N.C. Museum of History Moves Outdoors

Downtown Raleigh may not be the first place you expect to find North Carolina crops growing in abundance. However, thanks to a collective effort spearheaded by the N.C. Museum of History, corn, peanuts and tobacco are just a few of the plants flourishing right around the corner from the State Capitol. Large concrete planters in front of the museum, once filled with suburban landscape standards such as azaleas and maple trees, are now home to a showcase of North Carolina’s agricultural legacy.

“After the past few years of drought, the trees started dying in some of these planters, and we wanted to replace them with plants that are historically significant to North Carolina,” explained Jeff Currie, who helped organize the project.

To get the project off the ground, museum staff approached the N.C. Department of Administration’s Facility Management Division, which maintains state government landscaping, for permission to use the planters. Next, the staff solicited help from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Don Nicholson from the Agronomic Services Division, for example, assisted with soil testing and soil amendments, acquired various plants, and helped work the soil.

The gardens serve as an outdoor classroom that gives visitors and passers-by a hands-on opportunity to learn about historical crops and plants. In addition, visitors can learn more about the environment, food supply and how North Carolinians have used plants.

One garden section features plants that were grown by American Indians in North Carolina before the first European contact, such as a Cherokee flour corn variety, the Seminole pumpkin, and the Hidatsa Shield Figure bean. The section’s planting arrangement follows the traditional Southeastern American Indian technique of companion planting. Corn, beans and squash, called the “three sisters,” were grown together to benefit each other. Pole beans use the corn stalks for support and provide nitrogen required by the corn, and the broad leaves of the squash help shade the soil to retain moisture and deter weeds.

“You would have seen larger versions of this arrangement planted by Indians in the Southeast and in North Carolina before European contact,” Currie said.

Another garden section focuses on medicinal and culinary plants that were indigenous to the state or introduced by settlers. Native plant experts and garden designers Kathy Buck and Ken Moore of Carrboro helped plan this section that includes St. John’s Wort, rue, bloodroot and jewelweed. Long before modern pharmacies and grocery stores, these plants provided medicine and spices right out one’s back door.

Future plans for the gardens are growing, as well. Continuing the partnership with the Department of Agriculture, the Museum of History hopes to increase the number of plants to highlight more of North Carolina’s native plants and crops. In addition, the Department of Administration is working with the museum to “go green” regarding water conservation by using reclaimed water in an environmental and cost-effective way.

Added Currie about the project, “People in the past didn’t spend as much time indoors, and they were deeply connected to the land and their environment. This garden project allows us to bring the museum outside and help visitors connect with North Carolina’s past.”

Related Event: Farm Fresh Family Day

Come learn about the state’s agriculture during Farm Fresh Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh. This large event brings a bounty of farm-related activities to the city and offers something for all ages. Hop aboard on a hayride, churn butter, go on a scavenger hunt, see antique farm equipment, watch cooking demonstrations, and more. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, call 919-807-7900 or access ncmuseumofhistory.org.The museum is located at 5 E. Edenton St., across from the State Capitol. Parking is available in the lot across Wilmington Street.

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