illsborough
Just minutes away
charms of yesteryear
By ED WILLIAMS
r j
tour.
The brochure, entitled simply "Historic
Hillsborough, costs a quarter. It contains a map of
the town with historic sites and houses numbered so
Take a short drive from Chapel Hill and immerse
yourself in North Carolina history.
Hillsborough can be reached by driving north on that they can be found easily.
H ighway 86 or if you want a more picturesque view, History is one subject that will never end, and it is
ride a bike along Old Highway 86. Either way, fascinating to think that so many historical moments
1 1 Hillsborough is only 1 1 miles away and well worth could have occurred in such a small area.
1 the trip. In 1754, Williams Churton was granted 400 acres
j Hillsborough has managed to retain some of its from John Earl Granville, and he began laying out a
j j past. Various historical landmarks and old basic format of the town. The town boundaries still
j structures line the town's checkerboard of streets. A stand exactly as Churton laid them out 225 years
J f few examnles would he the house of William Hoorer. aeo:
3
The town was first called "Orange and has had
numerous names since "Corbin Town,
"Corbinton, and "Childsburg. The town was
named "Hillsborough in 1766 for Wills Hill, Earl of
Hillsborough and Secretary of State for the colonies
4 . v. .a m 1 . f
if one oi tnree norm Carolinians wno signed tne
I Declaration of Independence. Even the town's most
j notable restaurant, the Colonial Inn, built in 1759,
j contributes to the town's history as a whole.
m While there are no guided tours of the town, you
j J can start at the Orange County Historical Museum from 1768-1772 under George III.
I j on Churton and King streets and pick up a brochure With time, the spelling of the town's name changed
' that will enable you to conduct your own guided to 'Hillsboro until an Act of the General Assembly
of North Carolina in 1965 reinstated the original
spelling.
Hillsborough is perhaps best known as the site of
the Regulator uprising in 1768 which ended with the
hanging of six Regulators in 1771. In a pamphlet
called "Hillsborough and the Regulators, Annie S.
Cameron described the Regulators as, "the men who
took the lead in opposing the ruling class and in
trying to change what they felt were wrong and
unfair practices...because they were trying to
'regulate' or change existing fees and circumstances.
Cameron explains how some people "firmly
regard the Battle of Alamance which the Regulators
started as being the first battle of the American
Revolution...," although she later admits that this
view cannot be supported "for the simple reason that
the Regulators were not fighting against their
king....
The North Carolina Department of Archives and
History has a prepared statement in the Alamance
Museum that reads: "Their (the Regulators')
boldness in taking up arms against royal authority
contributed, by example, to the later clash which
resulted in American independence.
Perhaps Cameron best sums up the battle and its
effects by writing: "This was a black period in the
history of the Town of Hillsborough, but it served a
significant purpose in- the history of freedom for
justice-seeking people in the New World, two
hundred years ago."
Just east of, Hillsborough, a spot is marked off to
commemorate the Regulators who were hanged in
that area. '
The National Park Service in the U.S. Department
of the Interior has named more than 12 structures in
Hillsborough to . the National Register of Historic
Buildings. J
One of these is the "old" Orange County
Courthouse, built in 1844 by John Berry. This is the
gathering place for many visitors because the
Historical Museum is on the second floor.
Mrs. Sadie Strayhorn, curator of the museum,
said,"Where we get a lot of visitors, don't you know,
is from parents of the Carolina and Duke students."
But the visitors are not just area-based.
"Somebody's been here from Alaska this year,"
Mrs. Strayhorn said, "and people from 19 countries
came here in 1978."
A flip through the register that the museum keeps,
of its visitors shows that people have come frrtm
such places as New Zealand, the Netherlands,
Ireland and England to see the relics that the
museum contains.
The museum is actually" an old courtroom. The
rows of benches are the same ones used during the
Revolutionary War period, according to Strayhorn.
A mural painting lines the back wall depicting three
outstanding periods in the early days of Orange
County the colonial and Regulator era; the
Revolutionary period; and the refusal at
Hillsborough of North Carolina's constitutional
convention to ratify the proposed Constitution
without the Bill of Rights, according to a museum
handout.
