Planned Local Event #1 -- Raleigh Trolley Tours

Now that the details of our exciting "local events" have been finalized -- it's time for us to share them with you! Let's start with the tours aboard Raleigh's historic Trolley!

Raleigh Historic Day Tour

Tuesday, May 12th
9:30a-3:30p
Cost: $45 per person (lunch on own)

You’ll leave the convention center aboard a historic trolley and have a guided tour of several downtown Raleigh sites.

• Joel Lane House with its authentic 18th century garden, is the oldest dwelling in Raleigh.


• Mordecai Historic Park includes the Mordecai House, President Andrew Johnson’s birthplace, St. Mark’s Chapel, and other historic buildings and gardens.


• Lunch on your own in Raleigh’s Historic City Market


• Historic Oakwood Cemetery, the final resting place of 2,800 Confederate Soldiers, five Civil War generals, seven governors and many others. A cemetery historian will share colorful stories about their lives.

Raleigh Evening Orientation Tours
Tuesday, May 12th
4:00p-5:15p, 5:20p-6:35p or 6:40p-7:55p
Cost: $15 per person per tour

Ride the historic trolley and learn your way around downtown Raleigh. Discover how conveniently close you are to the State Archives, restaurants, shops, museums and art galleries. A tour guide will point out landmarks and tell colorful stories about historic downtown. Each tour lasts approx. 1 hour 15 min. Includes choice of sitting or standing. Drop off and pick up at conference center only.

What's With the Acorn?

"Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" and often is described as "a park with a city in it." Trees planted at the city's inception still provide cooling shade for visitors to Moore Square Park..."

To honor this moniker, for the City of Raleigh's bicentennial celebration in 1992, John Watkins conceived the idea of a giant acorn and persuaded local businesses to cover the cost for it's design and creation by sculptor David Benson.

Some acorn stats ...
+ 1,250 pounds
+ 10 feet tall
+ copper and steel
+ rests in Moore square except on New Years eve

For 16 First Night celebrations (since the Bicentennial of Raleigh in 1992), the acorn has been lowered from a crane at the stroke of midnight to signal the dawning of the New Year

Check out some other Raleigh, Fun Facts!

Why come to Raleigh?

Why should you come to Raleigh in May 2009?

The weather is great. The average daytime highs are in the mid- to upper-70s.

The dogwood trees and rhododendron plants are in bloom, painting the city with color.

You can network with hundreds of genealogists who are also coming to the conference.

The conference is held in the middle of North Carolina history. Enjoy being close to many archival repositories just waiting for you to explore their collections. (Read about the many research opportunities on this blog.)

North Carolina barbeque - need we say more?!

Indulge yourself with four days of genealogy lectures by nationally-known speakers.

Enjoy world-class museums, many within walking distance of the convention center.

Stroll through an exhibit hall filled with vendors offering a wide variety of genealogy products and services.

Heartbeat of Raleigh -- Its Renaissance -- Fayetteville Street

Fayetteville Street in Raleigh (just a block over from the Convention Center where the conference will be held) is the central thoroughfare of Raleigh and reflects the history of this capital city!

In an attempt to re-energize this thoroughfare in the 1970s, the street was closed to traffic and converted to a pedestrian mall in an attempt to revitalize the downtown area.

The lack of success of this project resulted in a return to vehicular traffic in 2006, and was celebrated as part of Raleigh Wide-Open, a now annual event!

Read about the history of this street leading up to its renaissance!

When you are here for NGS 2009, you'll get to see for yourself how successful the project has been as you enjoy the sights, sounds, restaurants and businesses that now line this exciting street that connects the Capitol Building at the northern end to the Progress Performing Arts Center at the southern end.

Our State Capitol Building -- a landmark we are proud of!

In 1788 the NC State Convention voted to fix the capital within ten miles of Isaac Hunter's plantation in Wake County. Construction of a State House began on the town's central square in 1792.

First occupied in 1794, the building served as the capitol until it burned in 1831. The cornerstone of the present State Capitol, constructed on the site of the former State House, was laid in 1833 and the building was completed in 1840. It is one of the finest and best preserved examples of a major civic building in the Greek Revival architecture style.

If you want to step back into history, visit this building! Whether you go inside of it during the day or stroll around it in the evening, it captivates you.

Located only a few blocks from the Convention Center, it's within easy walking distance! Self-guided tours are available anytime the building is open and guided tours are available Saturday, 11 am & 2pm and Sunday, 2 pm. Admission is Free!

In addition to the wonderful architecture and interior, the grounds, Union Square, is home to numerous statues and monuments that have been erected to memorialize people and events in the history of North Carolina. The collection consists of fourteen monuments, most of them bronze on stone bases.


