Hope Plantation is in Windsor, NC. It was the home of former NC Governor David Stone…read more Hope Mansion and the King-Bazemore House can be toured with a docent on certain days and times so check the website before visiting to make sure it will be open. You start your visit and buy your ticket at the Roanoke-Chowan Heritage Center. It has restrooms, a gift shop and two rooms to view that provide background information about the property. You can either walk or drive to the houses as they are a distance away. I was not sure what to expect when I decided to visit Hope Plantation and did not expect that the tour would be as long as it was and so thorough. It is possible that my tour was longer than normal as I was very interested in all of the facts provided. I was very impressed with this property; the history and the restoration. I try my best to find the hidden gems to visit so was excited that I found another. Both houses are on the National Registry for Historic Places. The land of the plantation sits was from a land grant by King Charles II of England. It was to lure settlers from Virginia and was given to Francis and Elizabeth Hobson. Elizabeth inherited the property after her husband died and later married Zedekiah Stone. The story told is that Elizabeth missed her homeland Hope Parish so the property was named Hope. David Stone was given the Hope tract of land as a wedding present. He constructed the Hope Mansion. The house was completed in 1803. It is of a Georgian style with Federal Period influences. The enslaved community provided the labor to run the plantation. The highly skilled labor can be seen with the craftsmanship of the home. After David Stone died, his son sold the property. It changed owners many times. In 1960 though the property was deteriorated and Bertie Country residents worked to save the property. They created a historical association and raised the funds to purchase the property. Then went on to restoring the mansion through research. The outside was completed in 1969 and by 1972 the restoration was completed. The King-Bazemore House was relocated to the plantation in 1974 to be restored. It is an example of a colonial home and would be compared to the Hobson-Stone House that was destroyed when the mansion was built. I highly recommend visiting this property in Bertie County if you love history and historic properties. You will not be disappointed. These properties are amazing and the restorations impeccable.

From the owner: Restored home of former North Carolina Governor David Stone (1770-1818). Located four miles west of…read moreWindsor, NC, the plantation complex offers unique insights into the late 18th & 19th century rural life in eastern North Carolina and the South.

"Resolved, That the delegates for this Colony in the Continental Congress be empowered to concur…read morewith the delegates of the other Colonies in declaring Independency..." - The Halifax Resolves, April 12, 1776 I have seen other Charters of Freedom installations in other cities. This one is slightly different as it uniquely includes the Halifax Resolves, the 1776 document that marked North Carolina's formal call for independence from Britain. It authorized North Carolina's representatives - Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn - to join other colonies in declaring independence, a bold move that helped pave the way for the Declaration of Independence less than three months later. The installation was spearheaded by Foundation Forward, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to civic education, and supported by local leaders and donors who recognized Halifax's pivotal role in Revolutionary history. Far more than a monument, the site serves as a hands-on educational resource, especially during annual events like Halifax Day, when reenactments, artisan fairs, and living history demonstrations bring the past vividly to life. The display is open to the public year-round and is a centerpiece of the Historic Halifax State Historic Site, offering visitors a tangible connection to the ideals and debates that shaped the United States. [Review 931 of 2025 - 4335 in North Carolina - 24487 overall]

Yes, I drove an hour round trip to take a picture of a sign but this one is special. It denotes the…read moretime that the United States bombed North Carolina, nearly a hundred years after the end of the Civil War. The marker reads, "Nuclear Mishap. B-52 transporting two nuclear bombs crashed, Jan. 1961. Widespread disaster averted; three crewmen died 3 miles south." Okay, all kidding aside. Three Air Force crew died and in the process, prevented what would have been an unspeakable tragedy. It is a serious matter. During the height of the Cold War, the United States had a policy of keeping armed aircraft in the air at all times in the event of a conflict. Nuclear deterrence and all that. Well, this B-52G Stratofortress took some structural damage during an air refueling and while preparing to land at nearby Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, it experienced a major failure of the right wing. The plane broke up and exploded at 8000 feet. "As a result of the breakup of the plane, two MK39 nuclear weapons were released at a height of between 10,000 and 2,000 feet. Seven of eight arming, fusing, and firing switches and devices in one bomb automatically actuated. Only a crew-controlled switch prevented a nuclear detonation. Since its parachute deployed, one bomb had only minor damage when it fell about a mile from the crash site. The second bomb fell free, without its parachute deploying, and broke apart on impact." "Components of the bomb were sought for several weeks. The decision was made to leave remaining portions of the weapon containing uranium, believed to have entered the water table, in the ground. As a precaution, the government purchased part of the site and still maintains an easement in order to prevent digging in the vicinity. Periodic groundwater tests, still conducted by the state, have revealed no contamination." As the sign mentions, the actual crash is three miles away and the grounds are secured. Here in downtown Eureka, there isn't much. A small sandwich shop is near the sign if you're hungry. [Review 15486 overall, 990 of 2021, number 3029 in North Carolina.]

