In a land where horsemanship was often men’s touchiest point of pride, Jefferson had to admit he never saw Washington’s like for grace and control in the saddle. A froniter runner and Indian wrestler — his friend George Mercer described his frame as padded with well-developed muscles
— Washington had by 1774 refined mere energy down to a grace of least movement, the higher athleticism of the dance. And he danced well.
| Place | City | |
|---|---|---|
| Alamance Battleground State Historic Site | Burlington | Fought in 1771, the Battle of Alamance was a precursor of the Revolution. The site includes a nature trail, monument, and a 1780 house that has been restored. |
| Moores Creek National Battlefield | Currie | This 86-acre park commemorates the 1776 victory of Patriots against Loyalists; includes a one-mile history trail. |
| Historic Edenton | Edenton | Incorporated in 1722, Edenton is North Carolina's second oldest town. Historic Edenton, overlooking Albemarle Sound, features multiple sites for guided and self-guided tours. |
| Guilford Courthouse National Military Park | Greensboro | The 220-acre park commemorates the 1781 battle between British and Americans, led by General Nathanael Greene; includes 28 monuments. |
| Tannenbaum Historic Park | Greensboro | Features exhibits depicting life before, during, and after the 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse. |
| Halifax State Historic Site | Halifax | Founded in 1760, Historic Halifax is a restored village. In April 1776 representatives from the state gathered in Halifax to declare that North Carolina's delegates to the Continental Congress were empowered to declare independence from Britain. It was the first colony to do so. |
| Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens | New Bern | This Georgian mansion was completed in 1770 as a residence for British Royal Governor William Tryon; it was also the meeting place for the colonial Assembly and the first capitol of North Carolina. |
| Burgwin-Wright Museum House | Wilmington | Built 1770 by John Burgwin, who was the colonial treasurer under the Royal Governor. General Lord Cornwallis rested here in 1781 prior to his march to Yorktown. |
Inventing America: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence (1978)