1. On February 24, 1865, Confederate soldiers under General Wade Hampton were defeated by Union troops near Fayetteville, North Carolina in what became known as the Battle of Fayetteville. This battle played a part in the eventual capture of nearby Wilmington, a major Confederate port.

2. On February 24, 1893, the state of North Carolina granted a charter to Elon College, which would later become Elon University. Founded by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Elon University is now a private liberal arts university with over 7,000 students.

3. In 1917, on February 24, the state's first public hospital for tuberculosis patients opened in Asheville, North Carolina. The hospital was named the Winyah Sanatorium and served patients from across the state until it closed in 1963.

4. On February 24, 1956, six African-American students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro walked into the Woolworth's department store in downtown Greensboro and sat down at the lunch counter, which refused to serve them because of their race. This event sparked a wave of sit-ins across the country and helped pave the way for desegregation.

5. In 1983, on February 24, the North Carolina Zoo opened in Asheboro, North Carolina. With over 2,000 animals representing 250 species, the North Carolina Zoo is one of the largest natural habitat zoos in the world. It also includes a large aquarium and a dinosaur exhibit.