This marker stands on the grounds of the Wayne County Courthouse, overlooking the Veterans Memorial…read morePark. Freedom of the Press is one of the five freedoms guaranteed under the First Amendment so this is truly important. (Bonus points if you can name the other four without looking them up.) The marker has the same text on both sides. "Organized May 14, 1873. J. A. Engelhard elected first president at meeting held near this spot." On May 14, 1873, newspaper editors from across North Carolina met in Goldsboro to form a permanent association for mutual support and professional standards, electing Major J. A. Englehard as president. They focused on regulating advertising practices, especially targeting dubious patent medicine companies, and named their group the North Carolina Press Association. Beyond its professional aims, the association fostered camaraderie and became a strong advocate for public causes like better roads, education, and local governance. [Review 845 of 2025 - 4275 in North Carolina - 24402 overall] [The other four freedoms in the First Amendment are speech, assembly, religion and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.] [3/20]

This marker is located along a relatively quite road that follows the Neuse River. It points out a…read moreCivil War battle that took place nearby. The marker is on the side of the road and there is room to stop if you wish to read. It says, "On December 15-16, 1862, on a raid at Whitehall, Union troops led by Gen. J. G. Foster damaged the Confederate Ram "Neuse."" Online, there is more information. "The engagement between Federal and Confederate forces at Whitehall (today known as Seven Springs) took place during Union General John G. Foster's raid from New Bern to Goldsboro in late 1862. On December 15, Foster's contingent of three companies of cavalry and several pieces of artillery entered Whitehall, which is located on the south bank of the Neuse River several miles above Kinston, hoping to capture or destroy the railroad bridge and confirm suspicions of Confederate ironclad construction on the river. Upon their arrival, they found the bridge burned by the Confederates in order to protect the ironclad and the opposite bank of the river occupied by several regiments of Confederate troops under the command of Brigadier General B. H. Robertson. During the ensuing battle, which lasted through December 16, the Federal artillery bombarded Confederate positions with such a barrage that the dense woods along the bank were cut down for a quarter of a mile back from the river and construction materials for the ironclad were damaged or destroyed." This is marker number F-44 and some of the letters could use a repainting. [Review 286 of 2024 - 3543 in North Carolina - 21321 overall.]

Many of the markers in the South reference the Colonial times or the Civil War. Markers in the…read morenorth reference Colonial times or the War of 1812. It can be unsettling to spot one that mentions a much more recent conflict and while I am sad for the loss, I am pleased to see it represented here. The marker reads, "Youngest American to be killed in Vietnam War, at age 15. Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps. Grave 1 mile southwest." It is marker F-71 and it was erected in 2017 by North Carolina Office of Archives and History. Online, there is more information. " On June 7, 1969, PFC Dan Bullock, a rifleman in the U.S. Marine Corps, was scurrying about to bolster the ammunition supply of the Second Platoon of Company F at An Hoa Combat Base outside Da Nang, under assault by the North Vietnamese, when he was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy small arms fire. He died shortly thereafter. He was fifteen years old. "Raised in Goldsboro, Dan Bullock, who was African American, was big for his age and thus able to carry off a deception. His mother died when he was eleven and he moved with his father to New York, to the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. At fourteen he altered his birth certificate, changing the year of his birth from 1953 to 1949, and enlisted in the Marines. Training at Parris Island was tough but he survived with the help of fellow soldiers. He had been in Vietnam for just twenty-one days when he was killed. "A week later the New York Times broke the news about Bullock's age and the Defense Department has confirmed that he was the youngest of the war's 58,000 American casualties. Public attention came to his story in 2000 when television talk show host Sally Jesse Raphael purchased a headstone for his grave in Goldsboro. Efforts to memorialize him since have included appeals to the Department of Transportation to name a highway in his honor and to President Barack Obama to award him the Medal of Honor." [Review 750 of 2025 - 4182 in North Carolina - 24310 overall]

I had the opportunity to be incarcerated at this facility in 2023 for 6mths. Although, the…read moresituation was horrific, the experience here was beyond pleasant. Staff members were unbelievably courteous and thoughtful. Operations ran smoothly and as it should. Two memorable members of their staff stood out especially in the best of ways and I will not soon forget their encouragement and the time they took out to have a normal conversation. Stg. Casey and C/O Gurley. The facility is clean, and the environment is very laid back. The energy in this place is very calm (until it's not). And the food is decent. Lol. These people should be the people who train employees of state prisons and jails around the USA! Jhirmick Cabbagestalk

I spent about a half of a day in downtown Kinston. If you are visiting downtown, that's about all…read moreyou really need to spend here. My disclaimer when rating towns and cities, is I rate based on cities of similar size. So I do not compare Kinston to Atlanta for example. Kinston is in the eastern part of NC. Population ~ 20K. Located right on the Neuse river. Several parks in the area. The closest larger city is Greenville. If it wasn't for the Chef and the Farmer, I doubt I would have ever visited Kinston. It just isn't easy to get to, at least for me. Now I was impressed with the downtown area. Most of the buildings were occupied. Several decent shops to see. Art galleries as well. A lot of the shops close around 5 PM so keep that in mind if you visit. Not a lot of bars, but there are places to get a drink, including Mother Earth Brewery. Restaurant scene is decent with low end, diners, middle of the road restaurants and higher end. There is free parking in lots right in downtown. If you are into Civil War history, the CSS Neuse museum is right in downtown. I found downtown safe and not real congested. There were even scooters on the sidewalks for rent. We don't have scooters in Wilmington and they have the here. Crazy.

Downtown Kinston has a lot of potential from restaurants to museums to art galleries to stores. But…read morea lot of these businesses are not open during the advertised hours. There were signs that said "open" but the doors are locked. Then others were "closed" but the opening hours were to be open during that time. At least some businesses were open the day I was in town so I could shop and dine.

This was a conveniently located post office in downtown Kinston. I arrived late on Saturday after…read morethey had already closed but the mail drop outside was easy. Plenty of parking and good access, even for the Sprinter van. [Review 276 of 2024 - 3533 in North Carolina - 21311 overall.]

Levi Wise was absolutely amazing in the situation i needed help with last week. He was very…read moreprofessional and friendly. Amazing officer you guys have,

Wayne County was established on November 2, 1779, during the Revolutionary War, carved from the…read morewestern part of Dobbs County. It was named for General Anthony "Mad Anthony" Wayne, a daring and trusted officer under George Washington. It was settled by English and Scotch-Irish colonists who moved inland from the coastal regions after 1750. The original county seat was Waynesborough, established in 1787 on land owned by Andrew Bass, but it was later moved to Goldsboro in 1850 following public votes in 1845 and 1847. The Wayne County Courthouse was completed in 1913. Designed by prolific architect Frank Pierce Milburn in a Classical Revival style. I've seen other Milburn courthouses including Columbia County (Lake City Florida), Wise County (Virginia), Boyd County (Catlettsburg Kentucky) and Lowndes County (Valdosta Georga). The courthouse absolutely reflects the grandeur and power of the county. Its most striking features are the large porticos on the east, north, and west facades, each supported by four classical columns that rise to pediments at the roofline. Inside, the main courtroom occupies the second floor, serving both the County Superior Court and County District Court of the 8th Judicial District. There is street parking nearby and don't miss Veterans Memorial Park across the street. [Review 752 of 2025 - 4184 in North Carolina - 24312 overall]