David Freeze

By David Freeze

With the western county seats complete, I contemplated an out and back loop in the northeastern part of the state, beginning on June 8. My first stop was Roxboro, earlier called Moccasin Gap and Roxburgh. The county seat of Person County was incorporated in 1855 and remains the only municipality in the county. The Person County Courthouse, built in 1930 in the center of downtown had a long line out the front door.

Famous people from Roxboro include old-time baseball player, Enos “Country” Slaughter and World War I Medal of Honor winner Robert L. Blackwell. Blackwell got the award posthumously for volunteering to go for help after two others were killed doing so. Slaughter joined the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938 at age 22 and is now enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Next was Oxford, seat of Granville County, once the home of Indian tribes with the Tuscarora most common. Samuel Benton, the area’s representative to the state assembly, bought 1,000 acres in 1761 and called his home Oxford. Benton gave an acre for the courthouse, but the town was not incorporated until 1816.

Most notable resident John Penn was a landowner elected in 1775 to be a member of the Continental Congress. He was one of North Carolina’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Tobacco became king and until the Civil War, Granville was one of the five counties in the state that had 10,000 slaves. The sandy soil and tobacco’s heyday brought huge growth to Oxford’s merchant district and plenty of grand homes. After two centuries of agricultural growth, no longer is it significant to the town.

A critically acclaimed movie, “Blood Done Sign My Name,” told the story of a racial confrontation that killed Henry Marrow and starred Ricky Schroder. Civil Rights attorney Ben Chavis, nationally known Oxford resident, led the protests.

The Granville County Courthouse was built in 1838. The first Masonic orphanage for children in the United States was built in Oxford. It was originally established as St. John’s College in 1858, ceasing operations shortly after opening. In 1872 the community decided that the property should be repurposed to educate disadvantaged populations. In December 1873, the first residents were admitted to the Oxford Orphans Asylum, which is today known as the “Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.” The Orpheum movie theatre has survived as an event center.

Hungry as always, I stopped to see Tristane at Strong Arm Bakery. She didn’t have to flex her muscles to get me to buy my second ever whoopie pie, complete with a refreshing strawberry filling and a large oatmeal cookie. They had a bicycle library outside that allows visitors to check out a bike to tour town. Oxford was friendly, very interesting, clean, busy and full of historic architecture.

I then drove to Henderson, the Vance County seat. The first settlers’ residence was built in what is now Henderson in 1785 by Samuel Reavis Sr. Reavis called his farm “Lonesome Valley” which likely described the area at that time. Reavis’ son, Lewis Reavis, opened a store close to the stagecoach road in 1811 when he began to see an influx of settlers and the awakening of a city. In 1835, residents decided to call the city Henderson after Judge Leonard Henderson.

The railroad brought new businesses downtown, but two major fires in 1870 and 1885 destroyed most of the stores. The need for work helped rebuild the downtown quickly, incorporating the use of bricks in the historic area so that many of those stores remain. Tobacco fueled the post-fire economy with five tobacco factories and three warehouses, along with three cotton gins, 20 stores and two newspapers.

I found that Roses stores are still alive in this area and maintain several storefronts on Main Street in the historic P.H. Rose Building. Ben E. King, singer and composer of “Stand by Me” was born in Henderson.

I fell in love with Warrenton immediately. The county seat of Warren County was founded in 1779. One of the smallest towns that I will visit, Warrenton was named for Dr. Joseph Warren, a patriot killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War. About 90 percent of its buildings, more than 200 in number, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Warrenton was considered the richest town in the state from 1840 to 1860 for its cotton and tobacco production. I was just in awe of all the history, especially with so many of the houses and buildings signed with the year of construction and first owner.

Confederate General Braxton Bragg and current NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick were born in Warrenton. The population of the town has varied little since 1850 and is still within 100 residents of the early figure at about 900. Warrenton was not served directly by railroad until November 1884. Another beautiful old courthouse was built on the site of two previous ones in 1906. Fans of old homes with well-kept yards could walk for hours in Warrenton.

Finally, Warrenton is the “town that owns itself.” The Hotel Warren was finished in 1922 but fell on hard times during the depression. A restaurant did OK, but the hotel portion was closed. In the 1950s, town residents got together and took a room each to renovate with the hotel able to reopen as apartments. It survives today, having just celebrated its 100th anniversary.

The excitement of the journey grew with each new town. I had 6.14 miles on my feet, then continued east for more. See you soon about those visits.

By David Freeze

Hayesville is another town that has a deep Cherokee heritage. The Cherokee had a village along the Hiwassee River as early as 1000 AD that eventually became Hayesville after the Indians were forced to cede their land. Nineteenth-century politician George Hayes learned that residents wanted their own county seat because of the difficulty of traveling to Murphy. Hayes introduced legislation and got it passed to designate the new county as Clay and Hayesville became the county seat. The town of Hayesville was incorporated in 1913.

Yet another majestic courthouse is the center of Hayesville and concerts are held all summer on Friday nights. The building was abandoned by county officials in 2007, then renovated and opened again in 2018 as an event center. The old Clay County Jail was built in 1912 and has been the county museum since 1974. I visited the site of the Spikebuck Town Mound and Village Site, one of six Cherokee sites around town.

Tribute statues honor traditional music, the Appalachian music that preceded bluegrass, and quilting bees which were early social gatherings. Fort Hembree was another fort where the Cherokee were gathered before the army moved them west.

