Meet North Carolina

introducing North Carolina you know they say there's nothing finer and for a fact you'll have to travel far to match the ever-changing pictorial beauty of the old North State probably there's no place more beautiful to begin your acquaintance and here on the Blue Ridge Parkway a sky-high Avenue that winds along the crest of the Appalachian range for more than a century travelers have visited this mountain country a hundred years ago they came on horseback in stagecoaches and ox carts today's travelers enjoy the same scenic vistas traveling in comfort and safety along America's most spectacular Malvern Boulevard there are no trucks or buses on this Highway not even a telephone pole tomorrow the visitors view this young couple look happy why not they're on vacation and they've come to North Carolina because they've heard that here they will find all the things they want to do and see all the way from mountaintops to ocean shore you know it's not every state that can boast of high ranges and the coastline ideal for swimming boating and fishing what a wonderful way to settle that old old question which shall it be the mountains or the sea say pardon me just a moment William quite sure this is your first visit to North Carolina isn't it that's right there know much about it but it sure looks fine from here yes it does look fine and we think it is fine you say you don't know much about it so here goes here's where you are right on the top of the greatest mass of mountains in the eastern United States east of the mountains lies the rolling country of the Piedmont beside fine farmlands this section contains most of our big industries powered by electricity developed from the state's abundant water supply eastward again are the coastal plains one of the richest agricultural regions of the south rich in history too for it was here nearly three centuries ago that the first English colony in America was established a scene very much like this greeted Sir Walter Raleigh's settlers when they first met North Carolina on this exact spot lived that colony only to disappear without a trace leaving a mystery unsolved to this day on Roanoke Island during the summer months a dramatization of that mystery is presented it commemorates - the birthday of Virginia Dare first child born of English parents in the new i baptize the Virginia in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost amen oh man although this first attempt at colonization was a failure later settlers were successful not far from Roanoke Island North Carolina's first permanent settlement was established the town of Bath which centers around this old church built in 1690 throughout the state landmarks in its history and progress are found one of the most stately of these is orton mansion established in 1725 symbolic of an era of colonial prosperity this tower overlooks the campus of the University of North Carolina's first State University to open its doors in the United States dear to the hearts of all alumni is the old well a 150 years a favorite meeting place of undergraduates you know North Carolina seems to have a knack for staying in the headlines of history on windswept Kill Devil Hill this towering pylon marks the spot where the Wright brothers challenged the skies making the first powered airplane flight all of its past it is small wonder that the capital city of north carolina is named Raleigh in memory of those first brave settlers on Roanoke Island confidence of the future the people of North Carolina have built many thriving cities Charlotte the Queen City largest in the state and center of Industry Trade and transportation Greensboro strategic central location makes it an important distribution point go back Oh capital of the world winston-salem Durham is another important tobacco and Anja factoring center and it's the home of Duke University one of the most heavily endowed schools in the United States these handsome gothic buildings set in a spacious campus attract many visitors the principal seaport is Millington it's waited on the Cape Fear River and the inland waterway with Channel and harbor for ocean-going ships in a setting of emerald forest and Blue Hills is the city of Asheville high on a plateau between the blue ridges and the Great Smoky Mountains above an extensive resort area it is the metropolis of Western North Carolina among Asheville's many attractions is Biltmore House a chateau that has been called the most beautiful home in America now open to visitors Biltmore House contains a treasury of famous paintings and other well-known and historic works of art say that's alright I'd like to see some of those places for myself and there's no reason why you shouldn't but you'll see lots of other things in the state you might like to know something about take that cigarette you're smoking you may not know it but seven out of every ten American cigarettes come from this state it begins here fields of green growing tobacco stretching from the piedmont through the coastal plain in late summer seems like this on every hand farmers harvesting the state's most profitable cash crop stripping the matured leaves from the stalks at this busy season the whole family and all the neighbors turn out to prepare the valuable crop for market the leaves are made in two hands the hands are strung on two sticks ready to be placed in the tobacco barns where the leaves will be cured by the heat from wood or oil fires this curing gives the tobacco the characteristic golden color which means market time money in the bank the necessities and the comforts of life for the whole farm family in the town of Wilson the traveler may visit the largest bright leaf tobacco market in all the world he may even see and hear one of the famous auctioneers as he conducts a tobacco sale and here's an option develop in development of a war one deer do not appear in all a little too early to go down a nine to go tell appears take it out of a tomorrow 45 o dividing seven eight nine eleven tomorrow do three interval winner from father bit dividing is everyday elevator one legged cistern elastic David 161 did you really all years of careful aging are still necessary before this tobacco will be ready for final processing and then in huge