Things are heating up at Connecting the Docs as we start off our seventh podcast season with an episode all about some of North Carolina’s most controversial food-related state symbols. Pull up a seat at the table as we discuss North Carolina barbeque, our hotly debated state fruit(s), and the strange history of legislature-approved symbolism. At the mics today is host John Horan, Correspondence Assistant Annabeth Poe, Reference Archivist Katie Crickmore, and Microfilm Specialist Erin Templeton.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more State Symbols episodes!
Primary Sources:
Grimes, J. Bryan, “The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina.” 1909, https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/great-seal-of-the-state-of-north-carolina-1666-1909/2148975?item=2226324.
“Draughan, James. Bertie Co., 1750, 1751.” Secretary of State Records, Land Office (Colonial), Granville Proprietary Land Office, Granville Land Entries, Warrants, and Plats of Survey, Bertie County. SR.12.8.3.004.
“Barbecue Presbyterian Church History, 1928, 1965.” Church Records, Presbyterian, Harnett County. CHR.192-192.1.
“Kenelm H. Lewis Papers, 1834-1907.” Private Collections, PC.162.
“Among the Long-Leaf Pines, seat of the Turpentine Industry, of North Carolina, 1891 (Cooking Meat, Barbeque Style).” Original Prints, OP.10.
“An Act to Adopt the Lexington Barbecue Festival as the Official Food Festival of the North Carolina Piedmont Triad.” General Assembly Session Records, 2007, HB: 433.
Secondary Sources:
Mooneyham, Scott, “Official pizza could fatten a budget.” Wilson Daily Times, 3 May 2005, p.10.
“A National Garland: How Women Led the Movement to Declare State Flowers.” Smithsonian Learning Lab, 16 Aug. 2020, https://learninglab.si.edu/collections/a-national-garland-how-women-led-the-movement-to-declare-state-flowers/mAFroO4vbPlJakiE.
Waggoner, Martha, “Eastern v. Western: Students enter the Barbecue Debate.” Wilson Daily Times, 27 May 2005, p. 5.
“Polluting the Pig.” The Robesonian, 11 Feb. 2005, pg. 3.
Leonard, Robert, “Letter to the Editor: Lexington barbecue’s reputation is undeserved.” Wilson Daily Times, 5 Mar. 2005, p. 10.
“Lexington synonymous with barbeque tradition since the turn of the century.” Rocky Mount Telegram, 19 Sept. 1994, p. 2.
“House Bill 382.” General Assembly of North Carolina, 2001, https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/SessionLaws/HTML/2001-2002/SL2001-488.html.
Kramer, Jaclyn, “US fresh strawberry production expands with newer varieties.” Economic Research Service, USDA, 19 May 2021, https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/charts-of-note/chart-detail?chartId=1011560.
Cline, Bill, “NC Blueberry Statistics.” NC State Extension, 11 Feb. 2025, https://blueberries.ces.ncsu.edu/blueberries-nc-blueberry-statistics/.
