How North Carolina Became the "Tar Heel" State

I couldn't agree more. As a native and resident of a charming coastal town North Carolina, I've adopted the label "Tar Heel," although I never quite understood what it meant. I've always been a fan of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, but I thought it was just some clever name meant to be different from all the "Tigers" and "Devils" you see in college athletics. I decided to improve upon my ignorance today and get to the bottom of the real story behind the "Tar Heel" myth.

First of all, the name applies to the state and residents of North Carolina. Historians differ on opinion as to where it originated, but there are as many theories about the birth of the term as there are residents of this great state. Let's start with the facts. One of North Carolina's biggest exports in the beginning was tar, pitch, and turpentine. If you've ever driven through North Carolina, then you'll probably notice that there is an abundance of pine forests, so needless to say there was plenty of supply. This tar and pitch was made by burning pine logs until it liquidated into a hot oil-like form. It was barreled up and shipped out. Early on the state had different variations of nicknames such as "Tarmakers" or "Tarboilers." Most of the tar and pitch was being shipped to help the English navy, and some historians estimate that the shipments reached up to over 150,000 per year. That's a lot of tar!

Those are the facts. The rest is pure speculation. Perhaps my favorite story is a recent development in the past twenty years that may just solve the riddle. In 1991, an archivist found a letter from a soldier that described a battle involving cavalry from North Carolina. The soldier quoted Robert E. Lee in a speech when he said, 'There they stand as if they have tar on their heels." This is the only known written proof of the term before it was adopted by the residents of North Carolina. I think this theory is significant because it defines North Carolina as a collection of brave and valiant residents.

On a similar note, another theory involves an author's depiction of how North Carolina troops held their ground during fierce battles. In a battle against Virginia, North Carolina troops held their ground while others retreated, prompting some troops to comment on NC's resiliency.

What is known about the term is that it quickly gained popularity around the Civil War era. After the Civil War, students from the local University at North Carolina started a newspaper and deemed it "The Daily Tar Heel." The university adopted the name and the rest is history. No matter what the origin of term may be, there is one thing I know for sure. I am proud to be a Tar Heel.