This marker points out one of the reasons Halifax is an important city in the Colonial journey. It…read morehas the same text on both sides and reads, "North Carolina Constitution. The first constitution of the independent state was adopted in Halifax on December 18, 1776." In November 1776, delegates to North Carolina's provincial congress convened in Halifax and appointed a committee - led by Samuel Ashe - to draft a state constitution. Drawing on guidance from Mecklenburg and Orange counties and a pivotal letter from William Hooper, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the committee reviewed other newly adopted state constitutions before presenting their proposals a month later. After minor revisions, the congress approved the Declaration of Rights on December 17 and the state constitution on December 18, following six sessions of debate. Though adopted separately, the two documents are generally regarded as a unified foundation for state governance. The exact location in Halifax where they were drafted remains a subject of historical uncertainty. There is more information online. This is marker number E-98 and it was erected in 1988 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. It's a quiet road so there is room to stop and read. [Review 928 of 2025 - 4332 in North Carolina - 24484 overall]

So I know I can't be the first person to want to hit the Thelonious Monk Trail in Rocky Mount. But…read moreit looks like I'll be the first to write about it. I was visiting Raleigh, and I wanted to do the pilgrimage so bad that I hit the road early one bright Sunday morn headed east. Here's what I saw: 1) Thelonious Monk Plaza - I came into town this way, just a slight bit north of the main downtown strip. This plaza is one in the old-school sense - you won't find a minimall with Bath & Body Works around here, rather it's the old train station. This is where the historical marker is planted that identifies one of the true American greats. It makes sense to have jazz markers by the old train stations - it brings back the America of old, and also reminds you that the musicians generally built their careers by moving out. 2) Thelonious Monk Mural - I walked about half a mile from the Plaza to see this (incidentally, on a bright Sunday morn I was the only sign of life in downtown Rocky Mount). If you didn't know it was a tribute to Monk, you would just think it's a slightly unusual mural - a triangle of houses with a trompe l'oeil river stream/piano keyboard that literally flows out onto the pavement (entitled "Monk's Corner"). This was apparently one wall an arts center that no longer exists, sadly - it's near the Harambee Street Apartments. I walked back to my car via Main Street, which allowed me to look at the attractive old historic buildings in downtown, none of whom were doing any business on Sunday. 3) Thelonious Monk Park - Now this was a slight hunt, considering not even Old Man Google registers this park as a place. Further, there's a street address given near Washington/Dunn, but the sign that names the park is over on Wye which spurs off of Washington. That confused me a bit - you can basically identify the park, but I felt like I was slightly trespassing when I wandered along the residential neighborhood to get there. This is a "park" in the sense that you can have a picnic under the gazebo or push your kids on some swings - otherwise it's just a small green space. Monk's childhood home no longer exists but would have been somewhere on the grounds. 4) Monk Rd - This road, just a block south of Monk Park, was obviously named after the man, but there's about as much significance to the name here as there is to the man they named Washington Street after (whoever that was) - its just the name. Nice that it runs parallel to the train tracks, at least. And that's pretty much it at this point. There's been talk about erecting a statue for Monk here, which would be a great idea - the great John Coltrane statue in High Point would be the model to follow, down to the sound samples and all. Here's hoping that happens. Until then, though, you've got this at least. And if you check it out, put on "Pannonica" for the soundtrack - that's what I was listening to, and it seemed to capture the feel perfectly.

