This place feels wonderfully remote, so a little heads up that cell service is spotty and it's…read moreworth being mindful as you arrive. Once you're there, the quiet really sets in, with wildlife sounds all around and very few cars passing by. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxing and peaceful, perfect for slowing down and taking a breath . Picnic benches are scattered nearby, along with trash receptacles, which makes it easy to linger responsibly . The bridge itself is beautiful and well maintained, showing only moderate signs of wear that add character rather than distraction . During our mid autumn visit, the waterway and surrounding landscape were bursting with color , making the views especially memorable. I later realized there was a walking trail close by that I missed, so that's something I'd definitely suggest checking out when you visit ‍. Parking isn't clearly marked or abundant ‍, but with a bit of patience, you'll manage just fine. Overall, it's a quiet, scenic spot that feels refreshingly untouched and worth the effort to find .

Fantastic little country roadside find! This historic bridge, one of the two remaining covered…read morebridges in the state of NC and designated a local/federal historical landmark, was built in 1911 at a whopping cost of $40. It was built to span the west fork of the Little River when horse & carriages were the main mode of transportation. There is a great little loop trail that circumvents this section of the Little River w/a little footbridge on the other side and a couple of off-shoots to go down to the water's edge and even rock hop to the middle (do so at your own risk ). Fantastic hues at Golden Hour and the soothing sound of the babbling waters make you quickly forget civilization is right there. I had the place to myself when I went, so the solitude was welcome. Definitely worth a visit when the weather is as gorgeous as it has been!

Nice place to take the Grand kiddos for a walk...run down the trails. Throw rocks (pinecones) in…read morethe pond, look for tad poles. Have a pic nic. Great for a few hours of killing boredom with littles.

Not the most exciting trail, but worth doing if you have some down time and want to see some…read moreRockefeller History. The Carver Creek State Park is broken into two different sections: Long Valley Farm Access (with the historic Rockefeller Retreat House) and the Sandhill Access (just flat trails for hikers/horses). They are about 20 minutes apart. Between the two, I'd go to the Long Valley Farm Access since the history component whereas the other is just trails. Overall, there is really not much else here and you can complete it within an hour an a half or so. The loop is 2 miles long, but if you go straight back then it's about 1.5 miles total.

The Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities is located in Southern Pines. It is free to visit…read more The grounds are open 7 days a week but the Boyd House is just open Monday through Friday. It is a large estate at 26 acres. I read about Weymouth Center in Our State Magazine and knew I wanted to visit. When I learned Thomas Wolfe stayed here that got me here sooner as I am fascinated by his life. The Boyd House is a great building to explore. The Boyds opened their house over 100 years ago to build a community for writers and artists and those with open minds to come together. The Literary Hall of Fame was nice to explore as I was introduced to new authors while seeing some familiar names. The grounds are lovely and peaceful to explore. Weymouth has a writer's residence where authors can go and work on their writing. Weymouth Equestrians has underserved teens ride and help with horse care. While I was there, a crew was getting tents set up for a wedding the next day. Also I heard that there was going to be live music on Sunday. It seems like such a great venue and the organization greatly benefits the community.

We came here while visiting Southern Pines and so glad we did! Perfect weather for a nice hike…read moresurrounded by longleaf pine trees. Signage is very clear, and it is an easy hike. The welcome center is a good place to start as staff is very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Clean restrooms in the welcome center and a discovery room for children of all ages.

The House In the Horseshoe is a historical gem for North Carolina. The property is on over 2500…read moreacres of land. The house is named after the Deep River that bends like a horseshoe. The house is a mile from the river but the views are stunning. The cotton gin has been turned into a museum. There are a lot of displays you can read to learn more about the property. There is also a short video that is a great introduction to the house. Guided tours of the house occur on the top of the hour. A $2 donation is asked at the visitor's center to help reserve the property. The tour ran about 45 minutes and covered the history of the time, the residents of the house and the architecture. The house is also known as the Alston House. Alston was attacked in his house during the Revolutionary War and there are still bullet holes from the pellet guns. Governor Benjamin Williams also lived in the house. He planted the cotton and had a racetrack. The house is furnished with period pieces of the Colonial and Revolutionary Wars. Four rooms are on the tour. It was worth the drive to see this property and learn of its historical background.

A well preserved colonial house in a rural setting with beautiful vistas over fields of grain. A…read moreskirmish was fought in the house during the Revolutionary War. Many bullet holes were left unfixed. A very interesting story of the skirmish and the actions of the wife of the house is told by the tour guide. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and provided a detailed description of the house and the events that occurred there. The experience was interesting and relaxing.

