Charlotte:struggling to keep our identity (Gastonia, Salisbury: 2009, mobile home, buy)

[Ragdoll Kitty Lover]

I have noticed that many newcomers find religious roots help them stay connected w/ their roots.

I was surprised when I found out Billy Graham came from Charlotte and got very excited when I saw Billy Graham Highway.

By the way, one of the most wonderful historical sites is in Newton, near Hickory - Hart Square. Only open one day a year, but what an experience. You can immerse yourself totally in the early 1800's there and feel how it must have been in this western part of the state. All of the old log buildings were found in various states of disrepair within 50 miles of Hickory, and they are refurbished.

[mullman]

Originally Posted by Ragdoll Kitty Lover

I was surprised when I found out Billy Graham came from Charlotte and got very excited when I saw Billy Graham Highway.

By the way, one of the most wonderful historical sites is in Newton, near Hickory - Hart Square. Only open one day a year, but what an experience. You can immerse yourself totally in the early 1800's there and feel how it must have been in this western part of the state. All of the old log buildings were found in various states of disrepair within 50 miles of Hickory, and they are refurbished.

Agree, Newton is a really neat place.
We rode through last year going to one of the two remaining covered bridges in NC (which I found out about here). They have an OLD movie theater playing current movies, a diner (or two) - it's worth a day trip.

Another neat NC town is Mount Airy (Mayberry), you have to go and eat at Snappy Lunch.
Old School.

Maybe I'll put together a list of fun CLT day trips.
My family was big on day trips as a child and now with my own family we do that quite often.
Most of the time, it is the mountains.

I just heard about 40 Acre Rock near Lancaster (Google it), and we will probably be checking that out on Saturday.
My girls love odd stuff like that, they're cheaply entertained.

[Ragdoll Kitty Lover]

DH (bacobits to Mullman), our NC native friend Miss Lori, and I went across a covered bridge at the Hart Square site. It is a newer bridge, but it was fun! And I filled Lori in about lots of North Carolina history!

We spent New Year's Eve 2008 on Pilot Mountain and walking downtown Mount Airy, but Snappy Lunch wasn't open that day. But most Fridays last summer, we spent the evening at outdoor Beach Concerts at the Mount Airy concert area across from the Andy Griffith Playhouse, and I saw one of the original squad cars cruising the streets. Saw the sunset over the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains also.

I'd really appreciate a list of CLT day trips, especially if there are any good historical connections, and will check out the Lancaster 40 Acre Rock. It might be similar to Hanging Rock near here in the Sauratown mountains.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by anifani821

You are so right, SB!

One of my ancestors fought for the Union, even tho his three brothers fought for the Confederacy. Two brothers were imprisoned and one was killed. The brother who was a Union soldier died in a Confederate prison camp.

The history of this state is not simple at all.

It should be noted (but never seems to be) that NC lost more soldiers in the Confederacy than ANY OTHER STATE. Yet, our state was not even really vested in that war and most soldiers readily expressed that they were "bound" to fight b/c they were North Carolinians, even tho they did not wish to even be involved. And what it did to the women who were left behind, trying to take care of farms w/o their men (many of whom never returned) had a profound effect on the economy as well as families. You can see why the next generation of sons felt obligated to stay close to home and help their parents rebuild farms. You can also understand why families often lived together for several generations, cause it took the work of all those members to "save" the family farm.

And, when looking at all of this in a larger perspective, one can also begin to understand why textile mills and furniture factories flourished - often w/ employees who also owned farms and were determined to find other sources of income so they could KEEP those farms.

Ani, I've read a number of personal accounts written by Civil War soldiers & POWs (note to parents, these accounts are extremely educational and totally inappropriate information for small children & probably most teenegers.) I have noticed that the North Carolina troops were referred to with great respect.

The society was turned inside out for 5 years & women suffered on both sides. No one will ever have an actual number of the women soldiers on both sides. Even being a nurse was a shocking thing for the women to do.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by vindaloo

The home of Randolf Scott? Or, it used to be known as "First in freedom" because of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. That should put Charlotte up with Philidelphia (somewhat) in that arena.

Philadelphia's also known as "The City of Brotherly Love". Go to a sporting event at any of their venues and tell me if that tagline holds true.

[ChelleC]

I think about this a lot myself, ani. I have lived in NC my entire life. I was born in the Piedmont, but my family moved to the coast for a few years when I was very young. We moved back to the Piedmont where I attended school until graduation. When I chose a college there was never a question of attending one out of state with so many wonderful schools to choose from here. I chose a university in the mountains and loved that area as well. So, as one who has lived in every area of this state I can tell you that us "country bumpkins" living outside the metropolitan areas are still alive and well and just as proud of our southern heritage as we ever were.

