April 9, 1585 Sir Ralph Lane sailed to America with 107 colonists. By June they arrived to modern day Plymouth Island and established a colony with Lane as governor. The colony later moved to Roanoke Island and established Fort Raleigh. A year later, supplies were running short. Sir Francis Drake arrived June 11 and the discouraged colonists, including Lane, abandoned the colony and boarded Drake’s ship returning to England.April 9, 1896 The last large, gold nugget was found at Reed Gold Mine. John Reed originally found gold on his land 97 years prior, sparking the focal point for the nation’s first gold rush. By 1824, gold from Reed’s property resulted in over $2 million in sales. Towards the end of the 19th century, most of the gold on the land had been exhausted, and prospectors left for more profitable areas like Colorado, California, and Alaska. The last operation at Reed Gold Mine occurred in 1964, and the property was acquired by the state in 1971.April 10, 1922 Radio broadcasting began in North Carolina. WBT in Charlotte received a broadcasting license making them the first commercial radio station in the state. Initial broadcasts in Charlotte began March 25, in the kitchen of radio enthusiast, Fred Laxton. Weeks later, WBT set up a downtown studio in the Independence Building.SOURCE: North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
This week in N.C. history
