Richard Etheridge was the first in a long line of Black keepers of the U.S. Life-Saving Station at Pea Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He served during the Civil War and was appointed to his position in 1880. Etheridge hired local black men from the community to serve. They were trained as…
The Legendary Moonshiner- Popcorn Sutton
Marvin Popcorn Sutton was a mountain legend, plain and simple. Born and raised in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, he spent his days running the backroads between there and Cocke County, Tennessee, making moonshine the way his people always had. Popcorn wasn’t shy about what he did. He told his story in books and home videos,…
The Deadliest Train Wreck in North Carolina’s History
Shortly after midnight on December 16, 1943, the Atlantic Coast Line southbound train left Fayetteville, North Carolina, behind schedule, pulling eighteen cars into the early morning hours. The trip was uneventful until the train approached Rennert, where a sudden jolt caused the last three cars to uncouple. While the cars remained upright, the dining car…
Historic Occoneechee Speedway in North Carolina
Occoneechee Speedway sits just outside Hillsborough, North Carolina, and holds a special place in NASCAR history. It’s the only dirt track from NASCAR’s very first season in 1949 that’s still around today. The track actually started out as a horse racing venue built by Julian S. Carr on land with a rich Native American heritage….
Beneath the Waters of Kerr Lake
Our “Beneath the Waters” series has earned thousands of views, covering Lake Norman, Lure, Jocassee, and Murray. Tonight, we will cover Kerr Lake. The lake is no different from the others in terms of roads, and former structures were flooded to make way for it, but it does have a secret lying on the bottom,…
Babe Ruth’s North Carolina Connection
Many may not be aware, but the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, played a pivotal role in the beginning of George Herman “Babe” Ruth Jr. It was here that Ruth hammered his first home run as a professional against the then-minor league Baltimore Orioles on March 7, 1914. The blast traveled 350 to 400 feet…
Beneath the Waters of Lake Norman
Lake Norman is a beautiful lake just north of the City of Charlotte, but have you ever wondered what lies just beneath its waters? You may be shocked to know that the remains of a summer camp that opened in the 1930s and the site of the Battle of Cowan’s Ford, where General William Lee…
Was Asheville Planning to Build a Subway System in the Early 1900s
One rumor that has gained attention over the years concerns the secret tunnels and passageways under Asheville, North Carolina. Some believe that Asheville was planning to build a subway sometime during the 1910s or early 1920s. It seems like a far-fetched idea even in 2025, given the mountain city’s population and terrain, but that hasn’t…
What’s Beneath Lake Lure
One lake I receive many questions about is Lake Lure. After all, Dirty Dancing was filmed there, and not to mention, the place became an overnight success in the late 1920s. The area is even known for its haunted locations. But have you ever considered what lies forgotten at the bottom? Many items have been…
The Infamous 1933 Charlotte Heist
Decades before the $17 million Loomis Fargo Heist in 1997, Charlotte was the scene of another infamous heist, when a group of gangsters invaded the Queen City to “raise” money for legal fees. On November 15, 1933, four men in a brand-new vehicle cut off and robbed a mail truck on 3rd Street. One of…