Lake Lure’s Brief, Bizarre Chapter as the Headquarters of a Model Cult
Residents recall the far-out happenings at a lakefront compound featured in an HBO docuseries about a doomsday cult.
A Battle for the Soul of Chatham County
A rezoning request for a planned church outside Chapel Hill is now a federal case, with religious-freedom groups and the U.S. Department of Justice weighing in.
After 40 Years, Maximum Overdrive Is Still Bad Enough to be Good
The auto-horror spectacular began and ended Stephen King’s directing career but helped establish Wilmington as a film destination.
Exhuming the Memory of 9/11
Forensic anthropologist John Williams was called in to help identify remains after the attack on the World Trade Center. Now he’s ready to talk about it.
A Family Reunion Like No Other
Chang and Eng Bunker became globally recognized as the original “Siamese twins” before settling down in Mount Airy. Generations of descendants have kept their legacy alive.
The Durham Record Label Where Dolly Parton Found a ‘Little Spot of Heaven’
From Dolly to Doc Watson, Sugar Hill Records shaped American roots music. The legacy its founder built lives on.
Visiting with the Ancestors
An annual tradition brings people back to the land their families lost to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park nearly a century ago.
More Culture Coverage
Moments of Nope?
A prominent Charlotte pastor thought he’d found a home for his growing church at a beloved YMCA branch. Then came the protests.
Sports Gambling is Going ‘Gangbusters.’ That’s Good and Bad.
Two years into legalization, the gaming industry considers North Carolina a success. But residents aren’t getting what was promised.
A New Program Aims to Make Therapy More Accessible to Restaurant Workers. Will It Reach the Back of House?
Behind You offers free counseling to hospitality workers—an industry that overwhelmingly doesn’t provide health care.
(Not Just) Another Roadside Attraction
Taking a trek across the state to find out what North Carolina’s oddities and spectacles still have to offer modern travelers.
The Trill of the Chase
The World Whistlers Convention now draws hundreds of entrants to Japan every year—far from its roots in Louisburg, N.C.
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