Legendary mountain moonshiner Popcorn Sutton died at his home in Cocke County, Tennessee of natural causes, a family member says. He was 62. Sutton managed to escape spending 18 months in prison after federal agents found some stills and hundreds of gallons of moonshine in a Haywood County storage shed last summer. He’d pled guilty to the charges, was sentenced this past January and was supposed to report to a federal prison in Kentucky.

Chalk one last mark on the board for the Whiskey Rebellion vs. The Revenoo’ers, as rumors abound that his death may not have been so ‘natural’ after all…

As ‘Moonshine’s’ daughter wrote in her book, “Daddy Moonshine”,

“It isn’t surprising that Popcorn has attracted so much attention. His slippery craft and his old-timey antics appeal to something in our collective past. His overalls can be seen as the blue denim flag of old pick-up trucks and cork-plugged clay jugs. His colorless hat is the nod of a gentleman, his beard the badge of a wild man. His high reedy voice carries the echoes of banjos and fiddles. His stealth and focus speak volumes for the cunning and moxie of who he is: a Smokey Mountain moonshine master.”

Public schools don’t spend much time on the Whiskey Rebellion generally, though it was one of our new nation’s first insurrections, beginning when our first Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, convinced Congress to impose new taxes on distilled spirits and carriages in 1791. The tax was inherently unfair by taxing small producers a third more than big producers, a particular burden on producers in the western frontier areas where whiskey was a tradable commodity. Civil protests on the frontier soon became armed rebellion, so President Washington decided to make an example of western Pennsylvania and assembled a militia. They marched west out of Harrisburg – with Washington himself in the lead – but found no sign of the rebels. Eventually fines were imposed, people were jailed, victory was declared, and folks started worrying about other things.

The suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania served to encourage distillers in Kentucky and Tennessee, which remained outside federal control for some years. These areas and portions of North and South Carolina began producing and selling on the sly, and moonshining remained a regional art form in some people’s books. For instance, did you know that NASCAR has roots in the Rebellion?

At any rate, our hats are off to perhaps one of the last notorious moonshiners from our mountainous region. Here’s to you, Popcorn! May there be banjos and fiddles in heaven.

Links:

Legendary Moonshiner Dies
Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton Dead
Popcorn Sutton
Wiki: Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey Rebellion
Friendship Hill National Historical Site

The current dismal state of the economy everywhere has had some involved with North Carolina tourism at a loss as to what the state can expect in 2009. North Carolina ranks 6th in tourism out of all 50 states, with entire sectors and large swaths of land dedicated to hosting visitors throughout the year and for special occasions, holidays, seasonal offerings and fun festivals.

100 of North Carolina’s counties benefit from tourism as our welcome visitors spend more than $15 billion dollars here every year, making tourism one of the biggest contributors to our economy. Thus when last summer’s high gas prices and the autumn gas shortages cut into the number of visitors, many citizens got a pre-taste of the coming recession.

Tourism promoters and attractions are are stepping up their on-line marketing efforts, new attractions are opening and others are getting face-lifts, and tourism boards are defending – and in some cases increasing – their budgets to keep the tourism dollars coming in.

Because North Carolina is within a reasonable day’s driving distance for tens of millions of Americans living in neighboring states and has such a wide variety of experiences and landscapes to offer visitors, we can expect that tourism will remain strong even in a depressed economy. Even when 10% of Americans are out of work and struggling, 90% of Americans will still be working and wanting to take vacations. Whether to connect with nature at any of our beautiful state and national parks, spend a leisurely week at the shore, visit cities full of artists and museums and concerts, or take in some NASCAR excitement just for the glorious fun of it all, North Carolina will still be a destination of fond choice.

Planning and budgeting are taking place now all across the state, with a good deal of networking going on to make the best of all the tools available to keep our visitors coming. Reaching out to in-state citizens to boost attendance at events and attractions is also getting quite a marketing boost this year. So instead of setting up a competitive situation between the mountains and the sea, or the city and the countryside, each destination can instead offer something new to those whose normal environs are someone else’s dream vacation spot! City people can be enticed to visit some agritourism farmsteads. Coast dwellers can be enticed to visit the high mountains. Rural dwellers can be enticed to visit the city and take in the sophisticated sights and sounds. Everybody wins.

So rev those engines and start looking around at what North Carolina has to offer even to people who call North Carolina home. With such an appreciation of the ‘big picture’ comes the kind of enthusiastic promotion that can be exported to draw visitors from other states in numbers to match or exceed records set in the past. A positive attitude will get us through depressing times better than depression will get us through good times. Or, something like that…

Links:

N.C. tourism can stay exciting in troubled economy
Travel & Tourism to Step Up Online Marketing
NC Tourism News
Tourism Officials Discuss 600 New Hotel Jobs
Tourism Board Allocating Funds for Fiscal Year
Emissaries of Peace
Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center

Moving toward the east, there are more great reasons to consider North Carolina’s abundant offerings for family fun when planning getaways and vacations.