If you won't have time to check it out in person, then take the virtual tour!

Travel into RDU has just gotten better!

By the time you arrive for NGS 2009, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) will have unveiled Terminal 2 -- a brand new state-of-the-art terminal!

If your plans including flying in on Air Canada, American, Delta, United and select regional carriers, you will get to experience this new terminal first hand!

Some features of the new terminal include:

+ 3 times larger than the old Terminal C.
+ 3 ticketing islands -- each feature 20 traditional ticket counters.
+ 60+ electronic kiosks will be located throughout the airline check-in area.
+ will accommodate up to 11.4 million passengers each year.
+ each concourse features 2 moving walkways.
+ security checkpoint will accommodate up to 10 security checkpoint lanes.
+ baggage claim area will feature 5 baggage carousels.
+ fully automated in line baggage screening system will screen all checked luggage as required by TSA.

What this means for your visit to Raleigh is that all aspects of your arrival and departure should go smoother and faster and may even be pleasurable (we hear that 15% of the waiting seats will have power outlets and USB ports for the tech savvy traveler!).

This article by the N&O gives a nice overview of the new terminal or check out the airport's own web-page to learn more about this exciting new airport experience!

Exciting Art Exhibitions -- May 2009 -- Artspace!

Exciting exhibitions planned for May 2009 at Artspace!

Gallery One will host an exhibition by Michigan artist Sarah Lindley, opening May 1, 2009. Lindley’s exhibition will present recent porcelain work reminiscent of roll top desks, trunks, chests of drawers, and cabinets. While normally these items are designed to protect, organize, and display their contents, Lindley reduces the forms to systems and structure – essentially skeletal forms – incapable of function. The function is defied further by the fragile nature of the material (porcelain) from which they have been created.

Gallery Two will present the work of our Artspace Summer Arts Program instructors. This exhibition, opening May 16, 2009, will feature works for sale by the many talented professional artists who join us each summer to teach visual arts to children and adults. Proceeds from art sales benefit the Artspace Summer Arts Program scholarship fund.

Additional exhibitions will be located in the Upfront Gallery, lobby, and hallways throughout the building.

Always check the Artspace web-site for information about all current exhibitions and special events.

Come be inspired at Artspace!

Artspace is a one-of-a-kind nonprofit visual art center dedicated to providing inspiring and engaging arts education and community outreach programs, creating a dynamic open studio environment of professional artists, and presenting nationally acclaimed exhibitions. Since 1986, Artspace has been Raleigh’s visual art center providing the community with the opportunity to interact with working artists and participate in hands-on arts education.

The building is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday from 10am-6pm and 10am-10pm on the first Friday of each month. Admission is free and donations are appreciated.

A Historic Space
Located just blocks away from the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh’s City Market, the Artspace facility was built in 1911 to serve as the city’s livery for the downtown City Market area. In the 1960’s, the building was transformed into the Sanders Ford Car Dealership. Today this 30,000 square foot facility is home to 35 artists working in a variety of media, along with three exhibition spaces, education space, and a gift shop. Artspace is one of the largest open studio environments in the country and the premier organization of its kind in North Carolina.

What is an “open studio environment?”
Unlike other gallery or studio settings, Artspace artists invite the public to watch them work in their studios, discuss the creative process, learn about new techniques and tips, and purchase a work of art direct from the artist. The Artspace Artists Association boasts 100 professional members, with 35 of these artists working in open studios at Artspace. Artists within the building represent a wide variety of mediums, including watercolor, landscapes, portraiture, mixed media, clay, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry-making, and felt making.

Artspace is conveniently located 2 blocks from the Raleigh Convention Center at 201 E Davie St.

Come by today and immerse yourself in the creative process!

Immerse Yourself in History at the North Carolina Museum of History

Just a few blocks from NGS 2009, you can be immersed in North Carolina's history at the North Carolina Museum of History.

The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton Street in downtown Raleigh. Admission is FREE, and parking is free on weekends. The museum’s hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. The Museum Shop, featuring North Carolina crafts, is open daily. The museum is part of the Office of Archives and History, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources.

Some exhibits that may interest you, include:

A Call to Arms: North Carolina Military History Gallery
See artifacts from 11 wars, from the American Revolution to the war in Iraq. The gallery is filled with weapons, uniforms, home front items, photographs and other objects from wars that have touched thousands of Tar Heel lives. Online Exhibit Preview / Podcast

Carbine Williams
See the original workshop of David Marshall “Carbine” Williams. This self-taught gunsmith from North Carolina helped design the U.S. Carbine, caliber .30, M1, which became a favorite weapon of American forces in World War II, the Korean War and the early years of Vietnam. The one-room workshop includes nearly 3,000 artifacts.

