Connecting the Docs: True Stories from the Old North State
About
Available on
Community
42 episodes
Welcome back to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus. In the last episode of the series, host John Horan welcomes Digitization Archivist Caitlin Martell and former Connecting the Docs intern and current Assistant Oral Historian Annabeth Poe to discuss an overlooked letter from one of the Archives’ private collections. Caitlin found the letter, written in 1781, while digitizing documents about John Williams, a Granville County lawyer and Continental Congress delegate, for America’s 250th anniversary. The letter caught her eye because within a series of letters about troop rations and political movements, it had an unusual author with an unusual request. A dying Hillsborough woman named Ruthey Jackson was asking Williams to take in her daughter Nancy, who was the result of an affair with one of North Carolina’s most famous Revolutionary War generals. Join us as we discuss the letter, reveal Nancy’s father, and investigate what happened to Ruthey, Nancy, and the other characters in this 1700s soap opera. From the Archives The Letter: PC.176.1: John Williams Papers, 1772-1781 [digitized, pages 65-66], https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/john-williams-papers-1772-1781/425265?item=425574. 21.111.48, 49, and 52: Special Agents’ Reports on Claims, Vol. XI, British Records Series (Microfilm z.5.149N from PRO Series T 79/84, 85 & 88). CR.044.101: Apprentice Bonds and Record, Granville County (Boxes 1-4). CR.044.102: Bastardy Bonds and Records, Granville County (Boxes 1-4). CR.044.510: Guardian Bonds, Granville County, 1758-1927. CR.044.801: Wills, 1749-1968, Granville County. CR.073.101: Apprentice Bonds and Records, 1780-1905, Orange County (Boxes 1-3). CR.073.102: Bastardy Bonds and Records, 1782-1908, undated, Orange County (Boxes 1-3). CR.073.301: Minute Docket, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1752-1868. CR.073.801: Wills, 1752-1968, Orange County. MF-C.012.80001: Brunswick County Wills, 1764-1954. "North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, Orange County, Deeds, 1753-1793, Vol. 1 & 2, images, accessed through FamilySearch. "North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, Orange County, Land Records, 1778 and 1779-1795, images, accessed through FamilySearch. US Census Bureau, 1790 United States Federal Census, New Hanover County, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, images reproduced by FamilySearch (accessible through the Archives). US Census Bureau, 1800 United States Federal Census, Granville County, Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, images reproduced by FamilySearch (accessible through the Archives). Secondary Sources Samuel Ashe, Biographical History of North Carolina Volume III, Greensboro, NC: Charles L. Van Noppen Publisher, 1906, page 129. Mrs. John C. Bernhardt, “Burton, Robert,” North Carolina Encyclopedia (NCPedia), 1979, revised November 2022, https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/burton-robert. Louise Littleton Davis, Nashville Tales, Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Co., 1981. M.M. Edmonds, “Williams, John,” North Carolina Encyclopedia (NCPedia), 1996, https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/williams-john. Marjoleine Kars, Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2002. Ransom McBride, “Claims of British Merchants,” North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal 9, no.3 (1983); 156; 11, no. (1985); 29. John F. Reed, “Nash, Francis,” North Carolina Encyclopedia (NCPedia), 1991, https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/nash-francis. Steven E. Siry’s Liberty’s Fallen Generals: Leadership and Sacrifice in the American War of Independence, Washington, DC: Potomac Books, 2012.
Welcome back to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus. In this second episode, former Connecting the Docs Intern and current Assistant Oral Historian Annabeth Poe takes the hosting stage and interviews Friends of the Archives 2023 Summer Intern Hannah Nicholson about her project, creating a LibGuide about the records of marginalized communities in the General Assembly records from the years of early statehood, 1777 to 1789. What started as a research question into these records stemming from the Archives’ continued efforts to prepare for America’s 250th anniversary became a much larger project as more records of various categories emerged. Hannah and Annabeth discuss two incredible stories in particular: the fascinating emancipation of Hannah Bowers by Margaret Gaston (yes, the Gaston family for which the county is named) and the roller-coaster saga of Ned Griffin, an enslaved man who was promised freedom by his enslaver if he would serve in his place in the Revolutionary War. Learn how both stories as well as the other records documenting women’s history, African American history, American Indian history, and religious minority communities show how the bills, resolutions, petitions, and other legal records of the General Assembly have incredible significance to the social and cultural history of North Carolina. Please note that the LibGuide discussed in this episode is undergoing final edits. Look for it on the State Archives website later this year! Records cited: All records from General Assembly Record Group, General Assembly Session Records, 1777-1789. May 15: Senate bill to give Ned Griffin his freedom (petition and messages only), May 15, 1784, General Assembly Session Records, April-June 1784, Box 3. Dec. 12: House bill to emancipate Hannah, alias Hannah Bowers, of the estate of Alexander Gaston (with petition), December 12, 1786. General Assembly Session Records, November 1786-January 1787, Box 3.
Welcome to the final series of Season 4, “Uncovered Stories.” In this series, you’ll hear about incredible records that archivists uncovered during work assigned for other, sometimes unrelated projects. These discoveries add new significant research topics to collections held by the State Archives for decades and shine a light on people and subjects upon which previous collection guides did not focus. In this first episode, host John Horan and regular panelist Josh Hager are joined by State Agency Description Archivist Alexandra Dowrey and Digital Description Archivist Caroline Waller. Over the past two years, Alexandra and Caroline have worked on a large-scale project to modernize the housing and description for the Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, a massive collection of financial records dating from colonial times to the early 20th century. While they expected to find some documentation of enslaved labor, especially in records pertaining to the State Capitol building, the volume and scope of these records across various parts of the collection was a major discovery. In this episode, Alexandra and Caroline will discuss the important and often heart-wrenching accounts that they have catalogued in this collection. Among other stories, you’ll learn about how enslaved laborers working on the Capitol’s construction had the well-honed skills of a master artisan and how a series documenting import and export taxes include record of the trafficking of eighty enslaved persons to work on infrastructure projects in the Great Dismal Swamp. As you might expect, this episode includes frank discussions of slavery and the daily life of enslaved persons. This episode may prove upsetting to some listeners. Our hope is that this episode will bring new attention to this collection that will enable the proper acknowledgement of these enslaved individuals and to enable further historical and genealogical research. Sources: Confiscated Lands, Halifax County, 1780-1809. Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, SR.204.22.014. Eighty enslaved Africans arrived at Port Roanoke on the Brig Camden on June 10, 1786. Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, Ports, SR.204.40.033. Navigation and Canal Companies: Cape Fear and Deep River Navigation Company, Payrolls, November 1859, Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, SR.204.10.013. Public Claims of Individuals Against the State, 1733-1769, Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, SR.204.41.001. State House: Pay Claims, Warrants, and Receipts, 1821; State House: Hire of Enslaved Persons, 1821; State Capitol: Laborer’s Pay and Enslaved Labor, 1837-1839 in Receipts and Pay Claims, Capital Buildings, Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, SR.204.8.