The museum is open daily from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
except Mondays and admission is free.
The old courthouse contains what is perhaps the
most memorable relic in Hillsborough, the old town
clock. Allen A. Lloyd, a pharmacist in James
Drugstore since 1937, maintains the clock.
"The clock was made in England in 1766 during
the King George era," he said, stepping out from
behind a counter.
See HILLSBOROUGH on page 15
PI
an. a day in the sun
Everything you need to know about parks
getting there, places to swim and picnic
S i
By CHRIS BURRITT
Looking for an exciting weekend,
huh? And you have neither the
tolerance for another 48 hours of
television nor the gas for a trip to the
beach?
Well, you need sink no further into
Road 1918 on the left. The lake
entrance is less than one mile down the
road.
Farther away, you can canoe, fish,
picnic and hike at the scenic Eno River
State Park in Durham County.
Directions: Follow the Highway 15-501
bypass to the Hillsborough Road exit.
boredom. In the Chapel Hill vicinity a Take a left across the overpass to Cole
recreation
the pleasure
wide . variety . of
! opportunities awaits
seeker.
1 If you're interested in a one-day
1 outing with family or friends, take a
I look at the following list:
1 Forest Theater, located on Country
I Club Road across from the Office of
! Undergraduate Admissions, is a good
; place for a picnic. The theater has
- picnic tables, charcoal grills and an
j open play area.
f Chapel Hill operates several parks.
I Ucstead Park has a picnic shelter, a
f basketball court, a tennis court and an
open play area. Directions: Follow
Airport Road until you near the
I S bottom of the hill. Take a left at
j Umstead Drive. The park is on the left
j j about one mile down the road.
S I Another town recreation area is
j Jones Park, located on Purefoy Drive,
j It is the site of a large natural play
j structure which is fun for both children
S J and adults. Directions: Follow South
f j Columbia Street past Manning Drive.
I j. Before you reach the Highway 54
j j bypass, you will come to an Exxon
f I station on the left. The immediate left
j I past the station is Purefoy Drive.
I j Have you ever wished to swing like a
j j monkey on a rope and drop into a lake?
i J If you have, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
YMCA has the perfect place for you at
Clfrwster Lke. It also has areas for
rdmmin picnicking and fishing. It is
open from 1 1 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days
': a week. The park-use fee is $1 for non
YMCA members. Directions: Follow
South Columbia Street across the
Highway 54 --bypass to the blinking
; trdiic light. Take a left and follow
I Farrinntcn Rosd for two miles to state
Mill Road. Take a right and follow the
road until you come to the Eno River.
A picnic area is beside the river. The
park entrance is about two miles past
the bridge.
Lake Michie, also in Durham
County, is a 500-acre lake surrounded
by 300 acres of woodland. The park has
shelters with grills, a camping area,
without water or electricity, . hiking
trails, fishing and . row-boating.
Directions: Take Chapel Hill-Durham
Boulevard through Durham to the
Highway 501 exit. Follow U.S. 501 10
miles and turn right at the park sign.
Duke Forest, part of the School of
Forestry and Biological Sciences at
Duke University, offers several trails
through beautiful tree and shrub
gardens. There are four picnic sites but
no running water or bathroom
facilities. Directions: Go to Room 216
in the biological sciences building at
Duke University between 8 a.m. and 5
p.m. Monday through Friday to check
out a key to the gates at the forest. A'
refundable $1 deposit is required for
use of the key. . Pick up a brochure
explaining the area in detail.
Duke Garden, also owned by Duke
University, is a public garden with
about 1,000 species of flowers and
plants. It is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven
days a week. Directions: Take Chapel
Hill-Durham Boulevard to Highway
751. Bear to the right onto Academy
Driv. You will cross back over Chapel
Hill-Durham Boulevard. Take a right
on Duke University Street and follow it
to Anderson Street. Turn left and you
the entrance to the gardens on
win see
See PLACES on pae 13
t
Outdoor drama
By MELANIE MODLIN
Outdoor drama is booming. And North Carolina, with 1 1
of the nation's 57 productions, is leading the pack.