Next was Franklin, the town where my debit card was hacked on my run across N.C. Franklin is the seat of Macon County and is situated in the Nantahala National Forest. The town is centered around the 1,000-year-old Cherokee town of Nikwasi. Organized in 1820, Franklin was named for Jesse Franklin who later became a U.S. Senator and the 20th N.C. governor. The Cullasaja River empties into the Tennessee River at Franklin. The town was incorporated in 1855.

Franklin is famous for its gem mining and hosts two gem shows each year as the “Gem Capital of the World.” The Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum is in the old jail. Charles Frazier grew up here, the author of “Cold Mountain,” a book about a Civil War soldier who walked home at the end of the war. Franklin is known for its Scottish heritage while many streets are named in honor of the Cherokee. There is a Women’s History Trail that honors prominent women who contributed to the history of Franklin. The last body of Confederate troops east of the Mississippi surrendered here almost a month after Lee surrendered in Appomattox.

Brevard was next, known as the Land of Waterfalls and much more. As county seat of Transylvania County, which was formed from portions of Jackson and Henderson counties, Brevard is located at the entrance to the Pisgah National Forest. It is also the home to white squirrels, none of which I have ever seen during numerous visits. The White Squirrel Festival was just held on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Memorial Day.

The first county meeting was held on May 20, 1861, the same day North Carolina seceded from the Union. Due to the Civil War, Brevard was not incorporated until 1868. And it was not until 1881 per one source and 1884 per another that Transylvania County completed the brick courthouse they had discussed at the first county meeting in 1861. The courthouse still stands proudly today, at the corner of Main and Broad streets.

The Co-Ed Cinema was built in the 1930s and is still going strong. In 1902, Joseph and Elizabeth Silversteen moved to Brevard from Pennsylvania and built the 33-room Greek Revival Mansion four blocks east of the courthouse on Main Street. It’s now known as The Inn at Brevard, on the National Register of Historic Places after construction in 1885, houses many community organizations and special events, and its extensive grounds provide visitors and residents of Brevard with a casual recreation center.

Before leaving town after what developed into a long day, I stopped at Sully’s Steamed Bagels, a bagel store open late in the evening. Steamed instead of toasted, I bought a bagful from Salem, perfect for the long ride home.

On Memorial Day, May 29, I drove to Winston-Salem, county seat of Forsyth County. It’s the fifth largest city in North Carolina and is the product of merging Winston and Salem in 1913. The original town of Salem was first planned in 1753 by the Moravian Church. In 1849, the Salem Congregation sold land north of Salem to the newly formed Forsyth County for a county seat. The new town was called “the county town” or Salem until 1851, when it was renamed Winston for a local hero of the Revolutionary War, Joseph Winston. Winston and Salem were officially incorporated as Winston-Salem after a referendum in 1913.

The RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company bought 84 acres in Winston-Salem in 1917 and built housing for its employees and the Reynolds Building in 1929, the tallest building south of Baltimore at the time. Piedmont Airlines, Wachovia Bank, Krispy Kreme, Hanes and Texas Pete were some of the business names that started in Winston-Salem. Oddly, the city does not have passenger rail service but does have bus service to High Point where Amtrak is available. Sportscaster Howard Cosell was one of a long list of notables from Winston-Salem.

The old Forsyth County Courthouse was built in 1926 and incorporated elements of an earlier one built in 1896. A new courthouse is now in use.

Fifty county seats are now complete and 50 more remain. With lots to see, I completed 6.4 miles on my feet during the four visits. I will be heading east, looking for more fun!

By David Freeze

I ended my day on May 17 in Sylva, nearest to my first college at Western Carolina University. Sylva got a railroad in 1913 and with it gained the county seat designation for Jackson County. The courthouse, built in 1914, is one of the most spectacular I’ve seen because it sits on top of the highest hill at the end of Main Street.

Thomas Edison and Franklin Delano Roosevelt both visited Sylva, and three movies were partially filmed here. Those movies included “Deliverance,” “The Fugitive” and “Three Billboards Outside.” Downtown Sylva is flat with a familiar smell in the air on the evening I explored the town. Paper mills are common in the area, and that smell is certainly distinct.

I spent the night at the Blue Ridge Inn, a super nice place near the end of Main Street and the courthouse, and right across from the Dr. Delos Dexter Hooper house. The Hooper house was built in 1906 and is the local visitor center. Sylva is wonderful with plenty of interesting shops, restaurants and bookstores, all in the middle of its social district. A different section of town has many of the recognizable national stores.

Up early on May 18, I made the short drive to Bryson City, county seat for Swain County and part of the original Cherokee land. The town is known for the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad, and it certainly dominates the town. The GSMR operates on former Southern Railway rails between Dillsboro and Bryson City while serving over 200,000 riders a year. Early investors were able to lease the track just 48 hours before Norfolk Southern would have begun dismantling it. With locomotives already running, the first train was ready to roll out early this morning.

Native Americans have been living and hunting along the Tuckasegee River, which flows through town, for over 14,000 years. Originally called Charleston and incorporated in 1887, the name was changed to Bryson City when the county seat was formed from the combination of parts from Jackson and Macon counties. The name change honored Thaddeus Bryson, a key player in local development.

The current courthouse was built in 1908, the third in the town’s history. The Calhoun House Hotel was built in 1904 and is still in use today. Lots of real estate offices are on Main Street, and the town is surrounded by mountains on all sides, including the Great Smokey’s and the Nantahala National Forrest.

Next on a still early morning was Robbinsville, seat of Graham County. Fort Montgomery, built to help with the removal of the Cherokee, was granted a post office in 1849, and the name was changed to Robbinsville in 1874. Most claim Robbinsville was named after Sen. James L. Robinson of Macon County, but some believed the name may have been derived from Mr. Robbins of Clay County, who taught at the first school.

Parts of The Fugitive were filmed here, as was “Nell,” starring Jodie Foster, and “A Walk in the Woods.” The current courthouse was finished in 1842 and sits at 12 Main Street. Robbinsville’s most famous resident was country singer and pianist Ronnie Milsap, honored by a mural near the courthouse.

Murphy was next, the farthest western town in North Carolina, closest to the Tennessee line. It is at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley Rivers and had been called Huntington and Murphey before settling on Murphy. The county seat of Cherokee county, Murphy is situated on Cherokee homelands. The town was not incorporated until 1851, after Cherokee county was formed from Macon County in 1839.

In 1836, the U.S. Army built Fort Butler in town to help with the removal of the Cherokee, which became widely known as the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee County courthouse was built in 1927 and is faced with locally sourced blue marble. Abraham Enloe, purported by historians to be Abraham Lincoln’s father, is buried in town.

I took the time to reminisce a little about my run across N.C., with Murphy as the first night on the road. I visited the Sunset Motel and saw other familiar sites, including Walmart where I got a radio to help pass the time on the road. Murphy has beautiful mountain themed portraits posted outdoors around town. My best encounter in town was with Phil Williams, who claimed he was just a worker at the Red Brick Deli. Born up north, Phil was living in Florida and decided to leave the heat and humidity behind and become a halfback (someone who only moves halfway back to the north). Phil told me, “Murphy’s a wonderful town! I’m so glad we live here. We have a festival every Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m.” I bought a fantastic huge homemade brownie. Phil said one day that he and his wife were going to drive the state all the way to the coast, to which I said, “Just get on U.S. 64 and follow it all the way to the Outer Banks. I did it on foot.”

I really enjoyed Murphy, another thriving and fun little town, surrounded by history and beautiful mountain vistas. All the western N.C. towns so far are historic and fun. We have now totaled 46 counties visited and this segment included running, walking and photos for 6.31 miles. Back soon with the push to halfway!

By David Freeze

I drove west on May 17 with a mission to visit the last 11 counties in that farthest part of the state. Many of the towns I was already familiar with, having attended Western Carolina University for two years. My first stop was Burnsville, a town that I hadn’t seen before. Burnsville was founded in 1834 and named after War of 1812 naval hero Otway Burns. Serving as the county seat of Yancey County, Burnsville is the only incorporated town in the county.

The town square is a park, not centered on the courthouse, and has a statue of Burns. The Yancey County courthouse, built in 1908, is just across the street, not far from the very interesting Nu-Wray Hotel. Originally built of logs in 1833, the hotel is undergoing complete renovation. Elvis Presley, Thomas Wolfe and William Sidney Porter (O.Henry) all spent the night here. Concept photos of what the main areas and rooms with baths will look like were posted outside. The John Wesley McElroy house was built in the 1840s and later served as a hospital, post office and as headquarters for the Civil War home guard. General McElroy was the head of the western home guard brigade.

The NC Bigfoot Conference will be held here on June 17 and will include a day of notable speakers. The Yancey County Museum, beside the McElroy house, is free. Burnsville was interesting, fairly busy and the downtown was without a nationally known store, a pattern that would continue for the next two days.

Next up was Marshall, county seat of Madison County. The French Broad River runs through the town as does the railway and Main Street. The historic downtown is centered on the Madison County Courthouse, built in 1907. A long main street runs as flat as the river beside it, very pleasant on my legs. An interesting smattering of historic buildings and downtown stores included an old hardware and the depot, used weekly as a gathering place for mountain music on Friday nights.

Interesting about the downtown were repeated mentions of mermaids and the upcoming Mermaid and Parade Festival on June 3, an all-day event. Lots of apartments on the backside of the historic buildings faced the river. A central theme concerning the Civil War for many of the mountain communities was a disagreement over which side to support. While most who went to war supported the confederacy, some supported the union and a significant number were neutral, saying that the slave issue was not relevant in mountain counties. The mountains also became a haven for deserters from both sides.

The one big city I had on my schedule that day was Asheville, county seat of Buncombe County. I followed Siri’s directions to an end right in front of the courthouse. An empty parking spot was impossible to find until I spotted one with a red sign in front of it, and no instructions. I decided to take a chance, but still kept an eye on my truck occasionally since “towing” signs were posted everywhere.

Originally established as Morristown, the county seat was established in 1793 and then renamed Asheville after Gov. Samuel Ashe in 1797. On prior visits for running races, I had occasionally heard mountain music at the Shindig on the Green. Often impromptu, groups of musicians would form and play in various parts of the greenspace in front of the courthouse. A permanent covered stage now is in place where musicians and dancers are known to gather “along about sundown” on summer Saturday evenings.

Notable buildings include the city hall finished in 1928, the county courthouse and the Thomas Wolfe house. Wolfe’s book, Look Homeward Angel, is considered a classic and his boyhood home is a national historic landmark. In the same area is Central Square, contributing to what is called the Pack Square Park, right in the middle of the business district. Most interesting to me was a historical plaque commemorating the Aug. 14, 1943 day that Army Colonel Robert Morgan, Asheville native, flew the WWII Memphis Belle B-17 across central square. He then tilted the plane at 60 degrees to fly between the massive city hall and county courthouse. The Memphis Belle was the first plane to make the required 25 missions over German occupied Europe. The plane and crew were immortalized in a movie of the same name.