The historical marker is in front of a beautiful home just to the north of Halifax and points out…read morethe hero that lived here. It reads, "William R. Davie. 1756-1820. A militia officer during the Revolution; governor, 1798-99; envoy to France; "father" of University of N.C. Lived in this house." The house is in the Georgian Federal design with a two-story façade. There is also a caption in front of the house. But this is marker number E-4 and it was erected in 2014 by the North Carolina Office of Archives and History. William Richardson Davie, born in England in 1756 and raised in South Carolina, was a distinguished Revolutionary War officer, eloquent statesman, and founder of the University of North Carolina. After studying at Princeton and briefly practicing law, he joined the Patriot militia, rising through the ranks and earning acclaim for his daring cavalry raids and strategic supply work under General Nathanael Greene. A committed Federalist, Davie served in the North Carolina legislature and played a pivotal role at the Constitutional Convention, advocating for Southern interests while supporting compromise to secure union. As governor, he helped navigate tense diplomatic waters with France, later serving as a U.S. envoy and negotiator with the Tuscarora tribe. Though his later years were marked by personal loss and political retreat, Davie remained engaged with the university he helped establish, leaving behind a legacy of leadership, education, and public service when he died in 1820 at his South Carolina plantation, Tivoli. I'm not sure if the home is private or open for tours. There is room to stop for photos and to read the marker. [Review 929 of 2025 - 4333 in North Carolina - 24485 overall]

The Brady C Jefcoat Museum is located in Murfreesboro, NC. There is parking for the museum on the…read morestreet. The museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is currently $10. The museum is located in the old Murfreesboro High School and all three floors are used for the museum. Stairs are the only way to get to the other levels. The elevator appeared out of order. The building is showing its age and needs some maintenance and upkeep. The restroom sink did not have water and did not appear very clean. Some of the rooms had mold or mildew on the walls. Brady Jefcoat was a collector and collected everything you can think of from phonographs to tools to taxidermy to washing machines to toasters to butter churns to telephones to records to bedpans to toilets to toasters. The museum holds all 17,000 items he collected. Every inch of space in the building is filled with the collections from the hallways to the stairwells. I enjoyed aspects of the museum as there were some unique items and the overabundance of some items made the museum unique. Some of the items were labeled so that was helpful. I liked the first room the best with the sofa from Gone With the Wind and the harp. Some of the rooms are so filled with items that it is overwhelming. But there is something special with the everyday items in the collection as the variety of items shows how everyday people lived and how much has changed with technology and innovation. I think a visit to the museum will have something for everyone to enjoy.

This is an amazing museum. It's not like your typical one, very unusual. It's Mr. Brady Jefcoats…read morepersonal collection. He collected anything that tickled his fancy, and then he collect all types of that item. I was told it takes 3 hours to go through, at first, we were like "yea, right, 15 minutes and I'm outa here". Well, we were wrong. He has the largest collection of phonographs/victrolas around, music boxes, toasters, pipes/cigar making items, bedpans, toilets, bathtubs, tape meastures, office suppies, guns, washing machines/boards. Have to see to believe. I've been in a lot of museums, and this one is one of my tops. It is guided $8/person; and you can't wonder freely due to many items could be stolen. So plan accordingly to the hours open, and give yourself at least 3 hours to go through. Talk about a trip down memory lane!

If you're ever in the Rocky Mount, NC area, Rocky Mount Mills is definitely worth checking out! The…read moreatmosphere and vibe here were absolutely amazing. We stayed overnight in our fifth-wheel through Harvest Hosts, and we'd gladly do it again. We had dinner at Tipsy Tomato, then explored some of the other spots around the mills including Mixers, HopFly Brewing Co., Goat Island Bottle Shop, and more. The next morning, we stopped by River Walk Coffee Co. for lattes, refreshers, bagels, and breakfast treats before heading out. The entire place had such a fun, laid-back vibe with plenty to see and do. Definitely a spot we'd recommend!

Beautiful historic mill surrounded by delicious restaurants. Plenty to see and do if you're in the…read morearea.

This headquarters is connected to the Petersburg battle, but it's about 10 minutes away from the…read morebattlefield site. It's worth the drive over if you're already visiting the battlefield. It's a small house where you have to ring the doorbell to so the one employee knows to let you in, and then it's a tour on demand as it's not a high traffic site. The tour covers the history of the people who owned the house, the war and making the city a major port for goods, and how it was used by General Grant. There is a great map of the battlefield and some highly realistic and creepy mannequins to better illustrate the site. It's free, no gift shop, but an enthusiastic and informative tour guide. It's also got a nice view of the water.

When you get there, you'll watch a short film and then you can explore the small exhibit inside the…read morehouse. It's definitely worth visiting after you visit the battlefield.