The problem, as I see it, is that the media has dumbed us down for decades. People in other areas of the country and the world have been presented with images of women in polyester and curlers and men in bib overalls and a pack of Redman in their pocket. They hear the fake southern accents that Hollywood teaches and see these pretend southerners representing one sector of our society and assume we're all alike down here. Because some of us are afraid of being seen as ignorant, trashy, common, etc. we strive to throw off our accents and our culture and conform to what we think the "norm" is. Southern teenagers are going off to college and being teased about their accents and the foods they eat so instead of having the intestinal fortitude to stand up and be proud of their heritage, they conform.

Speaking as one who would never want to live anywhere else in the world, I can speak with complete objectivity when I say this... I love men in bib overalls, flannel shirts and baseball caps who smell like diesel fuel and pipe smoke from working in the fields all day. I love women in housecoats and curlers who stay home with their children and teach them morals and values and what it means to have a parent involved in their lives. I love men in jeans and work shirts who are out there doing the jobs that keep America running and the women in business casual they come home to every night. I love men in expensive suits who inhabit our metropolitan areas and the women in the day spas having their pedicures and manicures...and let's throw in a facial today. I love every sector of our sourthern heritage and the people who compose it and I'm not ashamed of a single one of them...heck, I've even been known to eat grits.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by BrianH1970

Philadelphia's also known as "The City of Brotherly Love". Go to a sporting event at any of their venues and tell me if that tagline holds true.

+10

LOL, the Boo-birds are the same fine folks who will escort a tourist to a destination, tell them about additional destinations to go to, and give tips on good restaurants.

How about, Charlotte: We've been learning from Philly's mistakes since the 1700s. We don't boo our own team.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by ChelleC

I think about this a lot myself, ani. I have lived in NC my entire life. I was born in the Piedmont, but my family moved to the coast for a few years when I was very young. We moved back to the Piedmont where I attended school until graduation. When I chose a college there was never a question of attending one out of state with so many wonderful schools to choose from here. I chose a university in the mountains and loved that area as well. So, as one who has lived in every area of this state I can tell you that us "country bumpkins" living outside the metropolitan areas are still alive and well and just as proud of our southern heritage as we ever were.

The problem, as I see it, is that the media has dumbed us down for decades. People in other areas of the country and the world have been presented with images of women in polyester and curlers and men in bib overalls and a pack of Redman in their pocket. They hear the fake southern accents that Hollywood teaches and see these pretend southerners representing one sector of our society and assume we're all alike down here. Because some of us are afraid of being seen as ignorant, trashy, common, etc. we strive to throw off our accents and our culture and conform to what we think the "norm" is. Southern teenagers are going off to college and being teased about their accents and the foods they eat so instead of having the intestinal fortitude to stand up and be proud of their heritage, they conform.

Speaking as one who would never want to live anywhere else in the world, I can speak with complete objectivity when I say this... I love men in bib overalls, flannel shirts and baseball caps who smell like diesel fuel and pipe smoke from working in the fields all day. I love women in housecoats and curlers who stay home with their children and teach them morals and values and what it means to have a parent involved in their lives. I love men in jeans and work shirts who are out there doing the jobs that keep America running and the women in business casual they come home to every night. I love men in expensive suits who inhabit our metropolitan areas and the women in the day spas having their pedicures and manicures...and let's throw in a facial today. I love every sector of our sourthern heritage and the people who compose it and I'm not ashamed of a single one of them...heck, I've even been known to eat grits.

Thank you, CHELLE. What a great post! I do agree - a lot of the misunderstandings are from stereotypes and the media sure dumbs us down.

I love all the different aspects of living here, too, and the wonderful variety of people who make up this area.

Maybe what we know of the South is still out there - just not so much here in MECK!!! LOL!!!

[vindaloo]

[quote=BrianH1970;8188030]
I'm damn proud of where I came from but I'm also damn proud of where I live right now. My heart may lie in New Jersey but I'll defend both states with equal ferocity.


That is a great attitude. I do not respect those that are not proud of their roots (unless a descendant of Hitler or Rev. Wright) or the place from where they came. I had a hard time when I lived in London and witnessed Americans running down the U.S. in an attempt to impress the Brits or be 'cool'. People need more pride.

[ChelleC]

There are many things I can be accused of, being ashamed of my heritage is not among them. In my family I can trace my lineage back to a member of the Continental Congress, a NC Governor or to the Dalton Gang of infamy. Not ashamed of any of them or anything my family did to get where we are now. Good, bad or indifferent our ancestors made us who we are. While some of the things they did may not make us proud, we have to be proud of where we came from or the struggles of our forefathers was for nothing. I had family on both sides of that great "War of Northern Aggression" <hehe> and I'm proud of all of them. Of course, I've always said and still maintain that if we fought that war again today the south would emerge triumphant because now they've really ticked us off.

Also, thank you all for your many kind comments about my previous post. I am extremely vocal in my loyalty to my place of birth and wish that more of us would voice our outrage when we encounter misinformation and prejudices from other cultures.