Thursday, June 02, 2005
~FYI...Did you know...?
Did you kow that one of North Carolina's major products during the Colonial Era was tar? Back then, the folks in the Land of Sky State made tar by slowly burning the wood of a certain pine tree that lives here in North Carolina even today, the longleaf pine.
I don't know if it's true, but oldtimers here will tell you that their Great-Grandpas who came walking out of the woods with that sticky black stuff stuck on their shoes, got in BIG trouble with their Great-Grandmas when they tromped it into the kitchen at dinnertime. ..and that's why their Mamas STILL made them take their shoes off before they came in the door. Pretty good story, eh?
My Cousin, Patrick, who is a fine storyteller himself, and would be right at HOME here in the Asheville mountains, asked me about the derivation of the nickname, TAR HEEL the other day. I'd heard the stories, but curious to see if there were an "official "explanation concerning WHY North Carolina is called the Tar Heel State, I popped right on over to the state's official web site for its take on the matter.
If you go there, you will find that the nickname goes back to the Civil War, when it is said that retreating soldiers left a whole column of boys from North Carolina to battle ...all alone. Later, the North Carolinians met the fleeing troops and told them for the next battle ...:We'll put tar on your heels and you'll stick with us!" Gen. Robert E. Lee, on hearing the story, reportedly exclaimed, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
Now, when you get home from your real estate investment trip to the TAR HEEL STATE, and you discover historic property to steward, or an old Appalachian Farm you will turn into an organic garden-find, and they ask you why North Carolina is the Tar Heel State, you can tell them a great story... or two..or more...
And if you want to hear more stories...be sure to contact me! I collect the lore from around these parts, and am happy to share it with you!
natureWalker@janeAnne.com
SPECIALIZING in land stewardship and conservation easement properties
you can LOVE right here in the Tar Heel State!
Did you kow that one of North Carolina's major products during the Colonial Era was tar? Back then, the folks in the Land of Sky State made tar by slowly burning the wood of a certain pine tree that lives here in North Carolina even today, the longleaf pine.
I don't know if it's true, but oldtimers here will tell you that their Great-Grandpas who came walking out of the woods with that sticky black stuff stuck on their shoes, got in BIG trouble with their Great-Grandmas when they tromped it into the kitchen at dinnertime. ..and that's why their Mamas STILL made them take their shoes off before they came in the door. Pretty good story, eh?
My Cousin, Patrick, who is a fine storyteller himself, and would be right at HOME here in the Asheville mountains, asked me about the derivation of the nickname, TAR HEEL the other day. I'd heard the stories, but curious to see if there were an "official "explanation concerning WHY North Carolina is called the Tar Heel State, I popped right on over to the state's official web site for its take on the matter.
If you go there, you will find that the nickname goes back to the Civil War, when it is said that retreating soldiers left a whole column of boys from North Carolina to battle ...all alone. Later, the North Carolinians met the fleeing troops and told them for the next battle ...:We'll put tar on your heels and you'll stick with us!" Gen. Robert E. Lee, on hearing the story, reportedly exclaimed, "God bless the Tar Heel boys."
Now, when you get home from your real estate investment trip to the TAR HEEL STATE, and you discover historic property to steward, or an old Appalachian Farm you will turn into an organic garden-find, and they ask you why North Carolina is the Tar Heel State, you can tell them a great story... or two..or more...
And if you want to hear more stories...be sure to contact me! I collect the lore from around these parts, and am happy to share it with you!
natureWalker@janeAnne.com
SPECIALIZING in land stewardship and conservation easement properties
you can LOVE right here in the Tar Heel State!
