This marker is located on the corner where Salisbury Avenue switches from North to South. There is…read morea gas station where I was able to park and read the marker. It is number L-60 and it was erected in 1959 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. It has the same text on both sides and reads, "Built 1766 by Michael Braun. One of the few remaining Pennsylvania German stone houses in North Carolina. Stands 1/2 mile northeast." If you'll go to check out the house, you'll learn about the life of an immigrant who arrived in the colonies as a young tradesman and eventually became a prominent Rowan County landowner, businessman and public official. Its preservation as a museum highlights both the architectural significance of the structure and Michael Braun's deep involvement in the region's early civic and economic development, from his work as a wheelwright and printer to his roles as magistrate, justice of the peace, and property speculator. The house's long family occupancy, its ties to local Revolutionary War tradition, and the complex arc of Braun's life all contribute to its value as a surviving link to the area's eighteenth-century German heritage. [Review 659 of 2026 - 4747 in North Carolina - 25840 overall]

Marker M-33 is located on the north side of US-64 and isn't an easy spot to reach. There is a bit…read moreof a space to pull over but this isn't a quiet road so you'll want to use caution if you stop. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Hinton R. Helper, Author of 'The Impending Crisis', a bitterly controversial book which denounced slavery; U.S. Consul at Buenos Aires, 1861-66. Born 150 yards north" It was erected in 1975 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. Hinton Rowan Helper rose from a modest North Carolina upbringing to become one of the most controversial Southern-both critics of slavery, gaining national attention with his 1857 book which used census statistics to argue that slavery crippled the South's economy and denounced slaveholders in incendiary terms. His work was banned across the South, helped intensify sectional tensions, and was credited by some contemporaries with aiding Abraham Lincoln's 1860 election, after which Helper served as US consul to Argentina. [Review 592 of 2026 - 4681 in North Carolina - 25773 overall]

With monuments from Pennsylvania and Maine, dedicated to the soldiers from those states who came to…read morethe South to fight in the Civil War, this is a peaceful and quiet place. I was here on Memorial Day Weekend with all of the flags laid out. A great tribute to our military. Prior to being a cemetery, the land was an abandoned cotton mill before it was converted into a military prison. At one time, it held as many as 10,000 men and in such a tight area, there was disease. Many died from malnutrition and were buried in mass graves. It is a column place and I was glad to have visited on this weekend. You won't be able to miss the Federal Monument to the Unknown Dead, a 38 foot tall granite obelisk. There are a number of context markers that explain the layout and history. [Review 1123 of 2024 - 3618 in North Carolina - 22147 overall]

This cemetery is the historic, original national cemetery. It's operated and run by the main annex…read moreon Statesville Blvd. near the VA Center, but is worth stopping by for the historical significance. The minute I drove in I could see the difference: the large cast iron gates and stone perimeter fence, the multiple plaques and monument to the unknown soldiers, the Maine and Pennsylvania monuments honoring the soldiers from those states that died in the prison camps of the 1860s. There's a lot to see in this 12 acres. The trees and vegetation are larger, more established, and there's less of frenetic pace here than in the newer location. It's what you would expect, the immediate emotion evident in the newer locale is here replaced by the bittersweet sadness of monuments to those who may no longer have living relatives or any who can come by regularly. There were only a few people at this spot, all elderly, paying respects to Korean or Vietnam war vets, buried here just before the new annex opened. There's a stateliness about this spot and a more intimate feeling. It's beautifully maintained. The state has kept this location as well groomed as the newer national cemetery annex. It's a fascinating location to visit and pay respects, before or after visiting the new cemetery, and it matters little if you're a history buff or not.

Driving north on US-601, it would be easy to miss the cemetery that dates back to the Colonial Era…read morebut the historical marker should draw you in as it did for me. This is the final resting place of Squire and Sarah Boone who passed in 1765 and 1777, respectively. Parents of famed frontiersman Daniel Boone who settled here in the 1750s. The cemetery is formerly known as the Burying Ground Ridge, was one of the earliest cemeteries in Davie County. Squire Boone's grave is the oldest known grave in Joppa Cemetery, and also the oldest known grave in Davie County. It is easy to spot as they have done a fine job of preserving the headstone in a larger brick stone and adding a plaque so that it's easy to pay your respects. [Review 595 of 2026 - 4684 in North Carolina - 25776 overall]

We're out here in the sticks of Lexington but there's a great BBQ place across the street where I'm…read moremeeting friends, when I spotted this marker. It's in front of the Dollar General but there is a lot of brush between their parking lot and the sign. I don't recommend walking through the brush as there might be a snake and there's definitely poison ivy. The marker reads, "Yadkin College. A Methodist Protestant institution. Opened in 1856, made co-educational in 1878, closed in 1924. Building stands 1 mi. N." Online, there is more information. "Yadkin College opened in October 1856 as Yadkin Institute, a high school for young men, having been chartered by the General Assembly the previous year. Henry Walser, the individual most responsible for Yadkin College's success, donated the land for the institute and bore the expense of constructing the first classroom facilities and dormitory. One of three institutes of higher education sponsored by the Methodist Church in North Carolina, the school was rechartered as Yadkin College by the legislature in February 1861. "Shortly afterwards, the college closed as nearly all of its pupils enlisted in Confederate service with the opening shots of the Civil War. When classes resumed in 1867, the school operated as a high school once more, returning to collegiate courses in 1873 under the tutelage of president Shadrach Simpson. Five years later the first female students were allowed to attend classes. In 1883, the legislature changed the name to Yadkin Collegiate Institute. In 1924, the institute, suffering from low attendance as a result of the establishment of public schools in the state, consolidated with what is now High Point University, and the campus was abandoned." [Review 1797 of 2024 - 3716 in North Carolina - 22820 overall]