I continued west about 30 miles to Waynesville, county seat of Haywood County. Waynesville was founded in 1810 and named after Revolutionary War General “Mad” Anthony Wayne. Notable Civil War history was that the last battle in North Carolina ended here in a Confederate victory after a combined band of 600 Cherokee and southern soldiers danced around their campfires all night making a lot of noise. The Union commander prepared a surrender proposal which was delivered the next morning. Shortly after, both commanders were notified that the war had ended with the surrenders of Lee and Johnston in the previous days.

Driving into town, I couldn’t find an empty parking place until almost through town. Another busy and interesting downtown was also mostly flat and dominated by craft and antique shops, plus numerous food options. Historic buildings in the downtown area included the 1932 Haywood County courthouse, the 1927 Masonic Hall and the Dr. J Howell Way house, started before the Civil War and completed in 1899.

Forty-three counties done. I totaled 6.08 miles on my feet on a beautiful day and was excited to continue west. You’ll hear about more of those towns next week. See you then!

By David Freeze

This running story is one of the best, and I’m taking a break from the county seat visits to include it. Brayden Self, a regular runner through high school at East Rowan, texted me a little over five weeks ago that he and Preston Whicker were committed to running a marathon. That’s 26.2 miles, and they wanted to do it with just a month’s training. Brayden hadn’t run much since early in his freshman year when he did club cross country. Preston’s last running was as a high school senior year in track. At least two years of very little running for both of them.

Running a marathon is a huge challenge, even on the normal 12-16 week training cycle. The marathon is usually taken on by people who are already running regularly, but Self and Whicker had youth on their side. And the right kind of attitude.

With just a month of training time left, here is what Whicker did to get the challenge rolling. He said, “One day I was sitting around realizing my life was too comfortable. So, I decided to take on the challenge of running a marathon with 30 days of training and asked Brayden to do it with me.”

Self said, “I was working out one day and Preston randomly texted me, ‘Hey let’s run a marathon in a month.’ We both thought it would be a good challenge mentally and physically. It’s always good to challenge yourself and set difficult goals you will push yourself to attain. And if you do not reach your goals the first time, getting there afterwards shows your motivation to do so.”

Both guys set out to up their distance running but had to be careful to mix in recovery time too. Both also had knee issues and had to take a few extra days off. Overall, both ran 3-4 days a week and emphasized building up their long runs, topping out at 18 miles. Their marathon of choice was the New River Marathon on Saturday, May 13, just down the road from Boone at Todd. The course had two challenging long hills but most of it was flat along the scenic river. The website lists 20.8 miles of the course as flat, most of it on Railroad Grade Road in the New River Valley and surrounded by Christmas tree and horse farms.

Self had to drop out with an injury just past 15 miles, but Whicker completed the course in 4 hours, 44 minutes and 30 seconds.

Whicker said, “I felt good, the course was beautiful, running 20 of the 26 miles along the river. There was a one mile-long hill around the 11-mile mark which wasn’t that difficult going up but was worse going down, for me. I will definitely run more marathons but the next race I will be training for will be a 50-mile ultra marathon. I am going to keep on running, stay focused on the ultra-marathon and not get distracted.”

It isn’t over for Self either. He added, “A marathon is very taxing on your body, and I am still recovering at the moment. My favorite memory from the course was the start, I’ve never seen that many people on a start line besides at a regional xc meet in high school. My plan now is to train for 3-4 months and run another marathon as soon as possible and hopefully break 4 hours and 30 minutes.” He did the marathon attempt with a herniated disk.

Self just completed his junior year and is majoring in exercise science. Whicker just completed his sophomore year and is majoring in banking and finance. Both are at Appalachian State University.

Racing locally has the Ed Dupree 5K on Saturday, May 20, and then the nighttime China Grove Challenge 5K on Friday, June 2.

Look for these and more at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org.

By David Freeze

It has been an early goal to tally most of the counties that I could visit on a same day trip. Very few of those remain, but I did get three more on the weekend of May 6-7.

My first visit was Statesville, one that I knew would be enjoyable. The legislature decided to divide Rowan County in 1788 and Statesville was established as the county seat of Iredell in 1789. Iredell was named for James Iredell, a justice in the first Supreme Court. Statesville was a North Carolina leader in production of tobacco and tobacco products, plus blended whiskey.

The old Iredell County courthouse in Statesville was built in 1899 and is undergoing a major outside renovation with scaffolding all around. An earlier courthouse and post office, later used as city hall was across the street, having been built in 1891. One other building has always been my favorite in Statesville, the Mitchell College main building, built from 1854-1856. Other beautiful buildings highlight the campus which sits at the top of the highest hill in Statesville.

While there, I noticed carriage rides were being given in town and found them originating at the Colonel Silas Sharpe Alexander house, built between 1860 and 1865. A large sit-down party was being held in the backyard, with everything decorated to celebrate the coronation of King Charles. The front of the house, one of the oldest in town, was decorated too. Sharpe was sworn in as the first mayor of Statesville in 1867.