factories in winston-salem Durham and Reidsville long process which started in the field culminate in the manufacture of best-known brands of cigarettes and smoking tobacco this factory ships an entire train load of cigarettes every day of the year and brother that's a lot of smoking there's another interesting angle to this cigarette business most of the paper used in cigarette manufacture comes from this large modern plant a nationwide search for water of unexcelled purity ended here on the banks of the sparkling Davidson River near Brevard domestic flax and pure water are essential items in the production of this stupid high-quality paper the big rolls are cut into little ones each of these small rolls contains enough paper for 85,000 cigarettes fishing is one of the more important occupations along the coast strangely enough the most important catch is not primarily a food fish but the fabulous menhaden always found in enormous schools these fish seem to favor the North Carolina Shore as a result an important marine industry has been developed based on the valuable oil extracted from the menhaden oil used in soaps in paints used as a lubricant as a medicine and as a sizing for tax code even the residue is valuable as a high protein stock feed and for fertilizers well I guess it's true most everywhere old and young alike go for goobers or crisps freshly roasted peanuts North Carolina grows her own with a good share for the rest of the country the loamy soil of the coastal plain is dotted with hundreds of fields in early autumn the tuber Laden vines are taken from the ground and stacked to dry later harvesting equipment moves into the fields to separate the nuts from the drive line the vines are bailed and become an important and highly nutritious addition to the diet of farm herds peanuts themselves are made into dozens of products and hundreds of byproducts but the most familiar form is old man peanut himself roasted to a golden tasty brow just peanuts you say yes but peanuts are big business in North Carolina more north carolinians earn their livelihood from the manufacture of textiles than from any other industrial endeavor the state grows a lot of its own cotton and it's a good customer for its cotton growing neighbors the fleecy bowls are transformed into yarn and the yarn is woven into colorful fabrics eventually to appear on markets around the world here's another kind of weaving one that might interest the ladies the manufacture of nylon hose this is uncolored nylon awaiting only the magic of chemistry to produce the myriad shades to please any ladies fancy Burlington is the hosiery capital of the South fair and in many other cities this most glamorous item in the feminine wardrobe is produced in millions of units the traveler in North Carolina will see everywhere evidence of the state's chief natural resource over half of the state is forested and these forests contain the largest reserve of hardwoods remaining in this country hundreds of thousands of acres of the best lands have been set aside as preserves where scientific lumbering and reforestation assure a never failing supply of this essential material Mills like this conceal the large part of the output of the forests for conversion into paper products of many kinds perhaps the paper on which your favorite magazine is printed came from this very Factory besides paper and paper product over 3,000 manufactures making everything from rayon to radio cabinets depend on the forests of North Carolina for their raw material supply chief among these industries is the manufacture of finished wood products centered at High Point and Lenoir this state leads all others in the fabrication of fine furniture here's an interesting operation this multiple carver enables one Operator to shape 24 identical pieces at one time would from the hills fabrics from the mills plus the skilled craftsmanship of the old North State combined to make furniture that is really fine furniture that one day may grace your living room I guess that's enough education for a while you got a long way to go you better get on without vacation all right mr. traveler what's your pleasure is it the scenery you're after modern highways will take you past cascading streams and sparkling waterfalls - as your lakes rimmed by high hills - spectacular chimney rock with breathtaking views to the very top of Mount Mitchell highest point in the Eastern mountain range or up the rugged slopes of old grandfather himself which geologists claim is the oldest mountain in the world in spring and early summer the hills burst into a symphony of color with displays of rhododendron of mountain laurel a feather clinging to the rocky hillsides and the flame Azalea found nowhere else on this continent everywhere you go you'll find settings of incomparable beauty in fact nice settings for your own vacation photographs and you don't have to go far west to enjoy dude ranching modern mile high resorts provide facilities playing or fancy for the Wild West man most popular National Park in America is in the Great Smoky Mountains readily accessible by automobile it is threaded by marked and graded trails leading the adventurous vacationers to points of interest denied to casual motorists while you're visiting the park don't be surprised if you meet a friendly bear or two interesting acquaintance yes but don't get too chummy mr. bear's idea of a love hat is the human equivalent of a knockout punch if meeting bears or footing at our ideas of fun you may prefer the comforts of one of the many modern resort hotels or lodges with sports and recreation right outside the door something more modest many visitors prefer a cozy mountain cabin this one is near Fontana Dam highest water barrier in the East this huge structure creates only one of dozens of lakes providing watersports and year-round fishing or vacations if you're a real traveler you'll be interested in the folkways of the hardy people who populate this state in the shadow of old grandfather a yearly festival known as singing on the mountain bring spectators and contestants from all the south a palatial range young and old alike turn out to hear the ancient ballads of the hill like the old songs the old ways of doing things persist in many homes