4/5 Dale M. 1 year ago on Google
Hillsborough
rivals
Boston,
Philadelphia,
and
New
York
in
terms
of
historical
significance
to
the
United
States,
but
this
is
largely
unknown
outside
of
the
local
area.
Hillsborough
was
one
of
the
first
inland
settlements
in
the
southern
United
States
and
one
of
the
chief
crossroads
in
the
South.
It
was
the
Southern
terminus
of
the
Great
migration
from
Central
Pennsylvania
to
the
North
Carolina
Piedmont
during
the
late
1600s
and
early
1700s.
Daniel
Boone
left
from
Hillsborough
to
open
up
the
Cumberland
Gap.
The
War
of
the
Regulators
in
the
1760s
was
a
major
prelude
to
the
American
Revolution
centering
around
Hillsborough
and
culminating
in
the
Battle
of
Alamance
which
some
historians
argue
is
the
actual
first
battle
of
the
Revolution.
It
predates
Lexington
and
Concord,
was
larger
and
decided
by
cannon
in
favor
of
the
governor.
The
leaders
were
hung
in
Hillsborough
and
you
can
visit
the
site
of
the
hanging
near
the
visitor
center.
In
the
movie,
the
Patriot,
there
is
a
great
deal
of
discussion
about
the
"race
to
Hillsborough."
This
is
Hillsborough.
After
the
Battle
of
Cowpens,
General
Greene
led
his
army
north
into
the
Piedmont
backcountry
with
General
Cornwallis
following.
Greene
was
able
to
get
across
the
Dan
river,
in
flood
stage,
into
Virginia
before
Cornwallis
was
able
to
catch
up
with
him.
Cornwallis's
army
spent
the
winter
starving
in
Hillsborough
leading
up
to
the
battle
of
Guilford
courthouse
in
the
spring
and
Cornwallis's
eventual
march
to
Yorktown.
Hillsborough's
paved
streets
were
originally
paved
by
Cornwallis
to
allow
his
cannon
to
be
maneuvered
as
Greene
sent
harassing
parties
to
Hillsborough.
There
is
a
road
called
Cornwallis
road
just
outside
of
town
where
Cornwallis
cut
a
road
to
march
his
army
out
to
Yorktown.
The
North
Carolina
ratification
convention
for
the
US
Constitution
happened
at
a
church
in
the
northern
part
of
the
historic
town
in
walking
distance.
Sherman's
march
ends
at
Bennett
Place
between
Hillsborough
and
Durham
where
Sherman
and
General
Johnson
from
the
Confederacy
signed
the
largest
surrender
of
the
civil
war.
Robert
E
Lee
was
trying
to
break
out
from
Petersburg
to
Hillsborough
to
join
up
with
Johnson's
army
when
he
got
trapped
at
Appomattox.
General
Johnson's
army
was
about
three
times
the
size
of
Lee's
army
at
that
point
and
was
camped
in
what
is
now
the
parking
lot
of
Home
Depot
in
Hillsborough.
Dug
in
mortar
sites
are
still
found
around
town.
The
visitor
center
is
located
in
what
was
General
Johnson's
headquarters
which
has
since
been
moved
to
the
center
of
town.
NASCAR
also
started
in
Hillsborough
and
the
old
track
is
walkable.
You
can
walk
to
the
racetrack
from
the
visitor
center,
about
2
miles.
Hillsborough
was
also
a
site
for
the
civil
rights
movement
and
you
can
find
plaques,
"MLK
spoke
here"
at
a
number
of
pulpits
around
town.
If
you
are
a
history
buff,
this
is
definitely
a
place
that
you
will
want
to
stop.
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