Historic Broad and Center streets were busy on a Saturday afternoon. A charity motorcycle ride was being hosted in downtown with live music ongoing for the riders who appeared to be mostly combat veterans. Along with the usual restaurants and bars in the area were a lot of outdoor provision suppliers. I stopped in at Andrea’s Ice Cream and Sweet Shop to see what was available. Andrea had been in town for nine of the business’s 10 years. She told me that business was good, partly crediting the downtown social district, and that they were about to get busy from 5 till closing at 9 p.m. I got wonderful pumpkin ice cream and a tasty store-made bagel.

Speaking of bagels, I next headed to Charlotte, Mecklenburg’s county seat. Employed here for 12 years, I didn’t spend much time downtown and dreaded the heavy traffic. On Sunday, May 7, I followed Siri’s directions that always leave me close to the county courthouse. This time, I was deposited in the middle of the government area, with the old and new courthouses nearby.

Charlotte is the 16th most populated U.S. city and third fastest growing city, and the second largest banking and financial center. It is also considered the center of the nation’s motorsports industry and that of professional wrestling. Mecklenburg County evolved from changes made to five other counties as the population headed west. Incorporated in 1768, the city was first called Charlottesburgh and Charlottetown on some maps. The Great Wagon Road became Tryon Street as it passed through Charlotte.

Many veins of gold were found in the area and Mecklenburg was the nation’s top producer in the early 1800s, leading to the construction of the Charlotte Mint. Other sources of income revolved around the railroad and cotton production. Charlotte has been the most populous N.C. city since 1930. The state’s largest running event, the Turkey Trot 5K and 8K, happens on Thanksgiving Day.

Among the many famous Charlotteans are Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, early cowboy actor Randolph Scott and performer and songwriter Maurice Williams of the Zodiacs, famous for “Stay.”

I ran and walked around the relatively quiet downtown area, still in awe of the skyscrapers and many new condo and apartment buildings under construction in the area. I saw the Spectrum Center and the NASCAR Hall of Fame, then visited Einstein Bagels before leaving town. At least 20 people were waiting up to 20 minutes for their orders, but the cashier grabbed mine on the spot.

A quick 30-minute ride on Freedom Drive and I-85 took me to Gastonia, county seat of Gaston County. Gastonia was incorporated in 1877, the year that Civil War reconstruction ended. The crossing of two railroads and the beginning of the city’s textile industry brought opportunities for employment and social life. The initial population of the town was approximately 200 people, all located within one square mile.

I found the 1901 Gaston County Courthouse right away, now home to many government and community entities. Two other areas stood out as I toured the town. The Gastonia Honey Hunters baseball park, very much state of the art, seems a center of the downtown social life. The 1901 Loray Textile Mill building has been renovated and hosts multiple businesses and lofts.

Additionally, the 1922 Gastonia High School has been renovated with 74 upscale apartment homes. On the national register of historic places, the school opened with a pipe organ and indoor swimming pool. The original early 1920s Gaston Hospital has also been repurposed as 75 apartments.

A fun and artsy downtown is interesting and had live music early on a Sunday afternoon, even with a baseball game being played nearby. Gastonia is another town worth visiting.

I’m now at 37 county seats visited, while 63 remain. I had 4.71 miles running/walking in the three visits. I can’t wait to see more of our state!

By David Freeze

With a tight schedule this week, I was amazed to find four North Carolina county seats within 69 miles on the same road. U.S. 74 was my “road of the day” for Tuesday, May 2.

My first stop was Wadesboro, founded in 1783 as New Town and then changed to Wadesboro in 1787 to honor native son and Revolutionary War commander Colonel Thomas Wade of the local regiment. It’s the county seat of Anson County.

A settlement had grown along the banks of the Pee Dee River, but a more centralized location was needed for the county seat. The new site was found, and 70 acres of land were purchased by Patrick Boggan. Streets were laid out and named for Revolutionary War notables including Generals George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, Daniel Morgan and Griffith Rutherford; Colonels Thomas Wade and William Washington; and Governors Richard Caswell and Alexander Martin.

The most famous event in town history was the 1900 total solar eclipse. Scientists, astronomers and journalists came from around the world to view the event in what they deemed the best location possible. The eclipse lasted about 90 seconds according to one newspaper account. Blind Boy Fuller, a blues guitarist and singer, has his own mural. Father and son, Hoyt Patrick Taylor and Taylor Jr., both served as North Carolina Lieutenant Governors.

Wadesboro has steady heavy truck traffic through downtown, past dozens of historic homes and buildings. The downtown and historic courthouse sits on a knoll looking down to U.S. 74. Prominent and historic buildings in the downtown were Parson’s Drugs, in place since 1875, and H.W. Little and Co. hardware, open since 1894.

My next stop was Rockingham, the county seat of Richmond County. I found a town undergoing a 10-year revitalization plan that has new businesses opening. The first flat town in a while was good for my legs. U.S. 1, the highway that I followed by bike from Maine to Key West in 2014, goes right through one of the prettiest historic districts I’ve seen. A 173-year-old Lebanon cedar tree has its place on the National Register of Big Trees.

The town of Rockingham, founded in 1784, was named for the Marquis of Rockingham, Charles Watson Wentonworth, a strong friend of the Colonies, who was British Prime Minister in 1765. Richmond Community College has a new three-story location across from the old 1923 courthouse. Several stores and bank buildings built just after 1900 highlight the downtown near a fountain on the square which lights up in different colors at night.

