December 12, 1957 | In Salisbury, the first Food Town opened. It was later renamed Food Lion in 1983. The chain cut prices dramatically in the 1960s and 1970s and became one of the fastest growing chains in the nation.
December 13, 1986 | Ella Baker passed away. She was a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) during the Civil Rights Movement.
December 14, 1786 | Robert Howe passed away. He was a New Hanover County native. As a major general, he was the highest-ranking North Carolinian in the Revolutionary War.
December 15, 1866 | From Randolph County, Jonathan Worth takes gubernatorial office.
December 16, 1870 | Cape Hatteras Lighthouse uses its Fresnel lens for the first time. It is one of a few lighthouses on the Outer Banks.