There are multiple markers pointing out where Union General Sherman's troops marched across the…read moresouth and in some places, they haven't forgotten. This marker points out one spot where the army passed through. The marker is on US-74 and reads, "Invading North Carolina, Sherman's army occupied Fayetteville, Mar. 11-14, 1865, destroying the Confederate Arsenal, which stood 1 mile W." There is more information online. " In late 1864, Union General William T. Sherman began moving his forces, some 60,000 battle-hardened soldiers strong, northward from Atlanta to "divide the Confederacy in two." The plan was to march the Union forces through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina in order to squeeze Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee in Virginia between Sherman's men to the south and those of General Ulysses S. Grant to the north. Along the way, Sherman hoped to disrupt Confederate supply lines and break the will of southerners on the home front. This "total war" assault on civilians - women and children included - by Union forces was a break from traditional warfare that had, up until this time, focused largely on military targets." "As planned, Sherman's army moved into Fayetteville and occupied the city as he rested his troops and horses for three days beginning on March 11, 1865. Fayetteville was an intermediary goal between Sherman's entry into the state and Goldsboro, his primary objective. The leading Union lines encountered little resistance as they entered the city. Confederate forces in the area had barely left the area before the Union arrival and were planning to mass their numbers to confront Sherman at either Goldsboro or Raleigh. Sherman set up temporary headquarters at the former United States Arsenal and directed his men to construct pontoon bridges across the Cape Fear River to speed their advance to Goldsboro. Sherman also ordered the destruction of the area's key facilities that supported the Confederate army including railroad trestles, mills, factories and the "utter destruction" of the arsenal and its supplies. The city's residents were also thoroughly ransacked with all supplies, money and valuables taken by Union bummers." This is marker number I-18 and it was originally cast in 1940. There is an intersection here where you can stop to read the marker. [Review 2022 of 2024 - 3738 in North Carolina - 23044 overall]

Located just a quarter mile south of I-95 on South Carolina Highway 38, this marker has a small…read morespace for parking and a view. There is a "historical marker ahead" sign and you shouldn't miss the hulking shape of the machinery it points out. The marker reads, "This cotton press, built in 1798 according to tradition, is thought by many to be the oldest in existence. It was first owned and used by John Bethea, III, and later by Henry Berry. Powered by oxen or mules rotating the beam to tighten the press, it was rendered obsolete by modern machinery. A Berry descendant moved it to this site about 1948 to preserve it." The marker was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It had been built in 1798 for bailing ginned cotton and is made of pegged and doweled oak. Turning the screw (powered by mules) compressed the cotton into a wooden frame to form a bale. A very clever piece of machinery, all built by hand well prior to modern power tools. Except for minor repairs of the base and roof, it is still the original materials and is the only press of this era in South Carolina. [Review 14328 overall, 1652 of 2020, number 706 in South Carolina.]

This cotton press, built in 1798 according to tradition, is thought by many to be the oldest in…read moreexistence. It was first owned and used by John Bethea, III, and later by Henry Berry. Powered by oxen or mules rotating the beam to tighten the press, it was rendered obsolete by modem machinery. A Berry descendant moved it to this site about 1948 to preserve it. Erected by Dillon County Historical Society - 1974

This small town is located in Randolph County near North Carolina's Pottery Highway and there…read morereally isn't much. It's one of those "blink and you miss it" spots. If they have a downtown or a police department or even a gas station, I couldn't find it. What I did find is the "WHYNOT" sign and that was good enough for me. The name is really the important thing here. According to legend, the townspeople were in a meeting to discuss what they should name their place. Hours and hours of arguing until one resident stood up and got everyone's attention. "Why not this. Why not that. Why not name the town Why Not and let's go home?" And so they did. Welcome to Whynot. If you're looking for the sign, it is 1402 NC-705, Seagrove, NC 27341. There is a church across the street where I briefly parked. [Review 14998 overall, round number 500 of 2021, number 2862 in North Carolina.]

Great stop. We saw the best presentation of early hunting tools and learned a lot about the…read moreindigenous peoples of the area and those that would travel through the area. Daniel was a great tour guide.

My family visited Town Creek last fall. We went during the week and were the only visitors at the…read moresite. The site manager pulled up videos for us to watch and answered our questions as we toured the small museum. The displays were both beautiful and informative. After making purchases in the gift shop area, we walked outside to tour the mound area. Though the mound area is all recreated, it retains a sacred and ancient ambiance. I was moved by the site and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The Poe House is next door to the Museum of Cape Fear and that is where to sign up for your tour…read moreand where the tour starts. A volunteer takes you through the house of E. A. and Josephine Poe. Mr. Poe owned Poe Brick Company. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is currently getting some much needed maintenance and painting done so make sure to check in advance if it will be open the day you want to visit. The guided tour takes about an hour. The house is a Victorian Style and built from a kit. The wrap around porch and the intricate detailing outside is impressive. The inside of the house is in great condition and has tall ceilings; wide doors and the woodwork is very impressive. It gives a glimpse into early 20th century life. The house has two staircases one for the family and another for the servants. The servants were provided living quarters. The kitchen is detached from the house as the oven was on all day. I highly recommend visiting this beautiful house.

We visited the Poe house yesterday, and really enjoyed it. The house was beautiful, our tour guide…read morewas great even dressed the part. She was very knowledgeable. It was nice to learn how they lived and the family. Next door we visited the gift shop but didn't have time to visit the museum part. (Will have to come back) Also it was free, with donations welcome.