I continued east on 74 to Laurinburg, the flattest town yet and the seat of Scotland County. Though not incorporated until 1877, Laurinburg by 1852 was a town that had a saloon, a store, a few shacks and a new private high school. The Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherfordton Railroad laid tracks through the town, but the first train didn’t arrive until 1861, four years before the railroad’s shops were also moved to Laurinburg in hopes of keeping them safe from the Yankees. The Yankees did burn the depot and the temporary shops, but the shops were rebuilt.

Economic issues that have hurt the town included the Great Depression, low cotton prices, the Belk department store moved away, and Hurricane Florence in 2018. I found the town had most of the storefronts occupied but very little happening and many of the stores closed when their schedules listed that they should be open.

The most famous citizen was Terry Sanford, a World War II paratrooper, N.C. governor and U.S. senator.

My final stop on U.S. 74 was at Monroe, county seat of Union County. Incorporated in 1843, the town was named for James Monroe, our country’s fifth president. I found the blocks around the courthouse to be very busy with traffic and plenty of restaurants, trendy bars and even a bread bakery. I was hungry but resisted the urge to stop in even though the smell was wonderful. The old-style movie theatre was set to show “Jaws” this weekend, complete with an all-you-can-eat popcorn and drink deal. More beautiful old homes were within just a few blocks of the courthouse on the southern side of town.

Most would count U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms as Monroe’s most famous past resident, being born here before becoming a five-term U.S. Senator. I also found that one of the three Black women who became world class mathematicians for NASA and were documented in the fantastic book Hidden Figures and the movie of the same name is also from Monroe. Christine Darden became an aeronautical engineer and the first African American to reach the level of senior executive service, the top rank of federal civil service.

The 1886 Union County Courthouse is one of the biggest I have seen of the grand old courthouses. The middle part was the original building, and the two wings were added in 1922. The old Monroe City Hall was originally built as a jail and is likely the oldest building in town after construction in 1847, although another plaque says 1848.

All the towns were historic and interesting along this portion of U.S. 74, and amazingly close together. My total miles on my feet for the four towns was 6.27, much of it flat. Our county total is now 34, with 66 left to visit. See you back here soon!

By David Freeze

I’m so much enjoying these visits to the county seats in North Carolina and used Sunday, April 23, to add to my list. First I wanted to visit Greensboro, county seat of Guilford, with less traffic. The old part of town was called Greensborough, formed in 1808, and is centered on Washington and Elm streets. The name changed to Greensboro in 1895. I ran several races in that area years ago, but this was my first time exploring the same streets.

Right away, I found the modern courthouse just by being lucky to park near it. Just ahead. I found the old Carolina Theatre which opened on Halloween 1927, and the site where Jefferson Davis held two of his last cabinet meetings after the Confederate President had fled Richmond in 1865. Next was the Cigar District, a big thing from 1903-55, employing mostly young women in 14 manufacturing shops on Elm Street.

In this area, Blue Duck electric scooters and bikes were parked everywhere for rent, a couple on a corner, another here or there. North Carolina’s first and only women’s Holocaust monument was unveiled at LeBauer Park on April 18. The statue, “She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots,” was designed in a shop on Elm Street. I visited the sprawling depot that serves Amtrak, Greyhound, city transportation and probably more.

The F.W. Woolworth store where four Black college freshmen sat down for lunch in the “whites only” section is now a Civil Rights Museum. Vicks VapoRub was created in a drug store nearby. The most impressive buildings in this area are the Lincoln Financial Tower at 20 stories next to the 18 story Jefferson Standard Building. The old town is full of interesting stores, most of them in historic buildings.

Modern Greensboro has lots of bagel stores and I had to visit one on the way out of town. I ate more bagels today than I have in total the last two months.

My next county seat was Graham, of Alamance. Graham became a town in 1851. It’s another town that surrounds the county courthouse built in 1923 and is loaded with interesting historic buildings. Parking was at a premium, with several large churches, shopping and one particular restaurant busy late on a Sunday morning. The Montwhite Building from 1907 was the Opera House first and one of the 70 downtown historic structures. There are several large historic mill buildings too, one with a separate bathroom building added in 1940. The 1902 Wrike Drugs is still in the original building with only the store front altered. The movie “Jesus Resolution” was showing all afternoon in the cinema building.

Most surprising to me was that the Press Restaurant offering coffee, crepes and cocktails had a 90-minute wait for a table. Graham is one of the few flat downtowns so far and has plenty to visit.

Then I drove on to Lexington, another historic downtown that I haven’t spent enough time in over the years. Lexington was incorporated in 1828 and named after Lexington, Massachusetts. I found a fantastic Old Davidson County Courthouse, now a museum, first built in 1858. The interior was burned in 1865 and repaired in 1867. I remain amazed at the quality, style and beauty of these old courthouses and this one is one of the best yet.

Two Lexington fixtures began with the Conrad Hinkle grocery store, built in 1919. Famous for old time homemade things like pimento cheese and chicken salad plus hand-cut meats, the store remains very popular. Just down the street is Lanier Hardware. Opened in 1940 and still operated by the Lanier family, locals say that if Lanier’s doesn’t have it in their 32,000 square feet of space, you don’t need it. The old post office became a library building but appears unused now. Decorative pigs are scattered along the sidewalks and each one advertises something different. Lexington calls itself the Barbecue Capital of the World.

Especially good was a statue near the police department of a uniformed officer holding the hand of a little girl while he talked with her. Bike racks along the sidewalk were placed in honor of local citizens. And the Sinfully Delicious custom bakery was taking orders for Elvis cakes. I hope to visit again next Sunday as the three-day 2nd Annual Elvis Festival targets a gospel competition.

