One interesting thing about the State of North Carolina during its recent population boom is the concerted shift the state has seen from an industrial standpoint. For decades upon decades, North Carolina was known as the centerpiece of Tobacco Road. It remains a very key producer and distributor of tobacco products, but recent downturns in tobacco profitability have led to the state's diversification of its industrial efforts.
While North Carolina remains a solid producer of manufactured goods such as textiles and furniture, the real paradigm shift within the job market of the Tar Heel State has been towards business based on the acquisition and proliferation of knowledge-based solutions. North Carolina is now an industry leader in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and life sciences. If you're looking for a job that will challenge your mind and your body equally, North Carolina is likely the place for you.
Tourism is also a huge part of the North Carolina economy, accounting for more than $1 billion of profits each year. A large chunk of those profits is related to outdoor activities with the state – fishing licenses, hunting and game permits, and the like. The Tar Heel State is also known for its picturesque ski resorts and some of the most celebrated golf courses in the United States. If you want to get outdoors and make your vacation an active one, the Tar Heel State has you covered.
Some of the most desirable tourist attractions within North Carolina are the majestic Great Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge National Parkway, the Wright Brothers National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, the Guilford Courthouse, Moores Creek National Military Parks, both the Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores, and the Old Salem Restoration out in Winston-Salem. And if you’re a huge literature fan, be sure to make time for a trip to Carl Sandburg's home just outside of Hendersonville.
If all this talk of traveling has you feeling hungry, don't worry. North Carolina is world-famous for its barbecue. Two different types of barbecue encompass the venerable North Carolina BBQ scene. Western North Carolina barbecue uses the dark meat of pork shoulder almost exclusively, topping it was a sauce with a vinegar base that has elements of tomato in it. Eastern North Carolina barbecue uses a wider variety of meats and covers things with a thinner sauce that mixes vinegar and a variety of spices. The key spice? Cayenne. Watch your mouth. Things get spicy in the Tar Heel State.
Barbecue isn't the only food worth its weight of gold within the borders of North Carolina. In the larger metropolitan areas of Charlotte and Raleigh, a diverse populace has informed the food culture in cool and amazing ways. There's the large Caribbean and Cuban influence from those who have moved up from Florida, and there are also a variety of other cuisines from immigrants around the world.
Now it’s time to talk about sports – one of the primary joys of North Carolina culture. The Tar Heel State is home to three professional sports franchises in the four major American sports – the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Carolina Panthers (NFL), and Charlotte Hornets (NBA). It’s also home to several semi-professional and minor league squads in a large swath of different sporting endeavors.
Where North Carolina shines on the sporting map is in collegiate athletics. If you follow college basketball in the slightest, you know the in-state rivalry between Duke (in Durham) and the University of North Carolina (in Chapel Hill) is perhaps the most storied in the history of collegiate athletics. Whether you're watching them play at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham or at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, you're in for something that you'll never see replicated anywhere else. The energy is electric. The quality of play is usually just as good.
Speaking of colleges with North Carolina, the Tar Heel State is home to 17 different public universities and 58 community colleges. The aforementioned University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was established in 1795 as the first public university in the United States of America. However, UNC is not the biggest school in the Tar Heel State. That honor goes to North Carolina State University in Raleigh which has an enrollment of around 34,000 students.
In addition to its public universities and community colleges, the Tar Heel State is home to some of the most celebrated private universities in the world. This includes the aforementioned Duke University in Durham, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, Davidson College in Davidson, and Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer. If you’re a college-aged student looking for a diverse array of secondary education options, the State of North Carolina is home to some of the finest institutions across the educational board.
Now that you’ve learned a bit about what the State of North Carolina has to offer, it’s time to deepen your knowledge about one of the most exciting and interesting states in the Union. We’re here to provide you with some interesting trivia about the Tar Heel State, starting with a list of the official living and inanimate symbols of North Carolina:
That's not all the trivia to know about the State of North Carolina. Not by a long shot. Below is a list of some juicy trivia nuggets for you to digest and share with your closest friends and family:
Remember the movie Little Shop of Horrors? The plot centers around a giant human-eating Venus flytrap and started a boom with many nurseries carrying more and more in their stock. Did you know that Venus flytraps only grow in two U.S. states? North Carolina and South Carolina are the only states that have legit swaths of Venus flytraps in the wild, and it's the city of Hampstead, North Carolina which is their native home.
If you’re looking for a view unlike any other East of the Mississippi, there’s Mount Mitchell. At a stunning 6,684 feet, the peak of Mt. Mitchell is the highest in the eastern half of the United States.
Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without sweet potatoes for many of us, and we have North Carolina to thank for a large portion of the supply within the United States. The Tar Heel State is the largest producer and supplier of sweet potatoes in the nation. There's even been a groundswell of support in recent years to officially name the sweet potato as the State Vegetable.
And finally, maybe it’s time you go chasing waterfalls after all. Whitewater Falls is a breathtaking centerpiece of Transylvania County, and it’s also the highest waterfall in the eastern half of the United States.
Shipping your truck, car, or van to North Carolina with Nexus Auto Transport is your first step towards experiencing all of the glorious sights and sounds of the Tar Heel State. Whether you're taking a picturesque drive in the Great Smoky Mountains or cruising in downtown Charlotte looking for something to eat, shipping your vehicle to North Carolina will unlock everything this beautiful state has to offer. And good gracious, there's a lot to be seen and done.
