North Carolina’s history dates back at least hundreds of years before the 13 colonies that eventually became the United States. Multiple Native Americans inhabited the land before English settlers arrived in 1584 to settle the Outer Banks region, in the northeastern end of the state. This became The Lost Colony since there was no known reason why the settlers left.

King Charles I of England formed the colony in 1729 and it is named in his honor. In 1789, North Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution. The Battle of Kings Mountain was a site of an American victory in the Revolutionary War in 1780. The battle site is close to a small North Carolina city just across the border that was named for the battle. Kings Mountain, North Carolina is in Cleveland County, close to Charlotte, the state’s largest city. While that battle happened in the piedmont area, settlers first inhabited the coastal regions. The colonial capital was the Craven County seat of New Bern.

In New Bern, is Tryon Palace, which initially served as the residence for England’s governors of the colony. The building was named for English governor William Tryon, who served from 1765-1771. The site of the capital was moved further inland to Raleigh in 1792.

North Carolina borders South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and part of Georgia on the far southwestern end. The state, like others on the east coast, is next to the Atlantic Ocean. The state’s largest metropolitan areas are the Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas. There are other smaller cities or suburban areas throughout the state. The state has the ninth largest population in the country. It has also experienced the fourth largest numeric gain among states between 2010-2019. While much of the growth has been around the state’s larger cities, the state still projects a population of 10.7 million by July 2021. The population after the 2020 U.S. Census was approximately 10.4 million.

The state has historically been a hub for textile mills and furniture factories. While much of these are gone, there’s still a furniture market annually in High Point in the spring and fall. The market brings 75,000 to this Piedmont Triad city every six months. There are more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 100 countries represented.

Charlotte is the banking center of the state since three of the nation’s largest have a dominant presence there. The financial services sector contributes $28 billion to the area’s economy annually. More than 93,000 people work in the Charlotte area’s financial services sector.

While the Triangle has a state government with the capital of Raleigh, the whole area has multiple colleges and hospitals. There are three public four-year universities, multiple four-year private colleges and universities, and five community colleges. Wake County, in which Raleigh is located, is also home to the state’s largest school system with an average enrollment of 159,949. The area’s hospitals include those operated by Duke University in Durham and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

In the mountains, especially around Asheville and Hendersonville, there are tourists, retirees, and snowbirds from Florida that live here part of the year to escape the hotter summers of the Sunshine State. The coast also draws tourists because of the history. Also, there are three military bases in cities east of Raleigh.

The state experiences all four seasons with the piedmont and mountains seeing cooler weather. Snow falls just about anywhere, with the coolest areas in the High Country around Mount Mitchell and Boone. 

Summers are hot and humid, especially around July and August. It starts to cool off around September. Winter weather starts around November-December and lasts until sometime around late February-early March.

If you’re looking for a college, this is the place since there are many choices from a renowned flagship school like the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. North Carolina State in Raleigh offers agriculture, textiles, engineering, and more. There are 36 private colleges that range from Duke or Wake Forest, respectively located in the Triangle and Triad regions. There are smaller schools in more rural locations such as Lees-McRae in Banner Elk or Barton College in Wilson.

There’s still much more as the state has a 59-campus community college system. One of its largest is the 6-campus Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.

Districts in the state’s largest metro areas have the best high schools. Two of the top three are from Guilford County. There are also highly rated high schools in the Charlotte area and Asheville.

Big cities and beautiful rural areas provide the best of both worlds. There’s a choice to buy land for sale in the North Carolina mountains, the beach, and points in the middle. North Carolinians can enjoy all four seasons.

⁠Advantages of buying land in North Carolina⁠
The secret of North Carolina is getting out since those from different parts of the country have been settling here. There’s top-notch research being done in the Triangle, plenty of business being closed in Charlotte, and always a great place to stay the night in Asheville or Wilmington. With the advantages of larger areas like professional sports and the quiet solitude of rural life, there is something for everyone looking to buy land for sale in North Carolina.