Twenty-two years ago, I was lucky enough to call Pittsboro, North Carolina my home for the first time. Unbeknownst to me, this small rural town would play such an enormous role in who I am today. From a first kiss to pig pickings, Pittsboro was full of life and opportunities. My family, farming, and the culture here consequently affected how I view the world today. Though I may not get to spend as much time in Pittsboro, my roots will always be in this town.
Pittsboro, North Carolina was established in 1771 (Historic Pittsboro). Named after William Pitt, Pittsboro was a potential site for the state capitol of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina. Pittsboro’s population is just under four-thousand people and considered one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina (Historic Pittsboro). With only one high school in the town, it is common for you to have the same teachers as your parents once had. When you are giving directions to places, the starting point is always the courthouse, this is the center of town. Pittsboro is home to the Carolina Tiger Rescue, Fearrington Village, and several famous artists (Historic Pittsboro). While, many residents of Pittsboro work in the research triangle, there are many that still make a living farming today. Rich in history, there is no place like Pittsboro. My family has been rooted in Pittsboro since the late 1800’s. According to my dad, my great grandparents moved to Pittsboro from Virginia and started a farm. With very little money, they lived off the land by trapping animals and selling the fur. Along came my grandparents, that started a logging business in the mid-1900’s. During this time, the Civil Rights Movement was in full force and my grandparents were heavily involved, but not for the right reason. The Klu Klux Klan had a strong presence in the town to the west of Pittsboro, Siler City. My grandpa’s worker, Smiley, taught me a lot about the Civil Rights Movement in Chatham County. Smiley recalled several occasions when my grandpa was rioting at the local high school when it was being integrated. He said that many people in the town pulled their kids out of school because of this. He also went on to say that every few month, one of my grandpa’s African American loggers would disappear out of thin air. Unfortunately, racism is still in my town today. My dad drops the n-word, along with our workers, my friends, it is what they are accustomed to doing. This has always been a touchy subject because I believe those days should be behind us. All though my grandparents might have been wrong about the Civil Rights Movement, my grandparents were right by teaching their children the importance of education. My dad became a professor at North Carolina State and my mom a nuclear engineer at Duke Energy. From day one my parents challenged me in school and sports. It was doing math problems during church and throwing batting practice until I had blisters on my hands, that led me to where I am today. This encouragement from my parents led to me committing to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for baseball and finishing in the top ten of my graduating class. This consistent drive from my parents carried over to farming to farming as well. Living on a two-thousand acre cattle farm, my life was far from ordinary. Whether it was coming to school with cow manure on my shoes …show more content…
Friday night football games, deer hunting on Saturdays, and church on Sunday was life in this town. Most of all, Pittsboro was a place that had that indescribable southern charm. It was yes ma’am, no ma’am, and hold the door open for women even if she was far off. One staple of Pittsboro was the rodeo on Friday nights after the baseball game. The Palomino Sports Arena was the place where you could show off your new boots or do a little square dancing. It allowed us to be kids, I suppose. Most people went to a club or movie theater, but we had our own rodeo. It taught you to never disrespect a lady or you might get your teeth knocked out. It was all about what types of boots you
Pittsboro, North Carolina was established in 1771 (Historic Pittsboro). Named after William Pitt, Pittsboro was a potential site for the state capitol of North Carolina and the University of North Carolina. Pittsboro’s population is just under four-thousand people and considered one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina (Historic Pittsboro). With only one high school in the town, it is common for you to have the same teachers as your parents once had. When you are giving directions to places, the starting point is always the courthouse, this is the center of town. Pittsboro is home to the Carolina Tiger Rescue, Fearrington Village, and several famous artists (Historic Pittsboro). While, many residents of Pittsboro work in the research triangle, there are many that still make a living farming today. Rich in history, there is no place like Pittsboro. My family has been rooted in Pittsboro since the late 1800’s. According to my dad, my great grandparents moved to Pittsboro from Virginia and started a farm. With very little money, they lived off the land by trapping animals and selling the fur. Along came my grandparents, that started a logging business in the mid-1900’s. During this time, the Civil Rights Movement was in full force and my grandparents were heavily involved, but not for the right reason. The Klu Klux Klan had a strong presence in the town to the west of Pittsboro, Siler City. My grandpa’s worker, Smiley, taught me a lot about the Civil Rights Movement in Chatham County. Smiley recalled several occasions when my grandpa was rioting at the local high school when it was being integrated. He said that many people in the town pulled their kids out of school because of this. He also went on to say that every few month, one of my grandpa’s African American loggers would disappear out of thin air. Unfortunately, racism is still in my town today. My dad drops the n-word, along with our workers, my friends, it is what they are accustomed to doing. This has always been a touchy subject because I believe those days should be behind us. All though my grandparents might have been wrong about the Civil Rights Movement, my grandparents were right by teaching their children the importance of education. My dad became a professor at North Carolina State and my mom a nuclear engineer at Duke Energy. From day one my parents challenged me in school and sports. It was doing math problems during church and throwing batting practice until I had blisters on my hands, that led me to where I am today. This encouragement from my parents led to me committing to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro for baseball and finishing in the top ten of my graduating class. This consistent drive from my parents carried over to farming to farming as well. Living on a two-thousand acre cattle farm, my life was far from ordinary. Whether it was coming to school with cow manure on my shoes …show more content…
Friday night football games, deer hunting on Saturdays, and church on Sunday was life in this town. Most of all, Pittsboro was a place that had that indescribable southern charm. It was yes ma’am, no ma’am, and hold the door open for women even if she was far off. One staple of Pittsboro was the rodeo on Friday nights after the baseball game. The Palomino Sports Arena was the place where you could show off your new boots or do a little square dancing. It allowed us to be kids, I suppose. Most people went to a club or movie theater, but we had our own rodeo. It taught you to never disrespect a lady or you might get your teeth knocked out. It was all about what types of boots you