the products of the modern textile industry of North Carolina mean little to this spelled early lady like her mother and her grandmother she cards and spins her own yarn to make garments for her family yes strange as it seems the people of North Carolina who have led the South in development of machine industries have maintained their pride in fine hand workmanship a carving of beautiful and quaint figures from hardwoods is only one of the many handcraft skills old-fashioned drudgery you say not at all within a hundred miles of Asheville more than 3000 persons make all or part of their living from the creation of examples of fine handicraft eagerly sought by travelers as treasured mementos of their visit mementos ranging from the humorous to the supply hey this is a pretty scene looks like one of our vacationing friends and sure enough it is I guess she doesn't realize that outfit she's wearing would scare any respectable trout a mile downstream hey what this looks like she's hooked one and she has well it just goes to show you North Carolina streams are kept so well stocked even an amateur angler has a chance the state even reserves one valve stream exclusively for women fishermen um wonder where her husband is well no sooner said than done hey what's he up to anyway hmm looks like a little campfire cookery in progress let's go over and see what is out on the fire beauties too and hot biscuits hey this lad is quite talented or if picnicking is more in your line why not pack a basket and visit one of the state parks or numerous recreational areas set aside for your pleasure what that teen outdoor air does to the appetite is nobody's business but your own an interesting novelty is this bridge built across the highway for the exclusive use of horsemen hundreds of miles of bridle paths line through the forested hills of Western North Carolina if you don't want a horse or issues you can still have fun besides mountain streams the bass lakes are popular with inland fishermen none more so than Lake Lure in its alpine setting where swimming boating and aquaplaning round out the vacationers packy to pleasure let's leave the mountains for a while and drive down through the rolling Piedmont into the Sand Hills once an ancient sea covered this country and left behind it the characteristic dunes of golden sand the dwelling place of the stately longleaf pine of Halle and dogwood for reasons unexplained by science the sand hills enjoy an unusually mild climate crisp cool nights Sun a brilliant days so it's no wonder that for half a century this region has been a popular winter resort and it's no wonder to that golfers flocked to these resorts in such numbers because even when it showers the thirsty sand absorbs the water so quickly that in a matter of minutes a foursome can resume play many of today's famous players won their first recognition in tournaments on these championship courses riding fox hunting tennis and other outdoor sports can be enjoyed almost every day you the 300-mile coastline presents two distinct realms of exploration the Outer Banks comprised of maritime wilderness appealing strongly to the adventurous sportsman and to those who would leave the madding crowd behind rough trails lead to Honduras and Ocracoke graveyard of the Atlantic where many a brave ship has met disaster Coast Guardsmen stationed on this windswept bar have been awarded more congressional medals of Honor per capita than any other group the little fishing village of Hatteras looks peaceful indeed and it is peaceful no police no Sheriff and not even a jail but the fishing it's wonderful in contrast to the isolation of the Outer Banks are the easily accessible Beach Resort Sun and sound and the tumbling surf make these popular playgrounds there's fishing here too in the surf if you like or try your luck come appear but some sportsmen take to the open seas and they're in the indigo waters of the Gulf Stream await challenging amberjack fighting dolphin the vicious Barracuda zero sailfish bonito and the incomparable blue marlin the growing Legion of small craft sailormen find in North Carolina's sounds and rivers many hospitable waters for their graceful sport if you like a little more speed you might try this one on for size other practice of the wild burst though if you're wondering how to get off these things just what simple isn't it a still more speed here it is and plenty of it on one of North Carolina's many broad rivers just as we saw in the mountains there's plenty of scenery in other parts of North Carolina in fact the scenery along the beach is unusually pretty and with who's taking in all this scenery it's our friends again they've done what they set out to do and in one vacation they've had a glorious week in the mountains and another week of sunshine and fun on the seashore wonder how they liked it tell me have you enjoyed your Tar Heel vacation we sure have and we really met North Carolina I'm glad you did I knew you'd like it because for fun in winter summer spring or fall North Carolina has them all you

Channel: US National Archives

Views: 350,772

Rating: 4.8743501 out of 5

Keywords: US National Archives, NARA

Id: lEro9Z0Edy0

Length: 31min 14sec (1874 seconds)

Published: Tue Nov 22 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/davisdudeDev]

I thought North Carolinians said it the right way, AppaLATCHun...

[u/[deleted]]

Haha that tobacco auctioneer was cracking me up

[u/Dixie__Flatline]

Thanks for posting! That was a great watch.

[u/notjawn]

The tobacco auction took me back to my childhood. I remember my dad would always drag the whole family out to the auctions so he could politick. This video really is a find! Thanks OP!

[u/hudsonab]

Wow, awesome find! Ended up watching the whole video.

[u/soc_jones]

Ah, so this is what great again looks like

But for real though people seem happier back then

[u/Latama]

If you enjoyed this, you may also want to check out the incredible H. Lee Waters Film Collection of silent films documenting communities in North Carolina from 1936 to 1942.

[u/lightning_johnson]

so awesome - I especially like the music :)

[u/Independent]

Presented by Humble Oil & Refining Company - America's Leading Energy Company

Fantastic find, thanks for sharing.