary Kluttz Discovers Presidential History and Pans for Gold

Sec. Kluttz meets with elementary school students at the James K. Polk Historic Site

A visit with rapping students and an exploration of one of America’s first gold mines were two highlights from Secretary Susan Kluttz’s recent trip to the James K. Polk Historic Site and Reed Gold Mine. The trip to the Charlotte area sites was part of Sec. Kluttz’s tour across the state in an effort to meet employees and supporters and experience each of the department’s unique historic sites and museums first-hand.

At Polk, Sec. Kluttz was greeted by 3^rd grade students from Pineville Elementary School who performed a rap on the life of James K. Polk and showed a video they created about the site. Both the rap and video were intended to show how much the students valued the site and why they wanted to keep it open. In working on both projects, students learned about politics, technology, civic engagement and teamwork by researching historical topics and gaining public speaking skills. Their teacher and principal should be commended on their creative and inspired approach to teaching and student involvement.

Historic interpreters at the Polk Historic Site

After listening to their concerns and watching the video, the Secretary emphasized the importance of the site to the department and to the state, and stressed that she hoped the closure would only be a temporary one.  As the only presidential site in North Carolina, the site was an ‘inspiration that a boy from Pineville could grow up to be President one day.”

“I’m here to let you know that I am concerned and I want to hear what you have to say to me and to our staff,” she said. “I want to assure you how important this site is to us

After the dialogue, Sec. Kluttz toured the site, which includes a reconstructed house and outbuildings as they would have been for a frontier family during Polk’s time. As she took the tour, historic interpreters were on hand demonstrating period woodworking and cooking, A chicken roasting over an open fire provided an enticing smell in the background.

Sec. Kluttz pans for gold at Reed Gold Mine

Later in the day, Sec. Kluttz joined Historic Sites Western Regional Supervisor Bob Remsburg, Historic Sites Deputy Director Dale Coates and site manager Larry Neal for a tour of Reed Gold Mine, the site of first documented gold find in the country.

After finding 17-pound yellow rock in 1799, the Reed family used it as a doorstop for years. Not knowing its true value, the family sold the gold to a Fayetteville merchant for $3.50 in 1802. The merchant later sold it for $3,600, and the sleepy farm was soon transformed into the site of America’s first gold rush.

The group successfully panned for gold (as any visitor can), visited the underground mine and enjoyed the site’s small museum. Sec. Kluttz even found a nugget herself!  Now that’s lucky!

Check out more photos from the trip here.

Secretary Kluttz Steps Back to the 19th Century at Aycock Birthplace

Secretary Susan Kluttz on a horse-drawn plow at Aycock Birthplace. Photo by Gray Whitley from The Wilson Times.

Plowing, dying and cooking over an open fire were just a few of historical activities Cultural Resources senior staff observed last late week on their visit to the Gov. Charles B. Aycock Birthplace in Fremont. The visit coincided with site’s Farm Heritage Days program, which gave local school kids the opportunity to experience life during the 19^th century over four days.

Sec. Kluttz and former Cultural Resources Sec. Betty Ray McCain

The Cultural Resources team, composed of Secretary Susan Kluttz, Chief Deputy Secretary Karin Cochran, Deputy Secretary Kevin Cherry, Historic Sites Director Keith Hardison, Historic Sites Deputy Director Dale Coates and Historic Sites Eastern Regional Supervisor Jeff Bockert, began their visit by meeting with local supporters of the site, including former Cultural Resources Secretary Betty Ray McCain.

After hearing concerns from local supporters and site manager Leigh Strickland over the Aycock’s possible dormancy, Sec. Kluttz emphasized that it would it only be temporary and that every division of the department and state government had to sacrifice in these difficult economic times.

“It’s not that we don’t love this place and every other place in this department,” Sec. Kluttz said.

Kluttz then joined local children in an 1893 one-room schoolhouse for a lesson led by Historic Sites Curator of Education Jann Brown. During the lesson, Brown had a dunce cap and a blue back speller—two items that would’ve been common in classrooms of the time.

Sec. Kluttz with Cultural Resources staff members Karin Cochran, Keith Hardison, Leigh Strickland, Dale Coates and Jeff Bockert

The schoolhouse has special significance at Aycock Birthplace, since Charles B. Aycock is frequently called the “education governor” for his dramatic expansion of the state’s public school system. In fact, he is credited with building one school for each day he was in office. When you consider that he served for one four-year term that means he was responsible for the construction of nearly 1,500 schools! Sec. Kluttz noted that the site and the department continue that legacy today.

“Education is the center of everything we do at Cultural Resources,” she said.

Check out more images of the visit here.

Get The Most Out of Your Summer Travels!

Just in time for summer vacation, North Carolina Historical Publications announces a special deal: the “Tar Heel Travel Pack.” The pack includes four historic books with a travel focus for more than 50% off their regular cost.

As you hit the beach, climb the mountains or skip out to that perfect weekend hideaway in between, these four books will help you to discover all that our state has to offer:

• The Old North State Fact Book
• Guide to North Carolina Highway Historical Markers
• Tar Heels: How North Carolinians Got Their Nickname
• North Carolina Legends

These four works regularly retail for $31, but through this special deal, you can get them all for a for the discount price of $15, plus shipping and tax. This is the perfect set for the traveling Tar Heel in your life, and will only be available through July 31, 2013.

After July 31, the price will increase to $20. Click here to order your copy today!

Culture Around Every Corner: April 25-27

Step into the past Saturday at the Mountain Gateway Museum’s Pioneer Day

A street festival in Old Fort, an exploration of Stonewall Jackson’s final days in Fayetteville and a preview of the stock car racing season in Elizabeth City are just a few of the fun events you’ll find from the mountains to the coast this weekend at the historic sites and museums of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

The weekend fun starts later this evening as the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem hosts its annual spring fundraising gala, and the Museum of the Cape Fear in Fayetteville presents an exploration of Stonewall Jackson’s final days.

Friday, Aycock Birthplace in Fremont will feature costumed interpreters and hands-on activities to help kids see what 19^th century farm life was like, while the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort will give visitors the chance to kayak through local salt marshes. Historic Edenton will also offer the final installments of its science-themed tours, and the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer will host special programming for home school families.

Saturday will bring opportunities for family fun across the state. On the coast, the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City will show off local race cars right outside its doors, and Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo will present two performances of a children’s comedy show.  Visitors to Historic Bath will also have the opportunity to learn about gravestones, specifically how to use them in genealogy and preserve them.

Farther west, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville will hold a short story writing contest for kids focusing on the Civil War as a theme. The Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort will also host a community-wide street celebration which will include craft vendors, food, face painting, heritage craft displays and an auto show with more than 400 classic cars.

The weekend wraps up Sunday with a lecture on the role of music during the Civil War at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. Throughout the weekend, the N.C. Symphony will play concerts of Tchaikovsky and Haydn in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

This weekend is also your last chance to check out two great exhibits. Al Norte al Norte: Latino Life in North Carolina and Leading the State: North Carolina’s Governors, both at the N.C. Museum of History, will close on Sunday.