The last city for this week is Concord, Cabarrus County seat. Concord means “to bring into harmony” and was first settled about 1750 and incorporated in 1806. It is the 10th largest city in North Carolina. Cotton and textile mills were stalwart industries as the city prospered. The 1839 Odell-Locke-Randolph Mill is now a popular retail space. Union Street is the one of the most beautiful streets I have ever seen with more than 200 historic structures. Often I have gone to Concord just to run out and back on Union, ending in the downtown area.

The historic and stately Cabarrus County Courthouse was built in 1876, one of four courthouses used since the town’s inception. Government buildings dominate the downtown area, with current courthouse expansion still underway and various city and county buildings. The City Hall and Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center, in particular, were especially interesting.

Several large murals, one honoring the hometown Avett Brothers, can be seen, along with one of the original What-a-Burgers, labeled as location No. 2 on it’s sign.

A giant step forward is the streetscape construction now underway on downtown Union Street. When complete, bike lanes, significant landscape plantings and widened walking areas will highlight the area. Concord looks successful and growing, and I’m betting that continues.

Now with 30 county seats complete, 70 remain. I had 6.27 miles on foot in these four towns, all very enjoyable. We’ll continue soon!

By David Freeze

I grabbed another day of county seats on Thursday, April 13, working toward a goal of getting most of those west of here by early May. I love the mountains and looked forward to a pleasant day of driving, running and exploring with the best forecast of any of my recent trips.

Morganton, Burke County’s seat, was first on my list. Arriving just after 9 a.m., I found an already active welcome center with four women at work. I quickly had a downtown map with points of interest. I found the stately Burke County Courthouse as the focal point of the town. Built of local cut stone in 1835, the building also housed the August terms of the State Supreme Court from 1847-1861. The Spanish built a fort near here in 1567, 40 years before the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia.

In 1864, a detachment of Union loyalist North Carolina troops attacked the Western North Carolina Railroad and a Confederate training camp just outside Morganton. Neighborhoods around the downtown area have lots of late 19th and early 20th century homes. The colorful downtown area has plenty of interesting and active stores with most storefronts in use. Just across the street from the historic courthouse is a large movie theatre.

Morganton’s Sam Ervin, U.S. Senator from 1954-74, was notable for the Watergate hearings and has his own statue next to the old courthouse and across from the modern one. Situated on top of the highest knoll in town, the old courthouse offers fantastic views of the surrounding foothills.

I found a “toasted and rolled” ice cream shop, though not open in the morning. New to me, this ice cream has a frozen base that can be rolled out in sheets and rerolled for serving. Can’t wait to try it.

My next stop was Newland, county seat of Avery County. It’s small but seems to have some of everything. Earlier called “Old Fields of Toe,” the town was renamed Newland after Lt. Governor William C. Newland in 1911. The courthouse and jail were both built in 1913. The courthouse also houses a correctional facility. While the courthouse is still in use, the old jail next door is now a museum.

The depot of the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad opened in 1914 and is still there along with a restored caboose even though the railroad discontinued operations in 1940.

A pleasant mountain drive took me to Bakersville, county seat of Mitchell County. On a day of small towns, this was the smallest but also likely the most interesting. Started in the 1850s, the town is named after Revolutionary soldier David Baker. His renovated home still stands and is owned by a part of author John Grisham’s family. Famous for its long running annual Rhododendron Festival, I had visited Bakersville several times in the 1990s to run the accompanying 10K race. Nearby on Roan Mountain is the largest rhododendron natural garden in the world with 600 acres. The festival, now in its 76th year, is June 16-18.

Cane Creek runs through the town and its banks form a nice park where one trout fisherman was flyfishing. In 1901, the little creek overflowed in what was called the “May Flood,” washing most of the town away.

Many of the small stores sell local mountain crafts inspired by the nearby Penland School of Crafts, which was a great story in itself. Penland offers spring, summer and fall workshops in craft disciplines that include weaving and dyeing, bead work, glassblowing, pottery, paper making, metalworking and woodworking. It also offers fine arts subjects, such as printmaking, painting and photography. Workshops are taught by visiting American and international artists and professors, a tradition that started in 1929. Academic degrees are not awarded by Penland, but students can receive college credit through Western Carolina University. There are about 1,200 people who study at Penland each year in 50 rustic buildings on 400 acres. Many of the students remain in the area, making more artists per capita than almost anywhere in the world.

The 1907 Mitchell County Courthouse dominates the downtown. I tried the visitor center a couple of times and found no one, so I asked at the Just Local Market. Megan Bell sold me some great cookies and took me to Sharon Rowland across the street at Bowditch Antiques and Collectibles. Sharon did her student teaching at East Rowan High School before changing professions and joining the Agricultural Extension Service. She took me back to the visitor center where I learned the real scoop about the town. Sharon said, “We’ve got a great little town and we just have to promote it.”

As I headed south toward Marion, county seat of McDowell County, I reflected on how much those ladies loved Bakersville and how special they made my visit. Marion, founded in 1844, was named for famous Revolutionary War General Francis Marion, the elusive Swamp Fox.

As the self-designated Salisbury Post Bigfoot expert, I was able to cover the first ever Bigfoot festival in Marion a few years ago. This year’s festival is just ahead on May 20, followed by the Livermush Festival on June 3. Former Kansas and UNC basketball coach Roy Williams was born in Marion and his Carolina friends erected a historical marker in his honor.

