Our State

Every month, Our State magazine highlights the finest aspects of North Carolina with genuine stories and beautiful photography. Established in 1933, Our State has become a reliable guide for everything related to North Carolina. Whether you’ve called the state home for years, are just starting to explore, or are planning a visit or move, this magazine offers valuable insights. Explore exciting destinations, experiment with fresh recipes, and learn about the rich history, culture, and natural beauty of North Carolina.

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Ramblin’ Man: The Color of North Carolina

2 days ago | ourstate.com | T. Edward Nickens

Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast featuring the voices of Our State writers. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. Click below to listen to Eddie read his column aloud. She tried to make him understand, but her words weren’t working. It wasn’t her fault: There are no words for what she attempted to explain. “The color of the ocean during a late afternoon storm,” she said, nearly exasperated.
Shrimp Salad BLTs

2 days ago | ourstate.com | Sheri Castle

From Our State’s A Taste of Our State series. Click here to read or listen to contributor Sheri Castle’s column from the June 2025 issue. This recipe combines two of my favorite summertime delights: seafood and sandwiches. A quick brine ensures the shrimp are plump and flavorful. This will restore ocean freshness, no matter how far inland you might be. Yield: 4 servings.
7 Ways to Welcome Spring in Gaston County

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Robin Sutton Anders

SPONSORED BY Gaston County is a trove of hidden gems that sparkle bright in springtime. The locals have a sixth sense when it comes to where to find these natural treasures — and nobody knows that better than Doug Miller, co-owner of the outfitter Aquatic Adventures. “The other day, we had one warm day in between some cold weeks, and my phone was ringing from people wondering if we’re out there with kayaks.”His answer is yes.
The Matriarchs of Ocean Isle

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Jason Frye

Dawn didn’t break over Ocean Isle Beach on October 15, 1954, but waves did. They towered over the shore in the weak morning light, thundering onto the sand as if to herald the arrival of Hurricane Hazel. She blew into town on winds 140 miles an hour strong, riding a storm surge 18 feet high. To make matters worse, it was a full moon with the highest lunar tide of the year.
Find & Seek at The Depot at Gibson Mill

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Tamiya Anderson

As Tom Cotter slowly walks the aisles of his antiques mall in Concord, the floorboards of the 124-year-old building creak underfoot. He passes booth after booth before pausing by a glossy Blue Willow china set, which has attracted some attention. “We’ve got people who’ve been coming here for years,” he says, the delicate clink of porcelain tinkling as a couple on a mission inspects one of the blue-and-white plates.
Strumming Along With Honey Picks

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Mark Kemp

You’re a guitar, banjo, or mandolin picker looking for the perfect plectrum to pluck your instrument. But you don’t want just any old piece of plastic. You want something special. Hello, Honey Picks!Made in Taylorsville by brothers Rick and Andrew Calhoun, Honey Picks come in a variety of eye-popping colors: turquoise, green, purple, golden translucent. Some have shiny surfaces; others are rough and textured. Some are almost paper thin; others are thick as a credit card.
A Gallery for Good | Our State

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Victoria Bouloubasis

Every day at the Ella West Gallery in downtown Durham, Linda Shropshire sits by a large photograph of her mother: the Ella “West” Wynn Shropshire Douthit. Gazing over the desk in Linda’s office, a young Ella flashes a megawatt smile with the free spirit of a woman in her early 20s. In the portrait, made in the 1960s, Ella sports a new short haircut and blowout. She tilts her head as if catching a breeze and the punchline of an inside joke.
Roanoke Island’s Vine Through Time

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Hannah Lee Leidy

Outside a mid-century modern ranch house on the northeast side of Roanoke Island, a dense network of vines commands the front yard, its filigree of young leaves bouncing in the breeze. In some spots, delicate buds have developed into firm, green grapes — nowhere near the juicy scuppernongs they’ll ripen into as the summer progresses. These vines, all offshoots attached to the same herculean system, blanket the entire south side of the yard as though unfurled from a bolt of scraggly, stemmy fabric.
Maw Maw’s Cast-Iron Drop Biscuits With Strawberry Fig Preserves | Our State

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Chris Coleman

Recipe featured in the May 2025 issue of Our State. Read more about Chris Coleman and how he attributes his cooking philosophy to his grandmother. Chris Coleman’s grandmother Marlene McDonald made biscuits at least a couple of times a week: “This recipe is more about technique than anything else, as it is so simple,” he says. Yield: 8 to 9 biscuits. ½ cup (1 stick) butter1 ¾ cup self-rising flour, plus more if needed (Chris prefers White Lily)1 ¾ cup whole milkPreheat oven to 425°.
Just Like Mama Made It

2 weeks ago | ourstate.com | Kathleen Purvis

When chefs talk about what inspires their cooking and who steered them into working in a kitchen for a living, they almost all have stories about their families and cooking with their mothers and grandmothers. That influence is evident for three North Carolina chefs who share their stories — and recipes — for dishes that are homages to their families’ matriarchs.