RANDOLPH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in North Carolina
From the Uwharrie Mountains in the west to the Deep River valley on the east, Randolph has always been home to powerful opposing forces. It is a county where potters are more common than doctors; a county which built five of North Carolina's pioneer textile mills, yet remains one of the state's leading agricultural producers. A "dry" county that permits no sales of alcoholic beverages, yet fostered the racing spirit of NASCAR by running moonshine on its backroads. A county where one prominent landmark, Purgatory Mountain, can in 1860 be home to "outliers" hiding in caves from the Confederate draft, and in 1971 can become the new home of the now internationally acclaimed North Carolina Zoo; and that proudly gave birth to the nationally renowned Duke University in what was the former Trinity College. A county settled by pacifist Quakers where bitter guerilla warfare pitted neighbor against neighbor in both the American Revolution and the Civil War.
A county whose residents refused in 1861 to secede from the United States yet sent six companies of troops into Confederate service. A county where more than 2,000 men and boys volunteered for Confederate service - and numerous others such as the county's only winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor, crossed the lines to serve in Union forces. In this 150th anniversary year, few places in North Carolina represent the whole story of the Civil War in the way that Randolph County does, from anti-slavery activism and anti-war sentiment to economic and military support for the state and Confederate governments. Randolph County is a place with a history, politics and people of vision, depth and complexity. Come trace the roots of the divided loyalties that split America and seek to better understand a time when our forefathers were at war with themselves in what is known today as a destination offering unique experiences and heartwarming southern hospitality! Sincerely, L. McKay "Mac" Whatley
725 McDowell Rd - Asheboro, North Carolina 27205
Author, Images of America - Randolph County
Member, Randolph County Historic Landmark Commission
J. Harold Holmes, Chairman of Randolph County Board of Commissioners
Richard Wells, County Manager
Phone: (336) 318-6300
