The state has more art galleries and museums than counties. Ten sites, including Blue Spiral I in Asheville, The Light Factory in Charlotte, the African Heritage Center in Greensboro, and Artspace in Raleigh, are profiled.
Train travel offers relaxation, conversation, comfort, and countryside viewing that automobiles cannot. The Piedmont, which runs daily between Raleigh and Charlotte, is rapidly becoming popular with travelers and tourists.
Galloway cows are very distinctive - solid black with a white band around their middles. With 64 registered breeders, the state ranks number one in the country. Galloways are popular because of their high beef quality.
In 1996, Jim Graham was elected to his ninth term as the state's commissioner of agriculture, and became the longest-termed one in the country. In his 32 years he has earned a reputation for honesty, fairness, and ability to make tough decisions.
Tours of decorated homes during the Christmas season are a tradition, and many towns, including Asheville, Todd, Mount Airy, and Edenton, display their Southern hospitality during visits to their oldest and best homes.
Offering a view of North Carolina that you can’t get on the interstate, the Raleigh to Charlotte train is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist vehicle. When Amtrak turned down a request from NCDOT to provide this same day service, the state of North Carolina decided to purchase its own line.
Support for the arts in North Carolina is a rare blend of public and private monies and individuals. This has encouraged the growth of a diverse community of creativity in such areas as filmmaking, music, painting, literature, and folk crafts
Begun in 1965 by Marvin Johnson and his late wife Mary, the Gourd Museum in Harnett County contains a unique collection of the vegetable. With some dating to 1804, the gourds represent many shapes, designs, users, and countries.
Buncombe County artist Norma Bradley creates uniquely decorated gardens called earth quilts, which use the earth as their fabric and rocks and plants for color and texture. Since 1986, she has created 26 quilts across the state.
With its 210-foot tower and grand Gothic spires, Duke University's world-famous chapel has been an integral part of student and campus life since the laying of the last stones in 1932.