Pleasing to the Eye: The Decorative Arts of North Carolina
This large exhibit overflows with hundreds of items that reveal the craftsmanship and artistic expression of generations of North Carolinians. See paintings, pottery, furniture, needlework, silver, quilts, metalwork, costumes and much, much more.

N.C. Sports Hall of Fame
See more than 200 items representing Tar Heel sports heroes. Items in the exhibit include champion driver Richard Petty’s stock car, Meadowlark Lemon’s Harlem Globetrotters basketball uniform, N.C. State University coach Kay Yow’s Olympic team basketball, Jim Beatty’s running shoes, Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice’s UNC-Chapel Hill football jersey and Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke University warm-up jacket. N.C. Sports Hall of Fame Members, N.C. Sports Hall of Fame Web site

1920s Drugstore
Patent medicines, loose herbs, and turpentine and tar products used in home remedies are just a sampling of artifacts lining the shelves of the 1920s drugstore. A mortar and pestle rest on the workroom counter, where the pharmacist mixed drugs and filled prescriptions. Fixtures from the J.C. Brantley Drugstore in Raleigh, such as mahogany cabinets, massive marble counters and large mirrors, date to the 1890s, when the drugstore (originally the O.G. King Drugstore) first opened its doors.

The North Carolina Museum of History is alive with the past—your past.

Come for the Conference and Stay a While

May is a wonderful month to visit North Carolina. From the mountains to the shore, enjoy the blossoming beauty that comes with spring. With an average daytime temperature around 78 degrees, you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities.

Western North Carolina offers the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Black Mountains. At the other end of the state are more than 300 miles of sandy beaches dotted with historic lighthouses. Between the mountains and the ocean are many historical and cultural sites that will add to your conference experience. When you come to Raleigh in May 2009, spend some time exploring all that North Carolina has to offer.

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, take the kids to the North Carolina Zoo, explore the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, or learn about early flight at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Raleigh is about equidistant between the mountains and the shore and boasts its own array of historic and cultural spots. Explore the unique outdoor art exhibits at the North Carolina Museum of Art, learn about the state's history at the North Carolina Museum of History, take the kids to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, stroll down historic Fayetteville Street, take a guided or self-guided tour of the State Capitol, enjoy a quiet afternoon at Pullen Park, or hike one of the trails in Raleigh's 54-mile Greenway Trail System.

Visit the following websites for more information about tourism in North Carolina and in Raleigh:

North Carolina Division of Tourism
Greater Raleigh Visitors and Convention Bureau

The Lost Colony

Before the pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock and before Jamestown became the first permanent English settlement in North America, a group of colonists arrived at Roanoke Island. With the assistance of his friend, artist John White, Sir Walter Raleigh made plans to start an English settlement in America. More than a dozen families signed up for the adventure that would send them across the ocean. They set sail from England on 8 May 1587. The ships made their way to what is now the North Carolina outer banks by mid-summer after sailing through the Caribbean. The 150 brave men, women, and children settled on Roanoke Island in July 1587 and were left to build a community.

Roanoke Island lies between the mainland of North Carolina and the barrier islands of the Outer Banks. A small island, it is eight miles long and two miles wide. When the colonists arrived, they found woods of cedar, cypress, and gum trees. Deer, rabbits, and wild birds were abundant. Grapes grew wild in the dunes at the water’s edge. After three days on the island, a group a American Indians peacefully approached the group. The settlers offered the Indians gifts and the Indians returned the gesture by using their canoes to paddle into the sound to provide a catch of fresh fish.

When ships returned to Roanoke Island three years later to check on these early colonists there was no sight of them. Their village was ransacked, burned, and abandoned. Four hundred years later, it remains a mystery as to what happened to the Roanoke colonists. Some theorize that they abandoned Roanoke Island to live either with the Indians or to move further north into Virginia. Other believe the settlers died from disease or starvation. Recent research has revealed that North Carolina suffered its worst drought in eight hundred years at the time the Roanoke colonists arrived. Surely they would not have survived the hot, dry, rainless summer and fall if they had not moved on.

The Lost Colony is commemorated at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, North Carolina, which is a part of the National Park Service. In addition to North Carolina’s natural beauty, the Site preserves the history of the early Roanoke colony. For more information, visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/fora/.

Annually, the Roanoke Island Historical Association, produces the outdoor drama "The Lost Colony."

And, don't forget to checkout The Lost Colony Center for Science and Research.

Reference: The Mysterious Disappearance of Roanoke Colony by Zachary Kent, Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2004.