B.J. Davis of the N.C. Museum of History shares some information about the North Carolina coast and an upcoming event at the history museum. 

If you took the North Carolina coastline and stretched it into a straight line, it would measure nearly 4,000 miles long. In addition to its tourism potential, the coast has provided a living and created traditions that are handed down from one generation to the next. Some of these traditions, such as families making their living by fishing, crabbing and shrimping, are currently threatened by development, environmental changes and pollution.

North Carolina’s coast contains a wide variety of different ecosystems and habitats. Commercial fishing, including an annual harvest of approximately 60 million pounds of blue crabs, provides $1 billion revenue to the state’s economy, and tourism adds another $12 billion.

Now is a great time to introduce children to North Carolina’s coastal traditions and learn how you can play a part in ensuring the survival of our coastal heritage.

An upcoming Family Day at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh is a wonderful way for your family to explore our state’s coastal traditions and communities. The Family Day, titled North Carolina’s Coast: Working the Waters, will take place Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Your entire family can learn about coastal life, past and present, through a range of activities, demonstrations, performances and more. This large event is free, and parking is free on weekends.

Twenty-six presenters, ranging from crab pot makers to singers and storytellers, will captivate and enthrall kids of all ages. Watch a dramatic re-creation of a ship rescue, see decoy carvers at work, meet an Albemarle Sound fisherman, and hear fish tales and sea songs.

You won’t want to miss seeing the full-size shad boat and sharpie, two boats that are part of our state’s coastal history. You can even watch someone build a skiff right in front of the museum.

In addition to entertainment and craft demonstrations, you can meet and talk with representatives from the N.C. Coastal Federation, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association, and many other organizations dedicated to preserving North Carolina’s coastal history and culture.

For more information about the N.C. Museum of History, go to ncmuseumofhistory.org or call 919-807-7900.

Check out our other daily themes at TriangleMom2Mom:

MONDAY: Meet!
TUESDAY: Ask!
WEDNESDAY: Eat!
THURSDAY: Play!
FRIDAY: Out!

WEEKEND: Relax!