It is here that Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Greens The Lost
Colony opened in 1937, blending music, dance, mime and
poetic imagery to dramatize history. Since that time outdopr
drama has spread across the Tar Heel state, from Manteo to
.Cherokee, and . across the nation, from St. Augustine,
Florida, to Kodiak, Alaska.
Outdoor theater is an excellent vacation idea, as Marie
Maddox of the Institute of Outdoor Drama at UNC
explains.
"We attract a different kind of audience than Broadway
shows, obviously, because we have different things to offer.
"Top-price tickets are only five or six dollars, which
immediately distinguishes us from New York, she said.
We also attract people who like historythere's
something very exciting about sitting in a theater near the
'spot where the events in the play took place.
j Just being outside on a warm summer evening is an
appealing thought for many. Also, without the confines of a
j bona fide theater, players are able to liht fires, shoot arrows
From Manteo to Cherokee,
plays recount early events
skyward, and achieve other effects that are not possible on
Broadway.
Last summer 250,000 people bought tickets to see North
Carolina outdoor dramas. Individual plots vary, but all tell
of the struggles of heroes, many already famous, like Daniel
Boone, Blackbeard and Sir Walter Raleigh, who are engaged
in high adventure, mystery, comedy, romance and war.
This year a collection of North Carolina tall tales, Cane
Creek Calamities, will be produced along with The Sword of
Peace, Wednesday through Saturday evenings, July 4
through Sept. 1. Performance time: 8:45 p.m. Tickets:
adults,- , 4.50 and $3.50; children, $2.25 and $1.75. For
tickets write THE SWORD OF PEACE, P.O. Box 535,
Snow Camp 27349, or call (919) 376-6948.
The Lost Colony chronicles the first English settlement
in the New World, according to first-hand accounts. Indian
attacks, a tender love story and fireworks add spice to this
tale of Sir Walter Raleigh, John White and Virginia Dare.
The Lost Colony will run nightly except Sundays, June 15
5 1 - t I we$T HitTctic f JSgr LAKE tf ' '
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The outdoor drama closest to Chapel Hill is The Sword of mh A 25' at the Waterside Theatre, Manteo. I
Peace, about 30 minutes west in Snow Camp.
Other productions, while a bit further out; could easily be
seen en route to the shore or the mountains.
The following capsulized descriptions should prove
helpful to patrons of outdoor drama interested in revisiting
their favorites and to newcomers to this form of theater.
(More detailed brochures on each drama, with maps, are
available at no cost on the second floor of Graham Memorial
Hall.)
The Sword of Peace, by UNC Professor William M.
Hardy, is set in a wooded amphitheater in the quiet Quaker
community of Snow Camp, near Burlington. The plot
concerns the devout Quaker, Simon Dixon, who, with
others of his faith, stood for peaceful resistance to war
during the American Revolution.
Performance time: 8:30 p.m. Reservations recommended, all
seats reserved. Tickets: adults, $5.00 and $4.50; children,
$5.00 and $2.00. For tickets write THE LOST COLONY,
P.O. Box 40, Manteo 27954, or call (919) 473-2127 before
June 12 or (919) 473-3414 after June 12.
" Unto These Hills by Kermit Hunter is the tragic story of
the Cherokees in the late 1700s and early 1800s, the seizing of
their land by white settlers and their final exile.
This drama opens June 16 and will run nightly except
Sundays, through Aug. 25, in the Mountainside Theatre,
Cherokee. Performance time: 8:45 p.m. All seats reserved.
Tickets: all seats $5.00. For tickets write UNTO THESE
See N.C. LEADS on page 13
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The ! riangle
1 1 Travel short distance to explore N.C. past
From page 1
flavor and nearly all of its historic
homes. A walking-tour brochure of the
neighborhood is available at the visitor
center.
A few blocks down Blount Street,
turn right to find the N.C Museum of
Art. The permanent collection consists
of paintings, sculptures, prints,
drawings and decorative arts from all
periods, as well as timely temporary
exhibits.
