Never heard of a digital video mural trail before?!?! We hadn’t either, but when we found out the small Moore County NC town was launching one — The Carthage NC Digital Mural Trail — as art enthusiasts that were visiting the Sandhills area, we had to go check it out.
The First Ever NC Digital Mural Trail
The state’s first-ever digital mural trail showcases five unique murals in the Moore County town of Carthage. Each mural on the Carthage NC Digital Mural Trail has a specially made bronze-plated QR code that visitors can scan with their phone. The link will take them to a website that shares an in-depth story about the artist and artwork. And these aren’t small pieces of work. All of these span the entire sides of old buildings in downtown! Pretty cool, right?
According to Phil Werz, president and CEO of the CVB, “Each mural on the Carthage NC Digital Mural Trail tells a story, but we felt people viewing them may want to know more about each one than just the artwork itself. The video associated with each mural tells a deeper story about each one and provides incredible context to why they are there.”
Other Things To Do When You Are In Town Visiting Carthage To See The Murals
The video stories aren’t the only thing that makes this trail special. The Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) created and funded this project to give visitors a chance to see the murals BUT, then once you are doing seeing the artwork, you are encouraged to explore the character and quaintness through the local shops, delicious restaurants, and friendly faces in the small Sandhills downtown of Carthage. Here’s a list of some of our favorite things to do and see when in the area:
Where To Stay
- The Old Buggy Inn is an iconic Queen Anne Victorian home that acts as the perfect home base for your visit to the town of Carthage!
- Embrace your chance to sleep at a literal airport. The Carthage NC campground called the Airport RV Park is literally next to the runway. The county’s famous barbecue spot Pik N Pig is within walking distance too!
Where To Eat
- Get some down home cooking’ at Pete’s Family Restaurant
- Get your Eastern North Carolina barbecue fix at Stubbs & Son BBQ
- Get the Carolina Burger just down the road at Lighthouse at Little River
What To Do
- Go antiquing and picking’ at The Vintage Barn, Practical Posh, or Turning Point in downtown Carthage
- Visit James Creek Cider House just down the road in Cameron, NC
- Hit the links and play Tobacco Road Golf Club
- History buffs should check out the Carthage Historical Museum
A Duke Donation
One of the cooler things about this story is the fact that the Duke Energy Foundation donated $10,000 towards the Carthage Century Committee and Carthage Mural Committee for their next project that will enrich the community.
The Year Of The Trail Initiative
And the best part is, all of this is part of VisitNC’s Year of the Trail initiative. Now, if you don’t know wha the NC Year of the Trail is, you can learn more here. It’s a really cool initiative that is encouraging people to get out and experience nature in our beautiful state!
In a time when everyone spends eight hours in front of a computer doing their job, and their downtime in front of their screen, the NC Year of the Trail reminds people to get outside, get active, and enjoy all that our state has to offer.
Still Time To Find Your Pinecone
In honor of the VisitNC initiative, the CVB has been busy too! They’ve been up to some fun and creative new projects. They recently launched the Pinecone Pathways Program in partnership with the glassmakers at Starworks in Star, NC. In April and May, two hundred glass pinecones have been planted in trails throughout Moore County for outdoor enthusiasts and treasure hunters to find. Fun fact, we were lucky enough to visit the area and find one!!! If you want to learn more about this project click here. There’s still three weeks left for people to try to get their very own glass pinecone.
An Adventure Trail Straight Out Of Storytime
They also launched another trail perfect for the family! Are you or the kids fans of Winnie-the-Pooh and his cast of characters? If so, their Sandhills Story Trail Adventures is such a fun activity! As part of this series, interactive displays featuring life-sized cutouts of Pooh and his friends have been set up in stations across the county’s beautiful trails. Each station has a QR code. Scan it with your phone, and kids and parents alike can keep up with the adventures.
If you want to get outside and go on adventure in honor of the NC Year of the Trail, the Sandhills and Moore County have several very creative ways to do just that!
For All The Trail Information And To Learn More About The Sandhills – Southern Pines, Pinehurst, and Moore County NC – Visit Our Town Guide
Check out this link to learn more about the Carthage NC Digital Mural Trail
• www.homeofgolf.com/digital-mural-trail/
And for all things Year of the Trail, check out
• www.homeofgolf.com/moore-trails/
