This marker is a little faded but still tells the story. It reads, "John L. Taylor (1739-1829)…read more First Chief Justice of North Carolina Supreme Court, 1819-1929; author of numerous legal works. Grace is 1/2 mile East. Home is 1 mile southwest." Online, there is much more. "John Louis Taylor, North Carolina Supreme Court chief justice, was born in 1769 in London. At the age of twelve, Taylor and an older brother, James, immigrated to Virginia. Taylor eventually attended William and Mary College, but was unable to complete his studies due to financial problems. He moved to Fayetteville, where he was admitted to the bar in 1788 at the age of 19." "When the North Carolina Supreme Court was officially established in 1818, Taylor was elected its first chief justice. Three years later he opened a private law school at his home. Although not a college graduate, he served as a trustee for the University of North Carolina from 1793 until 1818, and was awarded an honorary law degree by Georgetown University." [Review 12436 overall, 2224 of 2019.]

This marker is on the side of the road in a mostly residential area. As is customary with North…read moreCarolina's markers, there is a little bit of information on the sign and more of it online. The marker reads, "John Chavis, ca 1762-1838. African American teacher, preacher, & Revolutionary War veteran. Taught free black & prominent white students in school nearby." Online, "The marker, originally approved and erected in 1938 (the centennial of Chavis's death), was the first one in the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program dedicated to African American history." "John Chavis, born around 1763 in Virginia, was a prominent free black preacher and educator in and around the Raleigh area from 1810 onwards. Chavis was raised in Virginia and had an extensive education for the time period, likely the best education of any African American of his day in North Carolina. He is best known for his classical teaching in Raleigh, educating children of all races and from all different backgrounds. In 1832 free blacks lost many of their rights in North Carolina, and Chavis lost his freedom to preach and to teach. He died in 1838, having lived and worked as a respected member of society amongst all races of people. Chavis is considered by many historians to be the first free black to demonstrate to white slaveowners the abilities of blacks in formal education." [Review 11914 overall, 1696 of 2019.]

Mr. Andrews led quite the life. The short text on the marker is merely a hint. It reads, "Railroad…read morebuilder and financier. Vice-president, Southern Railroad; superintendent, North Carolina Railroad. Home is here." Online, we find out that he was born in Franklinton in 1841 but his parents had died by the time he was 12. He was placed under the guardianship of his uncle, Philemon B. Hawkins, a railroad developer. When Andrews joined his uncle in work on the Blue Ridge Railway in South Carolina, he was briefly a clerk and then promoted to general superintendent, purchasing agent and paymaster where he continued until enlisting in the Confederate cavalry. Wounded during the war in 1864, he was forced to retire. In 1867, he became superintendent of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad. By the 1880s, he administered all of North Carolina's Richmond and Danville concerns, becoming an adviser to Governor Thomas J. Jarvis. He remained an important figure in the railroad industry until his death in 1915 and is laid to rest in Oakwood Cemetery here in Raleigh. [Review 12281 overall, 2065 of 2019.]

Interesting spot to walk around and learn about some Civil War history. You can walk inside some of…read morethe structures and the house on the property. The staff were all very friendly - they were setting up for a field trip the morning we visited. Next time, I'd like to go on a guided tour to learn more about the site. We also took a walk through the trails in the woods, that only took us about 15 minutes. The trails were easy but they do have a lot of roots, so you need to be careful not to trip! Some parts of the trail were a little overgrown, but still passable.

Really interesting historical site, kind and knowledgeable staff. The trails are also lovely for…read moresome added walking opportunities.

beautiful memorial for veterans. makes you take a second and appreciate the men and women who've…read morescarified their lives for ours. god bless america!

A unique addition to Cary, this twelve-acre park is a nice tribute to veterans. It's hard to miss…read moreif you're driving on Harrison Avenue as the size of the spire stands out in all that open space. And if you do miss it somehow, the tall white granite walls and memorial service flags will probably capture your attention. There isn't much parking here, so on a holiday, like Memorial Day, be prepared to wait for a spot. Once you park, your first introduction might be the memorial area of flags of the military branches and the some-gave-all sculpture nearby. The poem written on the sculpture and the granite block etched with the donor and funding information is all the text you'll see. The spire and the plain granite wall that surrounds it is unadorned. As you walk around the small plaza, you'll see seals of each of the branches of military embedded on the ground. Surprisingly, the lack of adornment is ideal for focusing attention on the reason for the park. There's plenty of seating and it's a quiet spot. It's a fitting way to honor the military and veterans.