11. Mountains to Sea Trail

From the very top of Clingman’s Dome near the Tennessee border to the sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the strand of the Outer Banks, North Carolina’s 925-mile long Mountains-to-Sea Trail offers an adventurous way to explore the state’s natural treasures and human wonders. This is an adventure a visitor can embrace in small chunks or in an extended all at once while experiencing the best of NC’s towns and cities, rural agritourism initiatives and natural preserves.

12. Waldensian Valdese

The rich history of the Waldensian sect is preserved in beautiful Valdese, NC in the foothills between Morganton and Hickory. With a world famous winery, a summer festival and outdoor drama, the finest Bocce Ball clay court anywhere and one of the best regional musical venues anywhere, Valdese is a fun and educational stop along the way for anyone wanting to experience some of the best of North Carolina’s homespun heritage.

13. NC’s Arts and Agriculture Trails

In a unique alliance between the North Carolina Arts Council and the NC Cooperative Extension Service, a total of 16 different, well-planned “Arts and Agriculture Trails” have been mapped out for a project called Homegrown Handmade. These trails meander through foothills, across the piedmont and around the coastal regions, allowing visitors to visit wineries, organic farms and dairies, art studios and sidewalk cafes in charming little towns.

14. Cosmopolitan Charlotte and the Sporting Life

From bustling Lake Norman and its posh golf courses and sailboat regattas through the home of NASCAR in “Race City USA” Mooresville, tothe Bank of America Stadium uptown to see NC’s Panthers play professional football, the Charlotte area boasts some of the finest sports tourism opportunities available anywhere. And while you’re there, do check out the busy Charlotte nightlife at famous regional brewhouses and musical venues offering a variety of musicians and styles.

15. Pinehurst – Home of American Golf

Farther to the east between Charlotte and Fayetteville in the rolling Sandhill region, Pinehurst offers golfers the largest collection of Donald Ross golf courses anywhere, and enjoys the distinction of being the “Home of American Golf.” In addition to 10 of the top 20 NC golf courses, the area’s resorts also offer world class tennis courts, spa facilities, exquisite dining and luxurious accommodations. While golf is a regular way of life here, there are also arts, history, botanical gardens, festivals and unique shopping on the smorgasbord of offerings.

Posts to This Series:
Part 1: Reasons 1 – 5
Part 2: Reasons 6 – 10
Part 3: Reasons 11 – 15
Part 4: Reasons 16 – 25

Football season is upon us, and North Carolina’s Panthers soundly defeated the Rams in St. Louis, the first time since the franchise began that their opener was an away game. Charlotte is the city the Panthers call home, and is also the home town of NASCAR. For sports lovers, you just can’t beat it!

The home schedule for the Panthers at the beautiful downtown Bank of America Stadium and events schedule for Lowe’s Motor Speedway are below, and there are several overlapping weekends that sports lovers could take advantage of for booking a multi-purpose get-away in the Charlotte environs.

Whether one chooses to stay at one of the fine downtown hotels so as to take advantage of Charlotte’s lively music scene. excellent restaurants and brew-houses, or to rent a cabin or condo at nearby Lake Norman so as to get in a little water sport and golfing action too, there is plenty to fill any vacationer’s schedule.

Lake Norman is just 18 miles from Charlotte via interstate highway. It’s the largest man-made lake in the state with more than 520 miles of shoreline and extending over four counties. There are power and sailboat rentals, some prizewinning fish, fine sand beaches and a State Park which offers camping, hiking and biking trails. There are several championship golf courses around the lake, and luxury accommodations along with lakefront cabins available for rental. Several world class restaurants front the lake, and there are numerous regional attractions nearby. Not the least of which is Carowinds theme park, so bring the kids!

Charlotte Douglas airport is conveniently located, and a busy hub with flights in and out from just about everywhere. Shuttles to most outlying and downtown hotels serve arriving passengers, or you can rent a car right at the airport and take your own time and sightseeing tours. Getting your tickets ahead of time is always advised for Panthers home games, though speedway events generally have room for drop-ins and also offers tours of the facilities on off days.

The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Museum is just a short drive from downtown Charlotte in Mooresville, where even the cop cars are adorned with NASCAR checkered flags and everybody who’s anybody sports a favorite driver’s car number on their bumper.

Panthers Football: Home Schedule
Sept. 16, v. Houston
September 30, v. Tampa Bay
October 28, v. Indianapolis
November 11, v. Atlanta
November 25, v. New Orleans
December 2, v. San Francisco
December 16, v. Seattle
December 22, v. Dallas

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Events:
September 13-16, Food Lion AutoFair
October 10, Jani-King Southern Showdown
October 11, Bojangles’ Pole Night
October 12, Dollar General 300
October 13, Bank of America 500
October 26-28, Goodguys Southeastern Nationals
November 1-3, World of Outlaws World Finals
November 23, Souvenir and Race Ticket Blow-Out

Links:

Lowe’s Motor Speedway Home

Speedway Visitor’s Guide

Carolina Panthers Home

NC Vacation: Lake Norman Vacation Rentals

NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame