Politics & Government

Governor Bev Perdue

Office of the Governor

 Outer Banks, Battleships

 The Biltmore House, Asheville North Carolina

 The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina

 The Cherokee Nation Flag

 Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina

Concord, North Carolina, Lowe's Motor Speedway

Outer Banks, North Carolina, Wright Brothers National Memorial

About Bev ...

The inauguration of Beverly Eaves Perdue as the 73rd Governor of North Carolina - and our state's first woman governor - follows a distinguished tenure in public service focused on creating 21st century jobs, fighting for world-class public schools, and improving the health of our people. Before entering public service, Perdue worked as a public school teacher, as director of geriatric services at a community hospital in her hometown of New Bern, and earned a Ph.D. in Education Administration.

Prior to her election as Governor, Perdue established herself one of the most active and accomplished Lieutenant Governors in North Carolina history.

 Popular North Carolina Attractions

Battleship NORTH CAROLINA
The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA, located in Wilmington, is preserved in all her glory just as she was in World War II. As you walk the decks of the NORTH CAROLINA, imagine yourself at sea in 1942 searching the sky for enemy aircraft, anticipating what may happen next. Discover how this heroic Ship and brave crew fought in every major naval offensive in the Pacific of WWII.

Biltmore
America's largest privately owned home, the Biltmore House is nestled among 8,000 acres in the mountains near Asheville. George Vanderbilt, son of industrialist and philanthropist Cornelius Vanderbilt, saw his 250-room French-Renaissance chateau completed in 1895. This National Historic Landmark is among the country's most visited historic residences with shops, a four-star hotel, lush gardens, serene walking trails and an award-winning winery.

Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway, nicknamed "America's Favorite Drive," is a 469-mile scenic route connecting the Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks. North Carolina is home to 252 miles of Parkway, which meander through two national forests and offer campgrounds, picnic areas, lodges, restaurants and countless scenic overlooks.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Lighthouse
This popular National Seashore preserves and protects 75 miles of North Carolina's Outer Banks and includes the area of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse as well as visitor centers at Buxton, Bodie Island and Ocracoke Island. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in North America. In 1999, the lighthouse was relocated 2,900 feet away from the ocean to protect the landmark from beach erosion. It now stands 1,600 feet from the shore, as it did at the time it was built.

Cherokee Indian Reservation
Homeland of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Indian reservation welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Popular attractions include Harrah's Cherokee Casino, Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Oconaluftee Indian Village, the outdoor drama Unto These Hills, Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutuals, shopping and more.

Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain, one of the best-known landmarks of the Blue Ridge, is more than just a mountain. Towering 5,946 feet above northwest North Carolina, Grandfather Mountain is operated as a scenic travel attraction and is the only private park in the world designated by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. A Mile High Swinging Bridge was built to give visitors easy access to the breath-taking views from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest protected land area east of the Rocky Mountains and the most visited national park in the United States. Although it saddles two states, the majority of the park lies within North Carolina: 276,000 acres of forest and trails welcome hikers, bikers and equestrians. Rivers, streams and lakes offer some of the best canoeing, kayaking and whitewater rafting in the country.

Lowe's Motor Speedway
Located in Concord, Lowe's Motor Speedway is a mecca of motorsports. In addition to hosting two NASCAR Nextel Cup races and two NASCAR Busch Series races each year, this venue also holds NASCAR's All-Star Race in addition to a variety of auto-related events. The Nextel Cup Gift Shop offers guided tours of the speedway including a high-speed lap around the 1.5-mile banked oval.

North Carolina Museum of Life and Science
Located in Durham, the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science is a 78-acre, 50,000-square-foot interactive science-technology center that mixes science and fun. Interactive exhibits explore topics such as weather, aerospace and geology. Visitors can embark on a train ride through a nature park and wander through a 5000-square-foot glass conservatory filled with over 1,000 free-range tropical butterflies. Explore the Wild features black bears, red wolves and lemurs.

North Carolina Zoo
The largest and finest walk-through natural-habitat zoos, the North Carolina Zoo features more than 1,100 animals from 250 species as well as thousands of rare plants spread across 500 acres in Asheboro in central North Carolina. The zoo has shops and picnic areas plus it offers family events year-round.

Wright Brothers National Memorial
The site of man's first powered flight by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903, the Wright Brothers National Memorial is located in Kill Devil Hills on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The memorial boasts a 60-foot-high granite pylon atop a 90-foot hill to commemorate the visionary brothers as well as a museum, a reconstructed hangar and daily presentations on the Wright brothers' historic first flight.

©2009 North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development

State Symbols

• State motto: Esse quam videri ("To be, rather than to seem") (1893)
• State song: "The Old North State" (1927)
• State flower: Dogwood (1941)
• State bird: Cardinal (1943)
• State colors: the red and blue of the N.C. and U.S. flags (1945)
• State toast: The Tar Heel Toast (1957)
• State tree: Pine (1963)
• State shell: Scotch bonnet (1965)
• State mammal: Eastern Gray Squirrel (1969)
• State salt water fish: Red Drum (also known as the Channel bass) (1971)
• State insect: European honey bee (1973)
• State gemstone: Emerald (1973)
• State reptile: Eastern Box Turtle (1979)
• State rock: Granite (1979)
• State beverage: Milk (1987)
• State historical boat: Shad boat (1987)
• State language: English (1987)
• State dog: Plott Hound (1989)
• State military academy: Oak Ridge Military Academy (1991)
• State tartan: Carolina tartan (1991)
• State vegetable: Sweet potato (1995)
• State red berry: Strawberry (2001)
• State blue berry: Blueberry (2001)
• State fruit: Scuppernong grape (2001)
• State wildflower: Carolina Lily (2003)
• State Christmas tree: Fraser Fir (2005)
• State carnivorous plant: Venus Flytrap (2005)
• State folk dance: Clogging (2005)
• State popular dance: Shag (2005)
• State freshwater trout: Southern Appalachian Brook Trout (2005)
• State birthplace of traditional pottery: the Seagrove area (2005)