Press release:
“To Preserve the Blessings of Liberty” State Constitutions of North Carolina on Exhibit at the Western Office of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources in Asheville May 16 to June 17.
Asheville, N.C. – North Carolina’s early constitutions, the original Declaration of Rights and amendments to the state and U.S. Constitution and other early documents preserved by the State Archives of North Carolina will be on display on the first floor of the Western Office of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources from May 16 to June 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The state’s first constitution in 1776 was very different from today’s document. For example, the General Assembly and not citizens selected the governor, only free men at least 21-years of age could vote and only landowners could hold political office. Over the decades the structure of state government changed, the power of the governor increased, direct elections for many executive offices become common place, government agencies were reorganized and restrictions on citizens’ rights were eliminated.
A digital collection of these and supplemental documents can be viewed on the State Archives website, digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/home/collections/federal-state-constitutions.
For additional information please call (828) 296-7230, email jeff.futch@ncdcr.gov, or visit ncdcr.gov/about/history/western-office. The Western Office of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources is located at 176 Riceville Road, Asheville, N.C.
About the State Archives of North Carolina
The State Archives of North Carolina collects, preserves, and makes available for public use historical and evidential materials relating to North Carolina. Its holdings consist of official records of state, county, and local governmental units; copies of federal and foreign government materials; and private collections.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic
future of North Carolina. Led by Secretary Susan Kluttz, NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the State Historic Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.
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