Marion’s slogan, “Where Main Street Meets the Mountains” fits because lots of excellent mountain views surround the downtown. A huge fire in 1894 gutted Main Street, destroying most businesses and homes. With no central water supply, citizens fought the fire unsuccessfully with a bucket brigade. A few brick buildings survived with damage, yet a vibrant downtown now exists.

I found gas at a reasonable price and headed home after another productive day. I drove 247 miles and covered 6.3 more on foot. That’s 25 county seats visited and 75 more to go. I’ll be back with more soon.

By David Freeze

My quest for more county seats across North Carolina continued on Thursday, April 8. I drove northwest to Sparta to start the day. Sparta is the county seat of Alleghany County and has a clean, small-town feel. Sparta is known most recently for an earthquake that occurred there on Aug. 9, 2020. Registering 5.1 on the Richter scale, this was the largest earthquake in North Carolina in 104 years and second largest ever.

Notable buildings along Main Street include the 1904 courthouse and a historical theatre that still hosts weekly community musical picking events as the Alleghany Jubilee. New to me and interesting is the promotion of Historic U.S. 21, Sparta’s Main Street, as an easier way to travel from the Great Lakes to Florida. The same distance as interstate highway travel, U.S. 21 is more scenic and fun.

Sparta is also on the Daniel Boone Highway and is gearing up to host a Fried Apple Pie Festival on May 6. Interesting too was the Sparta Presbyterian Church’s clothesline of free for the taking handmade toboggans for those in need of warmth. A mural honors country singer Del Reeves, Sparta’s most famous past resident.

I drove on scenic byways toward Jefferson, county seat of Ashe County, while listening to AM radio gospel hymns and farm reports. N.C. highways 18 and 88 took me past Christmas tree farms, one after another.

Jefferson is the smaller and less active sibling of next-door West Jefferson, a tourist destination in itself. Jefferson has the stately 1904 courthouse, now a museum. Designated as the county seat in 1799, it was named for then vice president and future president Thomas Jefferson. The New River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, flows through the town.

Next stop was Boone, county seat of Watauga County and a town I’ve visited often earlier in life but not recently. Home of Appalachian State University, Boone has a thriving downtown of trendy businesses along busy King Street. I looked forward to grabbing something for a quick lunch there and settled for two fantastic bagels at Boone Bagelry. Boone is named for Daniel Boone who camped several times in the current location of the downtown area. His nephews were members of the still existing Three Forks Baptist Church.

Two Boone-related area attractions draw tourists regularly. The outdoor drama Horn in the West depicts Daniel Boone’s contribution to those seeking freedom from British tyranny in the area and has been done every year since 1952. Boone had a hunting camp and a cabin in the area from about 1767-1773. Tweetie’s East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad had tracks through the present site of ASU. A severe flood in 1940 damaged the tracks and it was decided to not replace them. The rain damage came from a stalled hurricane and left Boone isolated for days from the outside world as bridges were washed away and telephone service interrupted. At least 16 people died in the flooding.

Most of the people I saw on the streets were students although Boone is the center of the 7-county High Country tourist area. Another exciting surprise to me was the name of the local wood bat summer college league baseball team, the Boone Bigfoots. Another was the F.A.R.M. Café, which stands for “Feed All Regardless of their Means.” It is a small café only open for a few hours a day during lunch where customers pay what they can or volunteer.

As I left town, a thunderstorm dumped a downpour on the area but I drove out of it just of north of Lenoir, the next stop and county seat of Caldwell County. Established in 1841, Lenoir, first called Tucker’s Barn, was named for William Lenoir, a Revolutionary War general and statesman.

Famous for quality furniture, Lenoir is recognized as the “The Furniture Capital of the World.” Lenoir hosts the Bootlegger 100, a super challenging gravel cycling race in two weeks and the Blackberry Festival on July 15. Lenoir also has a downtown walking trail along which I found Paul Reid. I asked him how he was, and his response was, “If any better, I couldn’t stand it.” I told him about my 100-county challenge and asked him to check the Sunday Post. Full of interesting shops, Lenoir would be a fun place to spend a day. One shop worth visiting is “Dead People’s Stuff Antiques and Emporium.”

An oddity, the summer college wood bat league also has a team here called the Lenoir Legends. Bigfoot is also their team mascot!

My final stop for the day was my favorite. Newton is the county seat of Catawba County. By the end of the day, I didn’t want to dodge traffic, yet wanted to see an interesting town. Newton filled the bill. The historic downtown is centered around the 1924 courthouse and is undergoing a renovation that includes widened sidewalks, bike and walking lanes and enhancement of an adjacent park. “Six blocks in three phases makes for a bright future,” per the renovation slogan.

I found multiple restaurants and interesting things in the downtown area. Most storefronts were open and active. There is a huge flour mill, specializing in bakery flour, still in operation. A large modern recreation center complete with splash pad and gym is downtown, and the old post office has been made into the Post Office Playhouse with a busy schedule posted. A Bountiful Downtown Bunny Trail was going on for nine days with prizes. Murals and a still operating movie theatre called “The State,” still showing new movies, enhanced the area. A train depot with a caboose and rail car museum were just a short distance from the courthouse square area. Park and walk with lots to do in downtown Newton. There’s a nice bakery too!

A nice day with the best weather I’ve had so far. I had 227 driving miles and 7.91 miles on foot, all for another fun adventure! Back soon.