Perhaps not as grand or as visited as the VIetnam Memorial in Washington DC but if you counted the…read morenumber of people who passed within a half mile of this place, it might be a fair competition. The North Carolina Vietnam Memorial is located in the wooded area between the two rest areas here along I-85 in Thomasville NC. As with others, the memorial lists the 1620 names of those who died fighting in the "Vietnam Conflict" from North Carolina and also lists their counties. It is made from North Carolina brick. It is a short walk from either, or you can drive from the southbound one. What is relatively unique is that the highway is actually crossed over between exits 96 and 102, making each of the exits a right-lane one even though it is between the two highways. You can still hear the traffic faintly, even from inside the circle. [Review 11685 overall, 1467 of 2019.]

The heart of summer, it was quiet at the rest area and I was looking for something to do, a place…read moreto walk to, so I'm grateful that this was also located here to shake off the drive's weary pace. I took a walk down the stair to the lovely park and left a few kindness rocks behind to spread love out into the world before walking and hoping to find a few doe, alas there were no deer but there were a few bees in flowers. I walked back up. It's a lovely area, it may not be Huge and with statues but it's a somber and respectful memorial to the dead of the Vietnam conflict.

With monuments from Pennsylvania and Maine, dedicated to the soldiers from those states who came to…read morethe South to fight in the Civil War, this is a peaceful and quiet place. I was here on Memorial Day Weekend with all of the flags laid out. A great tribute to our military. Prior to being a cemetery, the land was an abandoned cotton mill before it was converted into a military prison. At one time, it held as many as 10,000 men and in such a tight area, there was disease. Many died from malnutrition and were buried in mass graves. It is a column place and I was glad to have visited on this weekend. You won't be able to miss the Federal Monument to the Unknown Dead, a 38 foot tall granite obelisk. There are a number of context markers that explain the layout and history. [Review 1123 of 2024 - 3618 in North Carolina - 22147 overall]

This cemetery is the historic, original national cemetery. It's operated and run by the main annex…read moreon Statesville Blvd. near the VA Center, but is worth stopping by for the historical significance. The minute I drove in I could see the difference: the large cast iron gates and stone perimeter fence, the multiple plaques and monument to the unknown soldiers, the Maine and Pennsylvania monuments honoring the soldiers from those states that died in the prison camps of the 1860s. There's a lot to see in this 12 acres. The trees and vegetation are larger, more established, and there's less of frenetic pace here than in the newer location. It's what you would expect, the immediate emotion evident in the newer locale is here replaced by the bittersweet sadness of monuments to those who may no longer have living relatives or any who can come by regularly. There were only a few people at this spot, all elderly, paying respects to Korean or Vietnam war vets, buried here just before the new annex opened. There's a stateliness about this spot and a more intimate feeling. It's beautifully maintained. The state has kept this location as well groomed as the newer national cemetery annex. It's a fascinating location to visit and pay respects, before or after visiting the new cemetery, and it matters little if you're a history buff or not.

What a cool building for the city offices, they've done a fantastic job updating this. Lexington is…read morea nice little community and the city employees that I met, pretty nice people.

When I do reviews of cities and towns, I always review based on places of similar size. So I would…read morenot rate Lexington against New York, Nashville or Charlotte as examples. More like Lexington vs. Salisbury, Statesville, etc.. Nice town of 18,000 plus population, between Charlotte and Greensboro. Part of the Piedmont Triad with Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High point. The BBQ capital of North Carolina and recognized as one of the top places in the US for BBQ. I had low expectation of Lexington before visiting but I was wowed by how much this small town has to offer. Downtown This may be one of the best downtowns I have seen for a town of its size. Very healthy downtown area. Lots of shops, restaurants and places to get an adult drink. Downtown Lexington has a couple of places that are rare these days. One, a downtown grocery store (old school grocery) Conrad and Hinkle. Two, an old hardware store. Downtown grocery and hardware stores have all but gone away, so it is great to see both of these places doing well here. Parking is street parking, at least I didn't find any parking garages or lots. Signs on Main Street state two hour parking which is better than paid meters like you see in other places. There is a depot district in downtown that has a couple of breweries. This section also has a lot of empty buildings that appear to be old textile or furniture companies. This section of town has a lot of promise if they can get the right businesses to come in. Downtown Lexington is a great place for a day trip. Highly recommend it. Outside of downtown For a city of only 18K, you have about every big box store you need. Plenty of grocery store variety as well. There are at least three wineries close by, including Childress Vineyards on the west side of town. Oh and don't forget about the many BBQ places. I85 runs through the city. This gets you to Greensboro to the north and Charlotte to the south. Winston-Salem is a 20 minute or less drive from Lexington which is great.

Tony and I stopped in High Point NC at the roadside attraction to see the World's Largest Chair…read moresince they are the furniture capital of the world. Free to enjoy! On Street Parking located near the RR tracks in Center of town.