Have you ever wanted to ask an archivist why your photos are fading away? Or why only some records are digitized? Or whether they actually wear white gloves when handling old records? Well, good news! In this episode, our archivists will answer questions just like these that have been sent in from listeners like you! Inspired by the annual #AskAnArchivist day on social media and other popular programs, this episode will cover best practices for preserving family records, how archivists decide what to digitize, tips for researching at the State Archives, and more! Also be sure to check out the links below for further resources! Suggested Resources for Preservation: Northeast Document Conservation Center: https://www.nedcc.org/ Quick Preservation Tips: https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2015/04/27/quick-preservation-tips/ Family Oral History: https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2021/07/01/family-oral-histories-introduction-and-planning/ UNC-G Scrapbook Collection: https://gateway.uncg.edu/islandora/object/ua%3AUA0111?page=3&display=grid Protecting Records: https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2021/04/30/mayday-saving-our-archives-2021-protecting-your-important-books-papers-and-photographs/ Suggested Resources for Research: North Carolina Digital Collections: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/ Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/ NC Land Grants: https://nclandgrants.com/ NC Maps: https://web.lib.unc.edu/nc-maps/ TranscribeNC: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/researchers/transcribenc Journey of an Archival Record – Digitization and Access: https://connectingdocs.podbean.com/e/the-journey-of-an-archival-record-part-iii-digitization-and-access/ DOC Search Guides: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/documents/doc-search-guides State Library’s Genealogy Guides: https://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/research/research-guides-and-tools#Genealogy-41
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we conclude our three-part series exploring the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we are joined by Secretary D. Reid Wilson for a special retrospective interview. We learn about the origins of the Year of the Trail Campaign, some of the great trail events that have gone on around the state, and we discuss finding peace through hiking. Primary Sources: General Assembly Session Records, May Session 1973, House Bill 436, “An Act to Create a Scenic and Recreation Trails System and to Provide for the Designation, Administration, Regulation, and Acquisition of Scenic Trails and Trail Rights-of-Way,” SR.66.8 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesLevelId:series-31391 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesLevelId:series-31391 Secondary Sources: https://www.dncr.nc.gov/programs-services/featured-programs/nc-path https://greattrailsnc.com/ https://www.alltrails.com/?ref=header Other Links: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/collections/carolina-christmas
Happy Holidays! We all have heard of presidential pardons for turkeys at Thanksgiving. Of course, we know that since the first state constitution in 1776, North Carolina governors have had the ability to declare executive clemency to people. But have you heard of a governor pardoning a possum? In this episode we are joined by Records Description Archivist Mike Childs to learn about Slow Poke the Possum of Harnett County, the only possum to be officially pardoned from his sentence to be eaten! Slow Poke’s incredible journey begins in 1970, when he was entered into a beauty contest. The winner of the contest would be subject to Possum Pickin’ Day, a celebration championed by North Carolina Governor Bob Scott, who often partook in eating possums, a rural delicacy. When Slow Poke won the beauty contest and his fate was set, public outcry led Governor Scott to make history by pardoning the possum from becoming his next main course. Long live Slow Poke! Resources: SR.370.2.242: Governor Robert Scott Record Group, General Correspondence, Governor's File, Political Folder - Releases, Press, January-March: Proclamations Folder (Box 242) SR.370.2.257: General Correspondence, Governor's File, Statements, E-Q: Folder H (Box 257) SR.370.2.257: General Correspondence, Governor's File, Statements, E-Q: Folder P-Q (Box 257) SR.370.17.7: Executive Mansion Files, 1970 Correspondence, August-December; Invitations Declined, January-February (Box 7) PC.1317: Robert Scott II Papers, 2011 Addition, Scrapbooks
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we continue our three-part series exploring the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we take a look at the oldest trail system in our state – Indian Trading Paths. Long before Europeans arrived in the New World, American Indians utilized a network of trails and pathways across the Southeast for travel, hunting, recreation, communication, and general cultural exchange. As the area was settled by colonizers, these paths became essential in their daily life, as well. Listen in as we discuss the original main streets of North Carolina. Primary Sources: Outer Banks History Center Monographs (Single Volumes), “A New Voyage to Carolina,” John Lawson, (1709) 1967, 33BOK-0-59, https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/lawson/menu.html, https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:759043 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:759043 NC Maps, North Carolina Colony and State Maps, “An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina With Their Indian Frontiers, Shewing in a distinct manner all the Mountains, Rivers, Swamps, Marshes, Bays, Creeks, Harbours, Sandbanks and Soundings on the Coasts; with The Roads and Indian Paths; as well as The Boundary or Provincial Lines, The Several Townships and other divisions of the Land in Both Provinces; the whole from Actual Surveys by Henry Mouzon and Others (color facsimile),” (1775) 1967, MC.150.1775m.fac2 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:155991 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:155991 Secretary of State, Land Warrants, Plats of Survey and Related Land Grant Records, Granville County, File No. 910, Michael Synnott, 1752, ID: 12.14.66.905, SSLG 57J https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:444272 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:444272 Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s Papers, Indian Affairs and Lands, Cherokee Nation, “For burying Cherokee warrior Saloe on his return from Governor of Virginia,” 1770, Box 1, SR.204.18 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:559906 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:559906 British Records, Colonial Office: America and West Indies - Original Correspondence, Board of Trade and Secretary of State (CO 5/1-187), Secretary of State: Dispatches and Miscellaneous (CO 5/4), “Articles of Friendship and Commerce, proposed by the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations, to the Deputies of the Cherokee Nation . . .,” 7 Sep. 1730, ID: 21.20.3.11 https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr03-0067, https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:628689 British Records, Colonial Office: America and West Indies - Original Correspondence, Board of Trade and Secretary of State (CO 5/1-187), Secretary of State: Dispatches and Miscellaneous (CO 5/4), “Response of the Cherokee Chiefs to the Treaty Proposed by the Board of Trade,” 9 Sep. 1730, ID: 21.20.3.12 https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr03-0067, https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:628690 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:628690 An Interview with Gregory Richardson (b. 1951), 2023-01-26. ID: OH.010.003. American Indian Heritage Commission Oral History Project https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1165996 Secondary Sources: NCPedia, “Indian Trading Paths,” Tom Magnuson, 2006, https://www.ncpedia.org/indian-trading-paths “The Trading Path and North Carolina,” Rebecca Taft Fecher, Vol. 3, No. 2, Fall 2008, UNC Greensboro – Journal of Backcountry Studies, https://libjournal.uncg.edu/index.php/jbc/article/viewFile/26/15 The American Indian in North Carolina, Douglas L. Rights, 1957, Publisher: University of Michigan – J. F. Blair “Tracing the Trading Path,” Mark Chilton, 24 Feb. 2014, OrangePolitics.org, https://orangepolitics.org/2014/02/tracing-the-trading-path “The Indian trading path and colonial settlement development in the North Carolina Piedmont,” Gladys Rebecca Dobbs, May 2007, UNC Chapel Hill – Carolina Digital Repository, https://cdr.lib.unc.edu/concern/dissertations/d791sh108?locale=en
2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the NC Trails System Act, and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is celebrating with the Year of the Trail campaign, where all types of trails are being celebrated across the state. Join us as we embark on a three-part series where we explore the “sights, sounds, and people” of North Carolina’s trail system. In this episode, we leave the recording studio to take a hike ourselves along the Neuse River Greenway Trail in Raleigh’s own Anderson Point Park. While enjoying the trail, we’ll discuss the beginnings of the North Carolina Trails Committee after it was founded in the 1970s, specifically their efforts to develop the Mountains to the Sea Trail, designed to connect the state from the mountains to the coast. Sources: General Assembly Session Records, May Session 1973, House Bill 436, “An Act to Create a Scenic and Recreation Trails System and to Provide for the Designation, Administration, Regulation, and Acquisition of Scenic Trails and Trail Rights-of-Way,” SR.66.8 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesLevelId:series-31391 Parks and Recreation Record Group, Planning and Special Studies Section: North Carolina Trails Program File, Boxes 1-4, SR.85.35 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:695971 “Speech by Howard N. Lee, Sept. 9, 1977,” Natural Resources and Community Development Record Group, SR.82.49, Box 02709-0002 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:695140
As the conclusion of our Resiliency series, this episode shifts our focus from stories of the resilience of individual North Carolinians to information on how the State Archives can help government agencies throughout the state remain resilient in the face of disasters. In this episode, Records Description Unit Supervisor Josh Hager welcomes Records Management Consultant for Disaster Preparedness and Essential Records Kayla Leonard and Reference Archivist Katie Crickmore to the show to discuss the essential role that the State Archives has in helping agencies prepare for the effects of disasters on their records. You'll get the chance to play along as a records manager as Kayla and Josh lead Katie on a tour of the basics of identifying essential records and planning for disasters. We’ll discuss how to identify what’s essential (hint: it’s not always the most historically significant records). We’ll also play a game where you get to identify the hazards to records in an everyday workplace. You'll learn that a COOP isn’t just for chickens but is instead a critical step in disaster preparedness. Finally, you’ll learn what basic steps you can take immediately after a records disaster. Find the Hazard Game: If you cannot access the images, please visit our blog: https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2023/10/11/resiliency-in-records-management-disaster-preparedness-and-protecting-essential-records/ Additional Resources: Contact Kayla Leonard at kayla.leonard@dncr.nc.gov Records Management Tools: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/rm-tools Disaster Preparedness Resources: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/researchers/preservation/disaster-preparedness Essential Records Overview: https://www.statearchivists.org/programs/emergency-preparedness/essential-records-er-course/handouts-essential-records-er-course/
Resiliency is the capacity to withstand or to recover quickly from difficulties, or, to put it simply, fortitude. In the previous episode, we heard four stories of North Carolinians showing resiliency in the face of historic hurricanes, but hurricanes aren’t the only type of bad weather our state has faced. This episode showcases four more stories of resiliency shown by North Carolina citizens when facing other major storms and natural disasters. Join us as we discuss the Southern Railway Company’s emergency response to a historic mountain flood, Rebecca B. Cullum’s overcoming her fears to deliver help after a coastal blizzard, the community of Red Springs coming together to rebuild after a tornado outbreak, and the multi-agency efforts to control a blaze in a wildfire hotspot. Whether it’s individuals risking their lives for others, agencies funneling resources into rescue operations or communities coming together to rebuild, North Carolinians are absolutely resilient! Tornado Maps: Wildfire Map: Sources: The Floods of July, 1916: How the Southern Railway Organization Met an Emergency, 1917, Outer Banks History Center Monographs, ID: 33BOK-0-293 https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p249901coll37/id/4917/rec/41 Flood Near Railroad Depot, Asheville, North Carolina, 1916 (1998), General Negative Collection, Record ID: N.98.10.47 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:252484 The Lincoln County News, 27 Jul 1916, Pg. 1, “Railway People Hard at It,” LinLCN.4 An Interview with Frances Cullom Morgan (b. 1948), 2021-05-19 [1:00:25] ID: OH.GEN.001 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1154702 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1154702 The Rocky Mount Evening Telegram, Rocky Mount, NC, 7 Mar 1962, Pg. 1 “Outer Banks Area Isolated by Big Storm,” [Newspapers.com] Spen-a-Rest Beach Cottages, Kitty Hawke, NC, March 1962 just after the Ash Wednesday Storm, 2015; 1962 ID: N.2015.3.3 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:258979 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:258979 Red Springs Citizen Photograph Collection, 1984 TO 2005, ID: PHC.296 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1144282 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1144282 News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, 01 April 1984, Pg. 1, “From Ravaged Ruins, Spirit of Recovery Stirs in Red Springs,” [Newspapers.com] Indian Affairs Record Group, Tornado Disaster, 1984, ID: SR.111.6.025 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1140402 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:1140402 Forest Resources Record Group, Fire Control Section: Fire Reports File, ID: 84.14 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:695586 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:695586 The Robesonian, Lumberton, NC, 5 Apr. 1955, Pg. 1, 4 “Forest Fires Rage in Eastern Areas,” and Pg. 4 “Losses Mount as Fires Rage Out of Control,” [Newspapers.com]
North Carolina is no stranger to hurricanes. According to the National Hurricane Center, North Carolina is number 4 on the list of states most affected by hurricanes and throughout the state’s recorded history, hurricanes have been responsible for nearly 1,000 total fatalities and over $15 billion in damages. Yet time and time again, the citizens of North Carolina have shown their resilient nature in the face of these storms. This episode showcases four stories of resiliency brought on by four of the strongest hurricanes in our state’s history. Join us as we discuss Jesse Stevens Taylor’s dedication to her storm warning post during Hurricane Hazel, Rasmus Midgett’s heroic one-man rescue after the San Ciriaco Hurricane, New Bern’s preparation for the Revolutionary War amid the Independence Hurricane, and the town of Princeville’s persevering spirit after Hurricane Floyd. Whether it’s individuals risking their lives for others, agencies funneling resources into rescue operations or communities coming together to rebuild, North Carolinians are absolutely resilient! Sources: “Weather Watcher,” Our State Magazine, May 2006, Vol. 73, no. 12, State Library, https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/our-state/1100309 Governor Luther Hodges Papers, General Correspondence (Civil Defense subject file) Box 260. SR.367.1 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:738923 Carolina Power and Light Photograph Collection, Hurricane Hazel ID: PhC.68.1.471.1-4 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:70597 “North Carolina’s Hurricane History: Fourth Edition, Updated with a Decade of New Storms from Isabel to Sandy,” Jay Barnes, UNC Press Books, 2013 Herbert Hutchinson Brimley Photograph Collection, 1880-1977 - Wreck of the Priscilla, Hatteras, NC, 1899. ID: PhC.42.Bx6.Boats.F19 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:912431 The Story of Rasmus Midgett: Lifesaver, 1900-1999, ID: VT.119 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:866110 “Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story of the Deadly Storm at the Deciding Moment of the American Revolution,” Tony Williams, Sourcebooks, Inc., 2009 British Records, Royal Observatory, Charles Town, [South Carolina]. William De Brahm [surveyor general, southern department] to the Earl of Dartmouth [William Legge, secretary of state]. 8 Dec., 1775 ID: 21.20.64.1 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:629462 North Carolina Newspaper Collection, Virginia Gazette or Norfolk Intelligencer, “Extract of a Letter from Newbern, in North Carolina, dated September 9, 1775,” 21 Oct 1775, page 2, NSP.5 https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/DigitalLibrary/va-gazettes/VGSinglePage.cfm?issueIDNo=75.DH.49&page=2&res=LO Temporary Housing Section, Information Management Unit: Photograph File, 1999-2002 ID: SR.56.7 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:659101 Governor James Hunt, Emergency Management File, 1999-2001. SR.374.32 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:748121 Water damage in Princeville, North Carolina, Hurricane Floyd, October 13, 1999, 1999 ID: N.2000.2.49 https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov//solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:254662
Appalachian music has a rich history in western North Carolina. Native American and African American music cultures melded with the ballad-singing traditions of Scots-Irish settlers in the 1700s. In the years that followed, western and piedmont musicians crafted signature styles of banjo picking in old-time and bluegrass music. Today, the sounds of Appalachia can be heard in a range of musical genres, from country to blues and beyond. In this episode, oral history interns Fiona Allen and Bree Dumont introduce the Connecting the Docs crew to some Appalachian music traditions as we listen to Ashe County fiddler Howard Miller, explore the history of the banjo, and learn how musicians and historians alike have worked to preserve this unique heritage. Sources Mentioned: Miller, Howard, and Miller, Haroldean, c. 1970s, Unpublished cassette tape recording. Included in National Historic Register nomination AH0023, prepared by Sarah Woodard, approved September 24, 2001. https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/nr/AH0023.pdf Sharp, C. J. (1973). English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, 1973. Oxford University Press. Outer Banks History Center, OBHC:15C4. North Carolina Arts Council Record Group. Folklife Section: Projects File, 1852-2013, bulk 1990-2010. Finding aid available in DOC: https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:703807 Lunsford, B. L. (1925). “Old Gray Mare.” Robert Winslow Gordon Cylinder Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress. Available at https://www.loc.gov/audio/?q=Bascom%20Lunsford&loclr=fbafc&fbclid=IwAR2XizdU1GGzqy3UqWuAMmt08VFMjnfN6axeFjt6sUPrvv45vbOht95jdIs North Carolina Folklore Journal, 1948-2019, published by North Carolina Folklore Society. Available at https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/nc-folklore-journal.
The dialect traditionally spoken in the western parts of North Carolina goes by many names—Smoky Mountain English, Southern Mountain Talk, and Appalachian Dialect, to name a few. In this episode, oral history interns Fiona Allen and Bree Dumont lead host John Horan and guests Brooke Csuka and Josh Hager on a lexicological journey through this most colorful patois. Learn about how this dialect combines influences from surrounding states as well as multiple cultures, including members of the Cherokee Nation, the African diaspora, and immigrants from all over western Europe. Following the lesson, Fiona and Bree quiz John, Brooke, and Josh on the meaning of several words found in collections in the State Archives and State Library of North Carolina holdings. Do you know the Appalachian dialect meaning of “granny woman,” “airish,” or “booger”? You’ll find out those surprising definitions and many more in this installment of Connecting the Docs. Sources Mentioned: Suggested Archival Collections: North Carolina Arts Council Record Group. Folklife Section: Resource File, 1796-2011. Finding aid available in DOC: https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/solrDetailPages/series/NCA/Series_detail.html?fq=seriesRid:703805. Western Regional Archives collections. Explore their finding aids on our website: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/researchers/finding-aids/western-regional-archives-finding-aids Other Works Cited: “Dialect Words in North Carolina.” Tar Heel Junior Historian, 2006 Spring, Volume 45, No. 2. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. George Hovis, “The Art of Healing: An Interview with Lee Smith.” North Carolina Literary Review, 2021, No. 30, Pages 7-21. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. Margaret Bauer, “Genre Conventions with a Half-Twist: An Interview with Charles Frazier.” North Carolina Literary Review, 2013, No. 22, Pages 21-42. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, “Conservation and Industry.” 1932, Volume 8, No. 1. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, “North Carolina Manual,” 1945-1946. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. Tar Heel Junior Historian, 1979 Fall, Volume 19, No. 1. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina. Tar Heel Junior Historian, 2005 Fall, Volume 45, No. 1, Page 22. North Carolina State Documents Collection, State Library of North Carolina.
For this episode our HBCU/MIHE summer intern Tyanna West chats with renowned historian and author Dr. David Cecelski about Abraham Hankins Galloway, an abolitionist, union spy, and North Carolina state senator from Brunswick County. Cecelski’s biography, The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves’ Civil War, illuminates a portrait of this little-known hero who ascended from the bondage of slavery to become one of the most important Black leaders during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Cecelski shares his research process, what drew him to the life of Abraham Galloway, and why he thinks many don’t know or share Galloway's story. Sources mentioned: Cecelski, David S. 2015. The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves’ Civil War. Chapel Hill: University Of North Carolina Press.
Each summer the Outer Banks History Center welcomes an intern to its archives on Roanoke Island. Named after the History Center’s founder and legendary Outer Banks historian, David Stick, the annual internship offers students pursuing graduate degrees in library science the opportunity to engage in a range of projects. In this week’s episode, the 2022 summer intern and dual-degree graduate student at Simmons University, Johnna Purchase, shares her experience processing the John Wilson IV Papers, which document the range of contributions Wilson made to the development of the town of Manteo through his many years of service as the town’s mayor. Through his work as a professional architect, Wilson’s designs proved essential to developing the island vernacular style of building unique to the Outer Banks. Purchase joins host John Horan and regular panelist Josh Hager to discuss her time processing an archival collection, conducting oral history with a local fishing legend from Ocracoke, creating a reading room exhibit, her chance meeting with the collection’s donor, and all the Outer Banks history, geography, and culture that surprised her along the way! Sources Mentioned: An Interview with Stanley Beacham, 2021. Oral History Interviews with Outer Banks Residents, AV.5214.50. Outer Banks History Center. All other items discussed herein can be found in the John F. Wilson IV Papers, 1980-2008, ca. 1980s-2008, Outer Banks History Center.
Inspired by the bestselling novel and film adaptation Where the Crawdads Sing, Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the wild marshes of eastern North Carolina. This episode dives deep into oysters and oystering, a major industry of the state for more than a century. In 1891, conflict between local fishermen and northern opportunists, who illegally dredged oysters from the coast, erupted into what became known as the Oyster Wars of North Carolina. Though no documentation indicates that either side escalated to violence, legend tells a different story. Outer Banks History Center director Samantha Crisp shares this tale and more food for thought with host John Horan in this final episode of our three-part series inspired by Where the Crawdads Sing. Sources Mentioned Images can be found at the OBHC’s oystering flickr album https://www.flickr.com/photos/obhc/albums/72157720066844765 Map of Pamlico Sound and Tributaries, Showing the Natural and Artificial Oyster Beds, the Depth and Specific Gravity of the Water, the Character of the Bottom, and the Limits of the Sections as Determined by Lt. Francis Winslow, USN, circa 1886. 33MAP-0-529, Outer Banks History Center. [Digital copy linked here https://i0.wp.com/ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/33MAP-0-529-page-001-1.jpg?ssl=1] Winslow, Francis. Report on the Waters of North Carolina: With Reference to Their Possibilities for Oyster Culture; Together with the Results Obtained by the Surveys Directed by the Resolution of the General Assembly, Ratified March 11, 1885. Raleigh: P.M. Hale, State Printer and Binder, 1886. [Digital copy linked here https://www.google.com/books/edition/Report_on_the_Waters_of_North_Carolina_w/QGM9AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0] Carter, Kathleen. The Oyster Wars of Pamlico Sound, circa 1994. 33BOK-0-10477, Outer Banks History Center. PC.5033, Letter to T. S. Meekins from D.O. Midgett requesting an oyster license for John Simpson of the sloop Green, 23 November 1900, Outer Banks History Center. [Digital copy linked here https://i0.wp.com/ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PC5033_DOMidgettLetter-1.jpg?ssl=1] Handwritten account by Allen Taylor of Sealevel, North Carolina, 1956, recalling his days as an oysterman on the schooner J.J. Taylor in the 1880s. From box 250, PC.5001, David Stick Papers, Outer Banks History Center. North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey. Bulletin No. 15: Experiments in Oyster Culture in Pamlico Sound North Carolina. Raleigh: The Survey, 1915. [Digital copy linked here https://files.nc.gov/ncdeq/Energy%20Mineral%20and%20Land%20Resources/Geological%20Survey/Bulletins_NCGS/NCGS_Bulletin_15_Oyster_Culture_in_Pamlico_Sound.pdf] Office of the Secretary of State Records. Land Office (State), Shellfish Franchises, Oyster Bed Surveys. Carteret County Records. Oyster Bed Records. CR.019.928, Miscellaneous Records. "An act for the better protection of the oyster interests of North Carolina and for other purposes." Laws and resolutions of the State of North Carolina, passed by the General Assembly at its session of 1891. Raleigh, N.C.: Edwards and Broughton.1891. p.43. http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,434319 "An act to promote and protect the oyster interests of the state." Laws and resolutions of the State of North Carolina, passed by the General Assembly at its session of 1891. Raleigh, N.C.: Edwards and Broughton. 1891. p.369. http://digital.ncdcr.gov/u?/p249901coll22,434645
Content warning: This episode includes potentially sensitive issues including suicide and death. Listener discretion is advised. Inspired by Where the Crawdads Sing—the bestselling novel by Delia Owens and now-streaming film—Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the coastal communities of eastern North Carolina. In this episode, host John Horan, regular guest Josh Hager, and Samantha Crisp, director of the Outer Banks History Center, examine school records, truancy, and public education. Join in as they investigate the history of Rosenwald schools—more than 800 public schools built for African American students in North Carolina prior to desegregation in the 1960s—and learn from the personal experience of former Rosenwald school student Sharon Davis through excerpts from her oral history interview. Afterward, Samantha Crisp narrates the wildest truancy case in North Carolina’s recorded history. Through criminal action court records, personal letters, and newspaper coverage, she explores the curious case against the DeFebio family of Dare County, who objected to sending their children to public school. The controversy includes media battles, prison time, hunger strikes, kidnapping charges, and so much more. Sources Mentioned: An Interview with Sharon Davis (b. 1956), 2021. School Integration and Desegregation Oral History Project, OH.SchoolIntegration.002. School Planning Building Photographs digital collection. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/school-planning Department of Public Instruction Records, Division of Negro Education Records and Special Subject File on Rosenwald Schools. Miscellaneous Records, 1821-1966, Dare County (N.C.). Clerk of Superior Court, CR.031.928. State vs. Frank J. DeFabio, 1951, N.C. Supreme Court, CR.031.326. State vs. Mrs. Theo DeFabio, 1962, N.C. Supreme Court, CR.031.326. Research material on Frank DeFebio, from the David Stick Papers, box 272, PC.5001, Outer Banks History Center. Correspondence re: Frank DeFebio Monument, from the Frank Stick Papers, box 9, PC.5089, Outer Banks History Center. Articles and Letters on the DeFebio Family and School Integration, 1951-1961, from the D. Victor Meekins Papers, box 63, PC.5126, Outer Banks History Center.
Inspired by Where the Crawdads Sing—the bestselling novel by Delia Owens that is now a major motion picture—Connecting the Docs explores true stories that happened in the wild marshes of eastern North Carolina. This episode, the first of a three-part series, is an examination of the resilient, dynamic Black communities that inhabited this land in the 18th and 19th centuries. Samantha Crisp, director of the Outer Banks History Center, and Morgan Johnson, oral history assistant, lead host John Horan into North Carolina’s maroon communities, like those hidden in the Great Dismal Swamp, as well as post-Civil War villages of emancipated African Americans, such as the Roanoke Island Freedmen’s Colony and James City. These communities come to life through the voices of descendants, presented in fascinating clips of oral history interviews held at the State Archives. Sources Mentioned: Olmsted, Frederick Law. A Journey in the Seaboard Slave States; With Remarks on Their Economy. New York; London: Dix and Edwards; Sampson Low, Son & co., 1856. Published online by Documenting the American South. University Library, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/olmsted/menu.html An Interview with Marilyn Morrison (b. 1950), 2021, Roanoke-Hatteras Tribe Oral History Project, OH.RHTRIBE.001. An Interview with Gemaine Gillis (b. 1947), 2021, Roanoke-Hatteras Tribe Oral History Project, OH.RHTRIBE.002. An Interview with Leesa P. Jones (b. 1951), 2020, She Changed the World Oral History Project, OH.SHE.017 Interview with Darrell Colllins on Outer Banks Black History (Dare County Current TV), 17 February 2021, AV_5319_03. Outer Banks History Center. James A. Bryan and wife vs. Washington Spivey et al. from North Carolina Reports [1890 : February, v.106]. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Supreme Court, Judicial Department, 1890. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll14/id/86257/rec/1 Mobley, Joe A. James City, a black community, 1863-1900. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1980. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll6/id/982/rec/7 Photograph of James City School, a Rosenwald Fund school, Craven County [c. 1924-1925]. Department of Public Instruction: School Planning Section, School Photographs File, Box 3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/51417673688/in/photolist-at618p-2mi6Lnj-2mi6Khi-Sw1Mrq-2miaCzE-RYaCpa-2mi1ygQ-2mi1xF1-2mi5qUg-2mi9ecU-Td5nLx-SCcUo9-T9tPod-2mkB22j/
The True Crime genre seems to have exploded in popularity in recent years, but, truthfully, people have always had a fascination with sensational crime stories. Long before podcasts, musicians transformed these true crime tales into popular songs that have been sung and passed along for hundreds of years. In this special Halloween episode, reference archivist Katie Crickmore breaks down five popular North Carolina murder ballads and the true stories that inspired them. John, Josh, and Katie also examine archival records found in the State Archives that back up or refute the narrative of these songs. Tune in and make up your own mind about what happened in these cases. Sources Mentioned: General Murder, Mystery, and Mayhem in the Old North State – Office of Archives and History Blog: https://medium.com/murder-mystery-and-mayhem-in-the-old-north-state Omie Wise Randolph County, Superior Court Minutes, 1807, C.081.30008 Randolph County, Criminal Action Papers, 1807-1813, CR.081.326.10 Randolph County, Superior Court Minutes, 1811, CRX 86 Randolph County, Miscellaneous Records, CR.081.928.1 Randolph County, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1815, C.081.317 Frankie Silver Burke County, Criminal Action Papers, 1832, CR.014.326.3 Burke County, Superior Court Minutes, 1832, CR.014.321.1 Several Petitions for Pardon to Gov. Swain, Mar-Jun 1833, GP.66-67 Tom Dula Tom Dula Papers, PC.1272 NC Supreme Court, State v. Thomas Dula, Jan 1867, Case No. 8922 NC Supreme Court, State v. Thomas Dula, Jan 1868, Case No. 8923 Wilkes County, Criminal Action File, 1866, CR.104.326 Wilkes County, Superior Court Minute Docket, 1868, CR.104.311.4 Ellen Smith Forsyth County, Superior Court Minutes, 1886, CR.038.311.6 Forsyth County, Superior Court Minutes, 1893, CR.038.311.8 Lawson Family NC Death Certificates, Stokes County, 25 Dec 1929, Lawson Family Stokes County, Deeds, Charlie and Fannie Lawson, Bk. 75 Pg.360 Stokes County, Record of Administration, Lawson Family, 1929, Vol. 2 Stokes County, Record of Accounts, Lawson Family, 1929-19
In this final episode of our first series for season 3, we reach the end of our journey in the life of an archival record. As you’ve been listening to the past two episodes, you may have asked yourself – but what’s the end goal? Where is all of this work – retention, scheduling, appraisal, processing, imaging – heading? In today’s episode, Chauna Carr from the Digital Access Branch, Lauren McCoy from the Public Services Branch, and Josh Hager from the Records Description Unit discuss the end goal of everything we do at the State Archives: public access. We’ll talk about why we digitize records, how we decide what to digitize, and how to access materials that aren’t digitized – because only a fraction of our records are or ever will be digitized! Tune in to find out the answer to one of the most popular questions an archivist hears these days: why aren’t all of your records available online, and how to get help from reference archivists when they aren’t! Sources Mentioned: Women, Marriage, and the Law, a part of the Studies in Scarlet Project: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/women-marriage-and-the-law Lillian Exum Clement Stafford materials are available in the Women in North Carolina 20th Century History collection: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/women-in-nc General Assembly Session Records: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/general-assembly-session-records Treasurer & Comptroller’s Finding Aid: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll15/id/1570/rec/1 The State Archives’ Online Catalog, DOC: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/search-catalog/search-doc Information on Ordering Records: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/researchers/services/ordering-copies African American Education Collection: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/african-american-education (includes records from the early 20th century Division of Negro Education) Blog post from History for All the People about the conservation of the earliest admissions log from Dorothea Dix Hospital: https://ncarchives.wpcomstaging.com/2021/11/02/conservation-treatment-of-the-dorothea-dix-hospital-register/
Those of you who have visited the State Archives may be familiar with the sight of boxes containing processed records in orderly rows of labelled, acid-free folders. But you may wonder: how do these records go from their unprocessed state upon transfer to the arranged and described collections that you encounter in the search room? How do archivists determine what records to process? Do all records get processed to the same level? And why does the State Archives reformat records and continue to use microfilm? In today’s episode, State Agency Archivist Alex Dowrey and Digital Access Manager Ruth Cody will shed light on some of these questions and share illuminating details about what goes on behind –the scenes to preserve records and to promote access and discovery. You’ll also hear about fascinating records that Alex and Ruth have processed over the years, ranging from broiler chicken competition recipes found in Commissioner of Agriculture records to letters discussing Jim Crow culture in the south in the African American Social Work Collection. Sources Mentioned: Letters to Lt. Oxley, Stenographer/Typist Folder, African American Social Work Collection also known as Bureau of Work Among Negroes. SR.097.113.033 Recipes from the cooking competition are in the “March 1969” and “Articles, 1980” folders in the Commissioner's Office: Speeches File series, SR.7.33 (SCHEDS-37726). The Division of Emergency Management scrapbooks that contain newspaper clippings and other records of civil defense activities are in the Intelligence Section, Public Information Officer: Scrapbooks series, SR.56.2. (Note: these records are currently being processed to address preservation concerns. Please contact the search room in advance for access). The Rockingham County divorces are in the Divorce Records subgroup, CR.084.604.
Welcome back to Connecting the Docs! In this brand new season, we have several mini-series covering a range of topics including a look west with information about “Mountain Speak” and a series on the true stories of Coastal Carolina inspired by the film, Where the Crawdads Sing. We open season three in Raleigh, with our first series, “The Journey of an Archival Record.” In this three-part series, you’ll hear from archivists who normally work behind the scenes about how a document created by a state agency becomes a part of the collections of the State Archives of North Carolina. In the first episode, Appraisal Archivist Colin Reeve and Records Description Unit Supervisor Josh Hager tell John about the first stage in this process: records retention and appraisal. This episode has a little bit of everything: You’ll learn how even a sticky note can become a public record, how a retention schedule can help agencies whittle down their records to a small percentage that comes to the Archives, and how an agency could (legally) destroy a record using an acid vat! We hope you appraise this episode as a great return to the show. Links: Functional Schedule for Records Retention and Disposition for State Agencies: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/state-government-agencies/functional-schedule Records Management Frequently Asked Questions: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/records-management-tools/faq Tutorials created by the Records Analysis Unit of the State Archives: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/training/online-tutorials-and-resources https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/training/online-tutorials-and-resources General Statute 121: https://www.ncleg.gov/Laws/GeneralStatuteSections/Chapter121 General Statute 132: https://www.ncleg.gov/Laws/GeneralStatuteSections/Chapter132
In this special hour-long episode and season finale of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, State Archivist Sarah Koonts and Becky McGee-Lankford, assistant state records administrator, introduce us to America250, the nationwide commemoration to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding. North Carolina’s programming will highlight historical events of the Revolution as well as the ideals of liberty, courage, sacrifice, civic responsibility, and progress that have developed in the years since. To kick off preparations for this momentous occasion, Koonts and McGee-Lankford share inspiring records in the State Archives that embody these ideals and bring history to life: a 1776 letter from John Adams that later become the renowned pamphlet Thoughts on Government; a rare 1903 Constitutional Reader created to aid disenfranchised black men—and later women—overcome the burden of the Permanent Registration Act of 1901; a 1964 report from the Council on the Status of Women that details systemic challenges in work and life; and much more. Sources Mentioned: John Adams, 1776. Thoughts on Government Letter. Vault Collection, State Archives of North Carolina. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p15012coll11/id/606/rec/1 Joseph Graham Papers, PC.60. State Archives of North Carolina. General Assembly Session Records. State Archives of North Carolina. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/search/collection/p16062coll36 North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Roll 07: Revolutionary Warrants, frame 324-5 of 608. www.ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com Military Collection, Troop Returns, box 6, folder 20. http://www.digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll26/id/980/rec/2 North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Roll 04, frames 105-6 of 619; www.ancestry.com http://www.ancestry.com Pettiford, George (Granville), 1831. Declaration of Service to Accompany U.S. Pension Applications. War of the Revolution Papers. State Archives of North Carolina. Granville County Pleas and Quarter Sessions Minutes, 1821. State Archives of North Carolina. Harris, G. Ellis, 1903. North Carolina Constitutional Reader, Being a Hand Book for Primary Use in One Part. State Archives of North Carolina. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p15012coll11/id/710/rec/4 The Many Lives of North Carolina Women (Commission Report), 1964. Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women. State Archives of North Carolina. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll44/id/7009/rec/27 Good Neighbor Council Digital Collection, SR.31. State Archives of North Carolina. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/custom/good-neighbor
In this episode of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, two former editors of , Bob Cain and Joe Beatty, join host John Horan to discuss the foreign collections within the State Archives of North Carolina. They discuss the decision to travel to the United Kingdom and collect these documents, an effort that went through fits and starts throughout the 20th century. Bob Cain shares his experiences doing this work in London in the 1960s and early 1970s and talks about how he found and shipped the collections to the State Archives in Raleigh. He discusses some of his favorite documents and reflects on how North Carolinians regard their history, from recent memories to the state’s colonial past. Sources Mentioned: Foreign Collections: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/researchers/finding-aids/records-foreign-collections Carolina Charter of 1663 https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p15012coll11/id/10/rec/1 The Colonial Records of North Carolina https://www.ncdcr.gov/about/history/historical-publications/colonial-records
In this episode of Connecting the Docs: Unprocessed, host John Horan and oral history interns Michelle Witt and Madison Riley discuss the history of two dams and the lakes they created. The story of Fontana Dam and Lake as a tourist destination in western North Carolina is well documented, but this episode goes underneath the surface and uncovers the various towns and landmarks that were flooded when the dam was built. In much the same way, Jordan Dam and Lake changed the landscape of Chatham County. It took decades to build, and yet, much less is written and known about this story. In addition to discussing the dams, lakes, and what happened to towns like Japan and Seaforth, this episode explores how archivists and historians do their research to tell stories. It gives some tips on the best ways to interact with the repository at the State Archives and beyond. Sources Mentioned: “Moving Deadline Near for Fontana Reservoir Residents.” The Sylva Herald and Ruralite (Sylva, NC), October 25, 1944, p.4. https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92074071/1944-10-25/ed-1/seq-4/ Map of North Carolina County Road Survey of Graham County, 1930, North Carolina State Highway Commissions. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/2050/rec/61 Map of Graham County (State Highway and Public Works Commission), 1953, North Carolina State Highways and Public Works Commission. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/7757/rec/78 “There’ll Be No ‘Japan.’” The Wallace Enterprise (Wallace, NC), December 31, 1942, p. 6. https://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn94058243/1942-12-31/ed-1/seq-6/ Mrs. Callie Pilkington home in Japan, NC, destroyed by Fontana Dam Project, June 1944, taken by John Hemmer. From the Department of Conservation and Development, Travel Information Division Photograph Collection. https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/40934127163/ New Hill Baptist Church history 1888-1988: Soldiers of the Cross Marching on by Linda Barker, Wallace Womble, and Wayne Womble, 1988. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p249901coll37/id/23831/rec/5 Land development potential study, Chatham County, N.C, Chatham County (NC) Planning Board, 1970. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll9/id/163437/rec/19
This episode tells the story of three North Carolinian communities and their intersection with highways and the urban renewal projects of the mid-20th century. The first story we explore is the experience of Durham’s Hayti neighborhood and the dismantling of a self-sustaining Black community. The next act of neighborhood destruction comes to us as Raleigh’s Smoky Hollow community was wiped away for Capital Boulevard and later gentrified. The final story of paving over communities comes from what is historically known as Southside and South Park in downtown Raleigh. This story illustrates how communities fought back and features Shaw University and an educational charrette that proposed a different outcome. Sources Mentioned: Terry Sanford Papers: https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/findingaids/PC_1851_Terry_Sanford_Papers.html Durham Urban Renewal Records Exhibit: https://www.digitalnc.org/exhibits/durham/ News and Observer Negative File, 1938-2018: https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/findingaids/PHC_NEWSOBSERVER_News_and_Obser_.html Albert Barden Photograph Collection, 1910-1953: https://axaem.archives.ncdcr.gov/findingaids/PHC_BARDEN_Albert_Barden_Photog_.html North Carolina Digital State Documents Collection: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll9/id/517845/rec/32 Department of Transportation Planning and Programming: Transportation Planning File, 1953-1989 - No finding aid, unprocessed. Flickr: Smoky Hollow, Raleigh, NC https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/albums/72157690696300263 Southside, Raleigh, NC https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/albums/72157666781993290/with/26355667432/