Perhaps not as grand or as visited as the VIetnam Memorial in Washington DC but if you counted the…read morenumber of people who passed within a half mile of this place, it might be a fair competition. The North Carolina Vietnam Memorial is located in the wooded area between the two rest areas here along I-85 in Thomasville NC. As with others, the memorial lists the 1620 names of those who died fighting in the "Vietnam Conflict" from North Carolina and also lists their counties. It is made from North Carolina brick. It is a short walk from either, or you can drive from the southbound one. What is relatively unique is that the highway is actually crossed over between exits 96 and 102, making each of the exits a right-lane one even though it is between the two highways. You can still hear the traffic faintly, even from inside the circle. [Review 11685 overall, 1467 of 2019.]

The heart of summer, it was quiet at the rest area and I was looking for something to do, a place…read moreto walk to, so I'm grateful that this was also located here to shake off the drive's weary pace. I took a walk down the stair to the lovely park and left a few kindness rocks behind to spread love out into the world before walking and hoping to find a few doe, alas there were no deer but there were a few bees in flowers. I walked back up. It's a lovely area, it may not be Huge and with statues but it's a somber and respectful memorial to the dead of the Vietnam conflict.

What a cool art installation in such an unassuming part of High Point, near downtown. "Little…read moreSally" is the name of the giant wooden troll sculpture in High Point. It's one of many trolls around the world made out of recycled materials by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. High Point is lucky to have one of these, and it's fun and free to check out. My wife and I took my nieces to see Little Sally. A small line of families with children had built up to see and take pictures with the troll. The troll is hidden from street view, inside a small wooded area, so there's a fun "discovery" aspect to it. We parked in the large unpaved lot at the corner of W Green Dr and W Grimes Ave. Other folks parked closer, across the street in the parking lot of 711 W Grimes Ave. At the time of writing this, the building there appears to be vacant, as does the building in the same block as Little Sally. I'm pretty sure this part of town has seen better days. This project is what you call low-cost urban revitalization. Go to trollmap.com to see a map of all the trolls. There are several in North Carolina, mostly in Raleigh (Dix Park has five). Little Sally was unveiled in 2025. Dambo's first troll was "Hector the Protector," installed in Puerto Rico in 2014.

Finally got the chance to go visit High Point's new resident troll, Little Sally. We've seen some…read moreof Dambo's trolls at other spots, and we're excited to have one in our own back yard now! As an artist myself, I can appreciate the fact that he uses all reclaimed materials like old pallets, scrap wood, fence posts and in this case old furniture legs for her hair, paying homage to High Points history of furniture manufacturing. She really is a great addition to the city, and from online fan pages she seems to be bringing troll hunters from all over, which is hopefully good for local restaurants and shops. Like all of his trolls, Little Sally is a one of a kind, unique and full of so many details,. I'll admit the troll isn't in the best part of town, but we have been several times now, and have never had trouble. I may suggest not going after dark, but it would be hard to see anyway. She's not hard to find, just off Greene street she's nestled back in a small wooded area. There is a parking lot right across from her and another just down the road for busy times. I'm glad so far she is being respected, I know people have commented other trolls are being climbed on and sprayed with graffiti, so here's to hoping High Point is able to take better care of her!

What a cool building for the city offices, they've done a fantastic job updating this. Lexington is…read morea nice little community and the city employees that I met, pretty nice people.

When I do reviews of cities and towns, I always review based on places of similar size. So I would…read morenot rate Lexington against New York, Nashville or Charlotte as examples. More like Lexington vs. Salisbury, Statesville, etc.. Nice town of 18,000 plus population, between Charlotte and Greensboro. Part of the Piedmont Triad with Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High point. The BBQ capital of North Carolina and recognized as one of the top places in the US for BBQ. I had low expectation of Lexington before visiting but I was wowed by how much this small town has to offer. Downtown This may be one of the best downtowns I have seen for a town of its size. Very healthy downtown area. Lots of shops, restaurants and places to get an adult drink. Downtown Lexington has a couple of places that are rare these days. One, a downtown grocery store (old school grocery) Conrad and Hinkle. Two, an old hardware store. Downtown grocery and hardware stores have all but gone away, so it is great to see both of these places doing well here. Parking is street parking, at least I didn't find any parking garages or lots. Signs on Main Street state two hour parking which is better than paid meters like you see in other places. There is a depot district in downtown that has a couple of breweries. This section also has a lot of empty buildings that appear to be old textile or furniture companies. This section of town has a lot of promise if they can get the right businesses to come in. Downtown Lexington is a great place for a day trip. Highly recommend it. Outside of downtown For a city of only 18K, you have about every big box store you need. Plenty of grocery store variety as well. There are at least three wineries close by, including Childress Vineyards on the west side of town. Oh and don't forget about the many BBQ places. I85 runs through the city. This gets you to Greensboro to the north and Charlotte to the south. Winston-Salem is a 20 minute or less drive from Lexington which is great.