According to the plaque mounted on the chair's pedestal, it's officially known as "'The Chair' of…read moreThomasville." The plaque reads: "The chair is an exemplar and inspiration for future generations to emulate and perpetuate the achievements of our time-honored furniture designers and craftsmen . . . The original chair was the creation of the famous American designer Duncan Phyfe. Erected 1950. Thomas Johnson - Del. James Harvey - Sculp." A smaller, newer placard beneath reads: "Local Historic Landmark. Designated by City Council. September 2000. Thomasville Historic Preservation Commission." Locally, it's known as "The Big Chair." It's a huge upholstered chair located in downtown Thomasville, North Carolina. It's a symbol of the city's furniture industry. Thomasville is nicknamed "Chair City," while nearby High Point is known as the "Furniture Capital of the World." I was born and raised in High Point. To this day, any time my parents have out-of-town visitors, my dad loves taking them to see the World's Largest Chest of Drawers in High Point (https://www.yelp.com/biz/worlds-largest-chest-of-drawers-high-point) and The Big Chair in Thomasville. As a kid, I wouldn't bat an eye at these things. I thought they were boring. As I got older, I thought they were corny. However, as I continue to get older, I'm starting to appreciate them a bit more. Now, I think they are fun to show to out-of-towners too. Corny, but fun. I guess I'm turning into my dad. An equivalent roadside attraction where I work now is The Big Chicken in Marietta, Georgia. Online reports say the chair is 30 feet tall, but I think that may be misleading. I think the 30-foot measurement takes into account both the chair and the large stone pedestal upon which it stands. The chair is traditional and ornate in design. It looks like it's made of dark wood, but it's actually constructed of concrete and steel. Visiting the chair is a breeze. There's a large free city parking lot across the street. You can park there and walk over. Landscaping around the chair varies and is constantly changing throughout the seasons. It's generally nice. There's not much to see or do in downtown Thomasville, especially on the weekends when most of the businesses on Main Street are closed. It's a quaint little area though. The intersection is relatively busy and sits next to a pair of railroad tracks. Take a look at the pictures. That's pretty much it.

This marker is located on the corner where Salisbury Avenue switches from North to South. There is…read morea gas station where I was able to park and read the marker. It is number L-60 and it was erected in 1959 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. It has the same text on both sides and reads, "Built 1766 by Michael Braun. One of the few remaining Pennsylvania German stone houses in North Carolina. Stands 1/2 mile northeast." If you'll go to check out the house, you'll learn about the life of an immigrant who arrived in the colonies as a young tradesman and eventually became a prominent Rowan County landowner, businessman and public official. Its preservation as a museum highlights both the architectural significance of the structure and Michael Braun's deep involvement in the region's early civic and economic development, from his work as a wheelwright and printer to his roles as magistrate, justice of the peace, and property speculator. The house's long family occupancy, its ties to local Revolutionary War tradition, and the complex arc of Braun's life all contribute to its value as a surviving link to the area's eighteenth-century German heritage. [Review 659 of 2026 - 4747 in North Carolina - 25840 overall]

This nicely maintained historical marker is at the center of Downtown Lexington in front of the…read moreCounty Courthouse. The building itself is beautiful but was not open for tours at the time I passed through town. The marker reads: "Old Davidson County Courthouse. Completed 1858. Interior was burned 1858, rebuild ca. 1867. Fine example of Classical Revival style." Stop by and tour the building. I'd love to see pictures of the inside!

Also located in front of the Randolph County Courthouse, this monument is composed of nine engraved…read moregranite slabs arranged in a semicircle. The slabs increase in height toward the center, and the center slab topped with an eagle. There are three flagpoles behind the slabs, which today at half mast had the US flag, the North Carolina state flag and the POW-MIA flag. The center slab reads, "They stood in the unbroken line of patriots who lived to bear their country's arms. They died to save its honor and keep aglow the flaming torch of freedom." The slabs list all of those from Randolph County killed in action. [Review 13936 overall, 1258 of 2020, number 2579 in North Carolina.]

The All Veterans Memorial located in downtown Asheboro between the old and new courthouses pays…read moretribute to those who died from Randolph County in WWI; WWII; Korea; Vietnam; Lebanon; Panama and the Persian Gulf Wars. The names of each of the men and women who paid the ultimate price for freedom are inscribed in the granite memorial. POWs and Wounded Warriors are also acknowledged. This is one of the nicer memorials I've seen.

We're out here in the sticks of Lexington but there's a great BBQ place across the street where I'm…read moremeeting friends, when I spotted this marker. It's in front of the Dollar General but there is a lot of brush between their parking lot and the sign. I don't recommend walking through the brush as there might be a snake and there's definitely poison ivy. The marker reads, "Yadkin College. A Methodist Protestant institution. Opened in 1856, made co-educational in 1878, closed in 1924. Building stands 1 mi. N." Online, there is more information. "Yadkin College opened in October 1856 as Yadkin Institute, a high school for young men, having been chartered by the General Assembly the previous year. Henry Walser, the individual most responsible for Yadkin College's success, donated the land for the institute and bore the expense of constructing the first classroom facilities and dormitory. One of three institutes of higher education sponsored by the Methodist Church in North Carolina, the school was rechartered as Yadkin College by the legislature in February 1861. "Shortly afterwards, the college closed as nearly all of its pupils enlisted in Confederate service with the opening shots of the Civil War. When classes resumed in 1867, the school operated as a high school once more, returning to collegiate courses in 1873 under the tutelage of president Shadrach Simpson. Five years later the first female students were allowed to attend classes. In 1883, the legislature changed the name to Yadkin Collegiate Institute. In 1924, the institute, suffering from low attendance as a result of the establishment of public schools in the state, consolidated with what is now High Point University, and the campus was abandoned." [Review 1797 of 2024 - 3716 in North Carolina - 22820 overall]