In this episode, audiovisual materials archivists Vann Evans and Ian Dunn introduce Raleigh photographer Albert Barden (1888–1953). For almost seventy years, curators and archivists have worked to preserve, catalog, and give meaning to his vast collection of photographs, which offer a snapshot of everyday and extraordinary life in North Carolina from nearly a century ago. Their work continues. Learn about Barden and some of the fascinating discoveries archivists have made, helping to identify previously unnamed or mislabeled photographs and revealing their importance. Photographs Mentioned: N_53_15_4313 | Raleigh Linen Supply Co, 3301 Hillsborough St https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/33453470192/in/photolist-SYaMbQ-2iaZgco-2i9yS8B-SYaM7G-SYaM9A-SYaM8J-SYaMd3-2ibbfwS-PK3ogo-2i9ySvW-2ibbfyA-2ib9ehw-2ibcoZ7-2i9Ct5t-2ibbfwb-2iaZfRD-2iaZgcJ-2ib6VaF-2ib2A4W-2ib2A8t-2ib3JG6-2ib3JHo-2iaZgdf-2i9BkXU-2i9ySxj-2ib6V8X-2iaZfSv-2i9ySx9-2i9Ct53-2i9BmjF-2i9ySaF-2i9CsHb-2ib2A6K-2ib3JXr-2ib2A5n-2ib3JXM-2iaZfTC-2i9ySwn-2iaZfVB-2ib3JHP-2ib2A8Z-2i9ySaa-2iaZfVr-2ib3JGb-2ib3JHd-2ib3JFu-2i9CsKF-2ib3JEH-T9qJK1-Td21me Raleigh Linen Supply Co, 3301 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC; ca 1941. Interior view showing office of manager Robert C Evans. Photo by Albert Barden. From the Albert Barden Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC. N_53_16_6674 | S. M. Jones https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/17124458717/in/photolist-s6ejYe-e4JZp9-2kPUvFJ-2kPQtzP-dCsahm-2mcuqRU-6Js9Xv-HGCczg-VCLYFN-2kLdMH2-2c5mZqX-zKftt8-TR5X2y-29iW9CJ-2bZY8Zw-2aYtDHJ-NjbCar-2kLi126-RYq56S-2kLhwk3-2c5n3Ec-PWmHXL-2kLhwRi-2kLhwxc-2kLhwub-2c5n4VD-6Js9Vv-2kPU3mY-2kPU3A5-NjbBHe-yMDQWw-QVwnKW-2kHMrSz-6JwHyu-SC9Bxw-NjbwNe-2aYtEim-QVwnJU-SC9Bx1-SC9Bxm-2i35a3n-dCmJBK-4y8J5D-NjbDHM-PaMo8p-9ArYSt-9AuTW7-9ArYyk-9AuU23-9AuUiG Cobbler shop of S. M. Jones, East Davie Street in Raleigh, NC, 1926. The date is determined to be 1926 based on the days of the week listed on the poster seen on the side of the building. The man is believed to be Sherman Jones (1865-1932), a shoemaker. Under high magnification and some considerable squinting, the sign above Mr. Jones was found to read “S. M. Jones”-- beside it, a crudely painted boot. If Mr. Jones turned his head and looked across Davie Street he would be looking at present day Artspace. The Sir Walter Hotel can be seen in the background on the right. N_53_16_5173 | Albert Barden and Sisters Daisy (left) and Violet https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/33240575170/in/photolist-RVyPsf-an2mks-TaBCMm-SDmCV1-RVhidE-TaBCDA-TaDxms-Tee4KD-TaBCKY-Tee4ED-G6QSUi-G6QSTM-ZZKzwY-Tee4He-TedEq2-SDkZqw-TedEnr-RWLrus Albert Barden and Sisters Daisy (left) and Violet prob 1900 teens Photo by Albert Barden. From the Albert Barden Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC. N_53_17_520 | People in Front of Raleigh City Hall with Yo-Yos https://www.flickr.com/photos/north-carolina-state-archives/32810372253/in/photolist-RZkJzk-2jwkXiR-23v8BxA-2jvH45a-2jvFVZK-UbPZ6f-UbPZFU-UbPZ7C Group of unidentified people are seen on the steps of City Hall in Raleigh with Yo-Yos. Pedro Flores -inventor of Yo-Yos -is possibly seen front left c. 1930. Photo by Albert Barden. From the Albert Barden Collection, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
Let’s bake history! In this episode, we feature historical recipes from family culinary manuscripts dating to the mid-19th century. Join us as we try cream cakes, blackberry cordial, pickle lily, and tomato catsup. We share our experiences testing these recipes, explore the history behind them, and discuss how culinary manuscripts can offer insights into the tastes and foodways of specific households in North Carolina. Transcripts of these recipes— along with a few suggestions to simplify or modernize them—and links to the full culinary manuscripts are available on our blog. Culinary Manuscripts Available on North Carolina Digital Collections __ __ Transcripts Cream cakes from the Polk Recipe Book Two, 1858. Lucy Williams Polk Papers. Private Collections. State Archives of North Carolina. Call no. PC.75. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll16/id/139/rec/3 To Make Cream Cake A quart of cream; four eggs sifted flour sufficient for a thick batter; a small teaspoonful of pearlash,* a spoonful of salt; beat four eggs very light and stir them by degrees (a little at a time) into a quart of cream & gradually enough of sifted flour to make a thick batter put in the salt; dissolve the pearlash in as much vinegar as will cover it and stir it in the mixture. Bake it in muffin rings send them up hot split them open & butter them. Sour cream is better than sweet. The pearlash will remove the acidity & the batter will be improved in lightness. *Baking soda serves as a modern substitute for pearl ash. Catsup from the Polk Recipe Book Two, 1858. Lucy Williams Polk Papers. Private Collections. State Archives of North Carolina. Call no. PC.75. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll16/id/140/rec/3 A Recipe for Making Catsup Take one Gallon of Skinned Tomatoes 4 table spoonsfull of Salt 2 do* of Black pepper, a Half do of Allspice 3 pods of Read pepper 3 tablespoonsfull of Mustard ground very fine & Simmer’d slowly in sharp vinegar for 3 Or 4 hours in a puter basin, & then bottle it close, those who like garlick after the simmering is over and the ingredients cool you may add 2 tablespoonfuls of the juice. *Do (or ditto) refers to the unit of measure used with the previous ingredient. Adaptations: Bell pepper may be substituted for the “read pepper” for a milder flavor. Minced garlic can be substituted for garlic juice. Pickle lily from the Dodd Recipe Book, 1859. Lillian E. Dodd Collection. Private Collections. State Archives of North Carolina. Call no. PC.150. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll16/id/13/rec/3 To Make Pickle Lily Scald some vinegar and season with Salt, pepper, cloves, mace and allspice and When highly seasoned and Cold, pour into Jar. Drop into this vinegar as they ripen. Small Cucumbers tender radish pods Young beans and very small onions. Cork close. Adaptation: Use equal parts vinegar and water for a more balanced pickle. Blackberry cordial from the Polk Recipe Book Two, 1858. Lucy Williams Polk Papers. Private Collections. State Archives of North Carolina. Call no. PC.75. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll16/id/109/rec/3 Blackberry Cordial Gather your Blackberries & mash them up then strain them through a sifter & put all the pulp & seed out. Then to every quart put 1 pound of Brown sugar stew it well together when dun take three measures of syrup to 1 of Brandy then bottle it. Put any kind of spice you like allspice is generally used Adaptation: For a clearer, less muddled cordial, simmer the blackberries and your desired spices for roughly 30 minutes to release the juices, then dissolve the sugar into the mixture and strain.
This episode tells the story of Bynum, a former North Carolina mill town reinvented as a lively and welcoming artists’ colony. Residents Martha Collins, Ron Hatley, and Ted Williams tell stories about growing up in Bynum when the mill was still in operation. They discuss the conditions for millworkers and today’s environmental activism. They share their pride in Bynum Front Porch, a vibrant community hub and performance venue. “Artists are artists, so they’re a little eclectic to begin with. All of Bynum is eclectic if you look at it,” Ron Hatley says. “We’re living in a little bubble of happiness.”
This second episode of the season tells the story of the tobacco industry in Fuquay-Varina, a now booming suburb south of Raleigh. This story is told through the lenses of Morgan Johnson, a former intern at the State Archives and Fuquay native, and Fred Wagstaff, a 94-year-old from Fuquay who worked in the local tobacco fields and markets his whole life. An oral history interview conducted with Wagstaff recounts the entire history of the leaf that made Fuquay a "busy, bustling town," from his relatives who moved to the area in the early 1900s to escape the notorious Granville Wilt tobacco disease, to his own time as a ticket marker in the town's tobacco markets until their closure in the 1990s and early 2000s. The history of tobacco in Fuquay is a compelling reminder of the agricultural legacy in North Carolina's rural communities and the power of telling everyday stories through oral history.
