October 31, 1765 | Sons of Liberty protested the Stamp Act in Wilmington. It was a mock funeral of an effigy, “Liberty.” Before the protestors buried it, someone joyfully exclaimed that Liberty still had a pulse and lived.
November 1, 1859 | There are seven lighthouses, including Currituck Beach Lighthouse, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. On November 1, Cape Lookout Lighthouse served as a beacon for the first time.
November 2, 1795 | James K. Polk was born near modern-day Charlotte in Mecklenburg County. He became the eleventh president of the United States. Although he was a controversial figure, he accomplished all his major presidential goals.
November 3, 1835 | Elisha Mitchell, a professor at UNC, declared that a peak in the Black Mountains as the tallest mountain in the state. It became known as Mount Mitchell (6,684 feet). In 1915, it became the North Carolina’s first state park.
November 4, 1862 | Richard Jordan Gatling of Hertford County invents the Gatling Gun. His first version fired 200 rounds per minute; eventually, the gun could fire 1,200 rounds per minute.
