Event Summary

Join Us in North Carolina!

It has been said that North Carolina is the vale of humility between two mountains of conceit. Although the northernmost territory of the Carolinas truly saw humble beginnings, the state became an economic powerhouse, a cornucopia of conservative Christianity, and a bastion of heroic defenders. We will visit sites where perseverance and heroism meant everything. We will visit one of the homesteads that produced the only Southern industrial giant of the gilded age; a man who exploited the most historic crop of America, tobacco. We will talk of presidents and pirates, explorers and entrepreneurs, gentlemen and generals. Our tour will conclude on Memorial Day in Wake Forest at the renowned annual celebration at the home of one of the most effective preachers today, Pastor Scott Brown. We will meet World War II veterans and hear stories of war and redemption, danger and providential protection.

Join historian Bill Potter on this whirlwind tour of the northern precincts of the Tar Heel State, and learn of the providences of God in places you may have heard of but never actually explored for yourself.

Wednesday, May 21

We will begin our tour at 7:00pm with an opening night welcome and introduction, plus a lecture by Bill Potter entitled “The Old North State, Paragon of the South” (Staybridge Suites — 3704 Mount Moriah Road, Durham NC 27707)

Thursday, May 22

We will visit the Alamance Battlefield where the back country Scots Irish frontiersmen known as “Regulators” clashed with the royal governor’s troops over political corruption and other issues that would eventually lead to independence.

Not all frontier settlers hailed from Ireland and Scotland. The followers of the reformer Jon Hus, from Bohemia and Moravia, (now in the Czech Republic), abandoned the Roman Catholic Church and established a protestant identity sixty years before Martin Luther. Though persecuted for centuries, the missionary-minded Moravians found refuge on the German estate of Count Zinzendorf in 1722. The “Brethren” established communities in Pennsylvania (Bethlehem), North Carolina (“Old” Salem), and other towns in several states. Seeking to evangelize the American Indians and remaining pacifists in practice, the brethren did not support rebellion against the crown though they did yeoman service after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse to heal the injured. Our tour will take us to the old village of Salem (now Winston-Salem) to learn more of the history of the Moravian brethren and their accomplishments.

The final great battle of the Southern Campaign in the War for Independence occurred on March 15th, 1781 when Major General Lord Cornwallis met General Nathanael Greene’s Continentals and American militia’s at Guilford Courthouse, near present-day Durham, North Carolina. The bloody and ferocious battle, though a tactical victory for the redcoats, actually resulted in a strategic victory for the patriots and led to Cornwallis’s movement to Yorktown, Virginia where his whole army was lost to George Washington. We will walk on the ground where much blood was spilled by both sides in what providentially proved the decisive meeting between old enemies in the Carolinas. There are many helpful lessons that can be drawn from this fight that relate to the Christian life.

Friday, May 23

After four long years of war, Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph Johnston met at the Bennett farmhouse to discuss the surrender of the Army of Tennessee. Sherman, eager for the bloodshed to end, agreed to generous terms of capitulation. The war department in Washington declared that Sherman had exceeded his authority and rejected the initial surrender terms. The whole story of the events at the Bennett place makes for compelling story-telling, pitting the man that Southerners considered close to the Devil himself, against vindictive politicians in Washington who disagreed with Sherman’s compassionate and generous offering. Bill Potter will unravel the mysteries and bring a very special and unique Confederate document to be read at our meeting at the “Bennett Place”.

At one of the most interesting stops on the tour, we will meet in historic Stagville with Christian historian and homeschool father Dan Horn, who produced with his children a documentary film on the controversial subject of slavery, American history and the Bible. He will present to us his findings and explore the historic battles that constantly confront us, between myths and reality, social agendas and truth.

From Sir Walter Raleigh in the 17th century to Washington Duke in the 19th and 20th, tobacco growing and processing has played a huge role in the development of American history. The “noxious weed” transformed the social landscape in Europe and America and remains today at the center of controversy, leisure activity, and multi-million dollar enterprises. We will visit the Duke Homestead and Bill Potter will bring biblical perspectives to a subject that never ceases to light fires and produce heat and smoke.

Saturday, May 24

We will visit the site of the last major battle of the Carolina Campaign of the Union Army at Bentonville. The Confederate forces under Joseph Johnston, in a last, desperate gamble to stop the Yankee juggernaut, threw their depleted forces at the invaders, suffering over 2,600 casualties, a thousand more than the enemy. A month later, the surrender took place at the Bennett Place, and North Carolina joined the list of states facing Reconstruction.

The Museum of North Carolina History in Raleigh presents intriguing displays of many of the sometimes world-changing events of the Old North State. From the landing of the English settlers and the birth of Virginia Dare, to the pirates of the capes, to the first manned airplane by the Wright Brothers, the artifacts and displays tell the story of the state in one of the premier history museums in the South. No place displays the providence of God like a history museum, and this is no exception. Of course their claim to present 14,000 years of Carolina history needs our special brand of revisionism.

The beautiful Capitol Building of North Carolina gives us an opportunity to tell the stories of individuals who made their mark on American and Carolina history. Here we will discuss the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the signers of the National Declaration. From the monuments on Capitol Square we will learn of the incredible contributions made by this state in the defense of liberty. Did you know that more North Carolinians fell in the Civil War than from any other state in the Confederacy?

Sunday, May 25

Day of rest. No scheduled activities. Our friends at Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest welcome you to worship with them if you would like.

Monday, May 26

SPECIAL MEMORIAL DAY EVENT!

The Wake Forest Memorial Day Picnic is a glorious and unique event hosted by Hope Baptist Church, with the purpose of bringing the community together to honor veterans who have served our country, and to give glory to God for His providential acts in history. We will celebrate this special day by listening to veterans from WWII through the present share their stories and pass on their legacy to the next generation!

There will be activities for people young and old including rides in restored Military vehicles, hay rides, fun and games, and a special demonstration by Dan the Animal Man. There will be delicious Carolina barbecue free to all who attend. Throughout the day there will be several bands preforming live bluegrass music and toe-tapping Gospel hymns. We will conclude the day with a special parade march to honor the veterans, with military vehicles, classic cars, children and adults in period clothing representing various American wars, and war veterans in uniform. This is a rain-or-shine event held under the big tent at the Brown Farm on Quarry Rd. in Wake Forest, NC. With over 2,000 people attending, the seating will be limited, so it is recommended that you bring your own picnic blankets and lawn chairs. Everyone is invited. Join us for a memorable Memorial Day!

Note: This is a car tour. Landmark Events has arranged all logistics and venue admissions. Registrants provide their own transportation, accommodations and meals.

Event Speakers

Event Schedule

Accommodations

Ticket Pricing

Bibliography

The Civil War in North Carolina, John G. Barrett

The Road to Guilford Courthouse, John Buchanan

History of the Moravian Church, Taylor and Hamilton

A History of North Carolina, William S. Powell