This marker is not far from the Capitol in downtown Raleigh. I can't imagine what travel to Japan…read moreand China must have been like in the last 1800's. This was quite the man. The marker reads, "Thomas R. Jernigan (1847-1920). U.S. negotiator in China for 30 years. Consul in Japan and China. Editor, author, and lawyer. His home was 2 blocks E." Online there is more information. "In his position as a foreign service officer in Japan and China in the late nineteenth century, Thomas R. Jernigan brought better understanding between the United States and Asia." "Jernigan's first position abroad was as a consul (appointed by President Grover Cleveland) to Kobe, Japan, from 1885 to 1889, after which he returned to North Carolina to edit the North Carolina Intelligencer, a newspaper in Raleigh. His home in the Capital City stood near the present-day site of the Raleigh convention center. From 1893 to 1897 he served as consul general (again an appointment by Cleveland) in Shanghai, acting as chairman of the International Settlement board for much of that time. At the close of his term he elected to remain in China where he worked as an attorney for Standard Oil Company. Jernigan was the author of a number of books dealing with China, among them China in Law and Commerce, China's Business Methods and Policy, and Shooting in China. Late in life he became deaf. He counted Sun Yet-sen (1866-1928) among his friends and is buried in Nanking, China, near the Chinese leader's family plot." I'm glad to have learned more about Mr. Jernigan. I'd like to have met the man. [Review 12567 overall, 2357 of 2019.]

This 115 foot monument is on the campus of North Carolina State University and it's darned hard to…read moremiss. Towering over the area in the daytime and well lit up at night, the bell tower was completed in 1937 and the class of 1938 donated the clock (it seems to keep pretty good time) and the class of 1939 donated the floodlights. The formal dedication was held on November 11 (Armistice Day) 1949. The memorial plaque lists 34 alumni who died in the war and according to the website I found, a 35 name who was wrongly reported as KIA and wasy included by mistake. The university decided to alter the name and change it to George E. Jefferson, a symbol of unknown soldiers from NC State and elsewhere. Sometimes, the tower is lit up in red. This is to honor veterans such as Memorial Day and Veterans' Day. At the moment, the tower contains speakers and a sound system that play chimes, rather than an actual bell.

NC State's Bell Tower is a campus icon…read more If you look closely at the tower you can see the color differences where work on the tower was halted for events of the 20th century. There are special circumstances where the tower is lit red at night. Go Pack! https://www.ncsu.edu/belltower/

Durham is a great city. During our four years living in the Durham County portion of Chapel Hill,…read morewe went out in the City of Durham more than the Town of Chapel Hill. Parts of Durham are hip and progressive, reminding us of cities like Asheville and Decatur, Georgia. I think Durham may have the best food scene when it comes to the Triangle cities, even beating Raleigh (and Cary, which continues to rise). We spent a lot of time eating at restaurants in downtown Durham. In this Yelp review, I list my top 10 favorite restaurants in Durham from our time there from June 2020 through July 2024. 1. M Sushi - The best sushi in the Triangle. Try one of the omakases. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-sushi-durham 2. M Tempura - Outstanding and unique. Get the kaiseki. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-tempura-durham-3 3. Juju Asian Tapas + Bar - Consistently great food with a fun, comfortable atmosphere. https://www.yelp.com/biz/juju-asian-tapas-bar-durham-3 4. Nana Steak - I love prime rib and theirs is among the best I've had anywhere. https://www.yelp.com/biz/nana-steak-durham 5. Rose's - Exceptional ramen and ice cream sandwiches. Best ramen in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/roses-durham-3 6. Mateo Bar de Tapas - Best tapas in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/mateo-durham 7. Pizzeria Toro - Excellent Neapolitan-style pizza. https://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzeria-toro-durham 8. Namu - Terrific gimbap and other Korean food/snacks in a neat indoor-outdoor beer garden environment. They serve coffee too. https://www.yelp.com/biz/namu-durham 9. Eastcut Sandwich Bar - Amazing sandwiches. https://www.yelp.com/biz/eastcut-sandwich-bar-durham-durham 10. Viceroy - Fantastic, higher-end Indian restaurant. https://www.yelp.com/biz/viceroy-durham Honorable mentions: * Asian Kitchen - "Authentic" hand-pulled noodles, dumplings, and other Chinese dishes like ong choy (water spinach). https://www.yelp.com/biz/asian-kitchen-durham * Emmy Squared Pizza - Incredible Detroit-style deep-dish pizza. https://www.yelp.com/biz/emmy-squared-pizza-durham-durham-4 * M Kokko - Best Korean fried chicken we tried in the Triangle. https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-kokko-durham * M Pocha - All-around great food, "inspired traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian and Spanish influences." https://www.yelp.com/biz/m-pocha-durham-2 * Makus Empanadas - Superb empanadas. https://www.yelp.com/biz/makus-empanadas-durham * The Original Q Shack - I think this was the best barbecue we had in Durham. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-q-shack-durham * The Parlour - Our favorite ice cream shop in Durham. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-parlour-durham-2 * Saltbox Seafood Joint - Tasty fried seafood and chowder. https://www.yelp.com/biz/saltbox-seafood-joint-durham-3 * Sister Liu's Kitchen - Yummy, small Chinese dumpling and sandwich takeout joint. https://www.yelp.com/biz/sister-lius-kitchen-durham-2 * Szechuan Mansion Hotpot - Absolutely delicious Chinese hot pot. Make a reservation. https://www.yelp.com/biz/szechuan-mansion-hotpot-durham

This is for Stacy who works in Durham department of water services. She was an absolute gem. She…read morewas kind, sharp, helpful, peppy, all of the amazing things you want when you're calling a customer service rep. She got us easily setup in a timely manner. Absolute best person I've spoken to when calling a government service.