1. North Carolina was the first state in the U.S. to establish a state-supported university when the University of North Carolina was founded on October 1, 1789. The UNC system is now the largest public university system in the country.
2. The Battle of Alamance, which is considered by many to be the first battle of the American Revolution, took place on October 1, 1771 in Alamance County, North Carolina.
3. The North Carolina State Constitution, which is the oldest currently operating state constitution in the U.S., was ratified on October 1, 1776.
4. The Wright Brothers, who successfully flew the first powered airplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903, made their first powered glider flight on October 1, 1902 in the same location.
5. On October 1, 1986, the first segment of the Blue Ridge Parkway was designated as a National Heritage Area by the U.S. Congress, recognizing the scenic and cultural significance of the 469-mile road that runs through North Carolina and Virginia.