A special gallery of art for people
who can't see is a unique feature of the
N.C. Museum of Art the Mary Duke
Biddle Gallery for the blind, where all
works may be handled.
Rounding out your tour of Raleigh,
be sure not to miss the traditional
Capital tour sites such as the State
Capitol building and its monument
dotted grounds where you can buy
peanuts and feed the innumerable
pigeons the State Legislative building,
designed in the 1960s by Edward
Durrel Stone, who later designed the
Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.;
and the State Museums of History and
Natural History. All are within walking
distance of the visitor center.
Durham
Yes, there is more to Durham than
Duke speaking of which, you should
see the rival campus if you haven't
already.
Duke's West Campus is unique in the
South for its Gothic architecture,
complete with arches, stones and ivy.
The cathedral-like Duke Chapel is
breathtaking; regular services are held
at 1 1 a.m. on Sundays.
. The Duke Homestead, birthplace of
a family of tobacco magnates, is
located north of Interstate 85 off of
Guess Road in Durham. The grounds
and furnished home are open to the
public free of charge every day but
Monday. '
Bennett place, a few miles from the
Duke Homestead on Hillsborough
Road, was the site of the last major
Confederate surrender of the Civil
War. Preserved as a state historic site,
the house remains as it was when
Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston
surrendered to Sherman on April 26,
1865.
Other Day Trips
Seagrove: Located south of Chapel
Hill on Highway 220, Seagrove is the
home of 13 family-operated pottery
shops and the Seagrove Potters
Museum.. After as many as eight
generations, the Seagrove potters
continue their work in a rural setting
with primitive equipment.
Visitors may watch as each pot, mug
or plate is fashioned individually, and
wares are for sale at each shop. Most
shops are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
daily except Sunday. Seagrove is a
good sidetrip on your way to or from
the state zoo in Asheboro.
Winston-Salem: Though it's a little
farther down the road, there are things
to see in Winston-Salem. Old Salem, a
restored 18th-century Moravian
village, is open daily with shops, a
bakery famous for moravian cookies
and sugar cake and informative tours.
Old Salem has its own exit off of 1-40
West.
The Jos. Schlitz Brewery is another
of Winston Salem's attractions, located
five miles south of 1-40 on Highway 52.
Free guided tours and, yes, free
refreshments -are . available.
Reservations are required for groups of
15 or more.
Picnics
A jug of wine, a loaf of bread and thou
By SARI HARRAR
tnd LINDA SMITH
Before heading out for a day of
picnicking leisure, remember that there
are viable alternatives to the hot dog,
hamburger, baked bean routine. Local
restaurants and grocery stores told us
they will be more than happy to solve
your picnic dilemma.
Bill's Bar-b-que on N. Graham St. in
Carrboro opens at 6:30 a.m. Monday-.
Saturday and could be the solution to
early-morning picnic neds. A
barbecue platter with potato salad, cole
slaw, and a choice of rolls or hush
puppies is $3.25. The, frie4 chicken
platter, with three pieces and salad, is
$3.15. Bill's makes fresh lemonade
daily and has a variety of cakes and pies
to take along for dessert.
Blhnpie's, located at their new base
on Franklin Street, can also supply a
quick and reasonable picnic meal.
Their regular three-ounce subs cost
from $1.20-$ 1.95, and their giant subs
are twice the price of a regular. Potato,
macaroni and tossed salads are 50 cents
per serving, and potato chips are
available by the bag.
For special occassions, Blimpie's will
prepare 6-foot-long submarine
sandwiches. Open at 11 a.m. Monday
Saturday and at 1 1:30 on Sundays, they
will accept checks. For large orders,
call 30 minutes in advance.
With 24 hours notice, Bill Neal of La
Residence can put together a
sumptuous meal that can include wine,
pate, bread, cheese, fruit and salads
like celery root salad or cold scallops
and capers salad.
The,cost? That would depend on the
type of wine, said Neal. "It would also
depend on the market cost of the
ingredients. It would
See VENDERS on pae 12
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