1. In 1865, Union General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston met in what is now Durham to discuss a surrender plan during the Civil War. This led to the final surrender of Confederate forces in the Carolinas on April 26th of that year.

2. The famous novelist and poet Carl Sandburg was born on March 3, 1878, in Galesburg, Illinois. Sandburg spent time in North Carolina, where he wrote his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Abraham Lincoln.

3. The famous racehorse Secretariat was foaled on March 3, 1970, at Meadow Stud in Doswell, Virginia. Secretariat became a legend after winning the Triple Crown in 1973, with his record-breaking performance in the Belmont Stakes winning by an astonishing 31 lengths.

4. In 1913, a deadly tornado struck the town of Elon, North Carolina, killing eight people and causing significant damage to the area. The tornado was part of a larger outbreak that hit several states in the southeastern United States.

5. On March 3, 1954, the town of Watauga, North Carolina, was incorporated. Named after the county it is located in, Watauga was founded as a timber and farm community and later became known for its apple orchards. Today, the town has a population of around 1,000 people and is a popular destination for visitors to the Blue Ridge Mountains.