N.C. Department of Cultural Resources

The North Carolina State Capitol will host its annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and holiday open house the evening of Dec. 6. The free public festivities will feature special music and refreshments at this state historic site.

A North Carolina Highway Historical Marker will be dedicated Oct. 28 to honor the foundation of the N.C. Community College system in Eden.

The traveling “Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory” exhibit provides images of historic figures, artifacts and documents that brought the reality of the Civil War from the battlefront to the home front in North Carolina.

A new multimedia history initiative, launched in cooperation with a statewide radio network, offers a daily profile of a significant event in North Carolina history.

The 2012 North Carolina Awards will be presented Oct. 30to six North Carolina residents or natives for their lifetime contributions to the state in the areas of public service (two recipients), fine arts (two recipients), science and literature.

The Family History Fair at the North Carolina State Library will provide information and guidance for experienced family history researchers and beginners alike. It is part of the Library’s ongoing 200th birthday celebration in 2012.

More than 100 events across the state in the summer months bring together history and authentic North Carolina culture; most 2nd Saturdays programs are free.

A selection of 24 images will be exhibited by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources on simultaneous eastern and western routes across the state, part of a three-year tour of public libraries and museums.

The free program next Monday highlights the first release of 1940 census data with activities including period music and displays, and a U.S. Census Bureau data specialist discussing the benefits for genealogists and researchers.

The statewide "Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit" visits Haywood County and Pitt County for simultaneous displays April 1-28.