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Old North Touring Co.
Experience North Carolina
What’s to come!
My mission is to create a central resource for those
who desire to know our state.
As a 12th generation native of North Carolina, the
stories and places of this great state are especially
important to me. The hundreds of towns, roads,
waterways, and mountain tops all have stories of their
own, and it’s my intention to tell them.
Work is already underway on several forms of
educational media. Refer to the list to see what’s on
the way!
- An illustrated book about the built environment of Rural
Mecklenburg County
- On-Foot Audio-Guided Tours for the central districts of
Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Asheville, Raleigh, and
Wilmington
- A 26 mile audio-guided driving tour of historic sites in
north-west Mecklenburg County
- A narrated ride-along of the North Carolina Railroad
between Raleigh and Charlotte, featuring histories of the
railroad and its towns, and notes about passing geography.
- Self-Guided written tours through neighborhoods and
towns across the state
Rural Mecklenburg Book
Over 160+ sites have been selected for surveying. These include homes, churches,
schools, cemeteries, heavy industry, stores, and transportation infrastructure believed to
possess significance to the lost world of Rural Mecklenburg.
Surveying will begin in April of 2025 and include collecting general information such as
coordinates, construction dates, architectural descriptions, site accessibility, and
photographs.
After this step is completed, a smaller list of sites will be decided upon to be included in the
book. At such time, photographs will be sent to the illustrator while greater research is
performed on the chosen sites for use in the creation of a narrative.
Come back soon for updates!
David Thomas
I was raised in Charlotte and have always had a passion to express
myself. By the age of 5, I was playing the piano and
impersonating Elvis. Acting programs at school and elsewhere
gave me a place to makes friends and try on costumes (two of my
favorite things to do!). Although I was not such a star student, I fell in
love with learning; the art of history and storytelling befell to me
above all.
In 2021 I began working as a tour guide in Uptown Charlotte, since
then I’ve conducted over 1,000 tours to more than 4,000 visitors.
Although I do most of the talking (that’s my job!), I’ve learnt a lot
from the visitors themselves. I’m thrilled to have such an
opportunity to spend time with others and appreciate their
perspectives on our home.
Also in 2021, I began learning about the challenges facing my
community. The deregulation of local land use policy, and reforms
to our state and national transportation investments became my
chief interests. Today I’m a proud member of the Charlotte
Urbanists, Vice President of my neighborhood association, and a
Director of All Aboard Carolinas. You can also find me volunteering
as a host on NC’s rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte.