WEBVTT

00:00.800 --> 00:02.667
[gentle orchestral fanfare]

00:02.767 --> 00:06.100
♪

00:07.434 --> 00:10.067
[resonant strings
lead building orchestration]

00:10.167 --> 00:18.267
♪

00:18.368 --> 00:20.967
(male narrator)
Welcome to "Our State,"

00:21.067 --> 00:24.234
a production of UNC-TV

00:24.334 --> 00:27.167
in association
with "Our State" magazine--

00:27.267 --> 00:28.934
for over 70 years,

00:29.034 --> 00:31.234
bringing the wonders
of North Carolina

00:31.334 --> 00:33.600
to readers across the state.

00:33.700 --> 00:35.234
On this edition,

00:35.334 --> 00:37.234
a visit to Bat Cave,

00:37.334 --> 00:40.501
home to a lot more
than just bats--

00:40.601 --> 00:42.101
behind
the scenes

00:42.201 --> 00:44.134
at the Azalea
Festival--

00:44.234 --> 00:46.201
and historic
Airlie Gardens,

00:46.301 --> 00:48.034
full of
carefully tended

00:48.134 --> 00:49.633
natural beauty.

00:49.734 --> 00:54.767
♪

00:56.368 --> 00:58.734
[wind gusting]
whhhh

01:00.468 --> 01:02.301
(male announcer)
BB&T serves the needs

01:02.401 --> 01:04.768
of more than 180 communities,

01:04.868 --> 01:07.767
from the Outer Banks
and the Blue Ridge Mountains

01:07.867 --> 01:09.867
to everywhere in between.

01:09.967 --> 01:11.835
Since 1872,

01:11.935 --> 01:15.167
we have supported the people
and places of North Carolina,

01:15.267 --> 01:18.401
and we've been proud
to live and work here too.

01:18.501 --> 01:21.501
We love calling
North Carolina our home,

01:21.601 --> 01:25.166
and we're pleased to provide
major funding for "Our State."

01:26.668 --> 01:28.835
Quality public television
is made possible

01:28.935 --> 01:30.633
through the financial
contributions

01:30.734 --> 01:32.401
of viewers like you,

01:32.501 --> 01:36.166
who invite you to join them
in supporting UNC-TV.

01:40.967 --> 01:43.266
[birds chirping distantly]

01:50.800 --> 01:52.468
(narrator)
Hickory Nut Gorge

01:52.568 --> 01:56.834
is truly a spectacular
place in our state.

01:56.934 --> 01:58.634
Rugged granite cliffs

01:58.735 --> 02:01.634
overlook parts
of the Broad River Watershed,

02:01.735 --> 02:05.701
home of Chimney Rock Park
and Lake Lure.

02:05.801 --> 02:08.934
Cool, shady groves
of hardwoods provide habitat

02:09.034 --> 02:11.701
for many species
of plants and animals,

02:11.801 --> 02:16.134
some found only
a few places in the world.

02:16.234 --> 02:19.035
It's also the home of Bat Cave,

02:19.135 --> 02:23.034
the largest known
fissure cave in North America.

02:23.134 --> 02:24.735
(man)
As you can see,

02:24.835 --> 02:27.168
its quite extensive
fracturing of the rock

02:27.268 --> 02:31.201
has led to the formation of
this very extensive cave system

02:31.301 --> 02:33.667
that offers a variety

02:33.767 --> 02:36.201
of microhabitats within it.

02:36.301 --> 02:38.601
Overall,
in the cave complex here,

02:38.701 --> 02:41.501
we've had six different
species of bats

02:41.601 --> 02:45.234
documented hibernating here.

02:45.334 --> 02:48.501
(narrator)
Bat Cave Preserve
covers 186 acres

02:48.601 --> 02:53.834
and is owned both privately
and by the Nature Conservancy.

02:53.934 --> 02:55.901
(boy)
Now we have four.

02:56.002 --> 02:57.968
(narrator)
While public access is limited

02:58.068 --> 03:01.301
and Bat Cave itself
is not open to the public,

03:01.401 --> 03:03.034
the summer field trip program

03:03.134 --> 03:04.868
operated
by the Nature Conservancy

03:04.968 --> 03:07.768
gives those hikers willing
to tackle the steep slopes

03:07.868 --> 03:10.834
a chance to see
some of the unique sites

03:10.934 --> 03:13.166
in this diverse environment.

03:14.768 --> 03:17.700
(woman)
Does anyone know some
of the uses for jewelweed?

03:17.800 --> 03:19.667
Poison ivy, yes--
another one?

03:19.767 --> 03:21.067
(woman)
Stinging nettle.

03:21.167 --> 03:22.533
Stinging nettle--yeah.

03:22.633 --> 03:25.167
If you tear up the stem,

03:25.267 --> 03:27.334
it has this
aloelike substance

03:27.434 --> 03:29.134
that you can rub on it.

03:29.234 --> 03:31.101
It makes it go away
pretty instantly,

03:31.201 --> 03:33.834
from what
I've experienced.

03:33.934 --> 03:37.067
You have all kinds
of good things to carry.

03:37.167 --> 03:39.001
(McGrath)
There are a number of things

03:39.101 --> 03:41.234
that make
Hickory Nut Gorge unique,

03:41.334 --> 03:44.101
from both a plant
and animal perspective,

03:44.201 --> 03:47.034
and, in particular,
places like we're--

03:47.134 --> 03:50.401
here at Bat Cave,
where we are today.

03:50.501 --> 03:52.102
Its geographic position,

03:52.202 --> 03:55.001
located between the Blue
Ridge Physiographic Province

03:55.101 --> 03:56.768
and the Piedmont Province,

03:56.868 --> 03:59.701
you get a combination
of mountain species

03:59.801 --> 04:02.567
and piedmont species
of both plants and animals

04:02.667 --> 04:04.334
that occur here.

04:04.434 --> 04:07.134
The abundance of rock
here in the gorge

04:07.234 --> 04:08.968
is an important factor

04:09.068 --> 04:12.334
that contributes to
the wide diversity of animals.

04:12.434 --> 04:15.068
(narrator)
The varied terrain
of the preserve,

04:15.168 --> 04:18.434
the unique rock formations,
and the abundant rainfall

04:18.534 --> 04:21.201
combine to form
a number of habitats

04:21.301 --> 04:23.134
for plants and animals.

04:23.234 --> 04:25.002
Here, two rare plants,

04:25.102 --> 04:28.201
the grotto allen root
and the bleeding heart,

04:28.301 --> 04:30.934
are growing side by side.

04:34.634 --> 04:36.867
The rocky streams
provide a haven

04:36.967 --> 04:39.167
for several species
of salamanders,

04:39.267 --> 04:41.834
of interest
to both curious kids

04:41.934 --> 04:43.900
and curious biologists.

04:44.001 --> 04:46.067
For example,
the crevice salamander

04:46.167 --> 04:48.835
is found nowhere else
in the world.

04:48.935 --> 04:51.334
The rare and endangered
green salamander

04:51.434 --> 04:53.767
is also found here.

04:57.768 --> 04:59.634
(McGrath)
Various researchers have looked

04:59.735 --> 05:02.501
at parts of the functioning
of the ecosystem

05:02.601 --> 05:04.900
and the role
that salamanders play in it.

05:05.001 --> 05:06.468
They are primary predators

05:06.568 --> 05:08.267
of some
of the smaller invertebrates

05:08.368 --> 05:09.934
of aquatic systems.

05:10.034 --> 05:12.167
They become prey
for larger organisms.

05:12.267 --> 05:14.068
Because they are so abundant,

05:14.168 --> 05:17.600
they are responsible for cycling
a lot of the nutrients

05:17.700 --> 05:19.701
in a forested ecosystem

05:19.801 --> 05:24.301
and support the entire
upper part of the food chain.

05:24.401 --> 05:25.800
[chuckling]
Maybe.

05:25.900 --> 05:27.501
(man)
Protection of this region

05:27.601 --> 05:29.368
is vital for protection
of these species,

05:29.468 --> 05:31.167
and if you don't protect it,

05:31.267 --> 05:33.634
if you come in here
and you develop

05:33.735 --> 05:36.001
and you remove
the habitat that's here,

05:36.101 --> 05:39.101
you're gonna remove
and eventually destroy

05:39.201 --> 05:42.600
the diversity
and species that are here.

05:45.202 --> 05:47.301
(narrator)
Although summertime
and daylight hours

05:47.401 --> 05:50.235
make it unlikely
they will see a bat,

05:50.335 --> 05:53.668
the cave entrance is always a
fascinating place for visitors.

05:53.768 --> 05:56.867
(Barks)
You can look and see
if you can see any bats

05:56.967 --> 06:00.333
from here or anything else.

06:04.334 --> 06:05.668
(narrator)
For the scientists

06:05.768 --> 06:08.368
who study the bats
and monitor their health,

06:08.468 --> 06:10.835
it's a wintertime trip
to see them.

06:10.935 --> 06:13.368
That's when the bats
seek out the caves

06:13.468 --> 06:16.368
to hibernate until spring.

06:16.468 --> 06:19.633
And it's often quite
an expedition to find them.

06:21.668 --> 06:23.700
[exhaustedly]
I'll catch up.

06:24.968 --> 06:28.401
(narrator)
Bat Cave is part
of a group of fissure caves,

06:28.501 --> 06:31.167
which form when the mountain's
underlying granite structure

06:31.267 --> 06:33.233
cracks and shifts.

06:34.501 --> 06:37.167
(McGrath)
Uh, which is really
just a series

06:37.267 --> 06:39.801
of extensive cracks
within this rock--

06:39.901 --> 06:42.434
uh, offers a lot
of different places

06:42.534 --> 06:44.334
for different species of bats

06:44.434 --> 06:47.333
to find the conditions
that they need.

06:50.801 --> 06:53.468
Your viewers may have
a vision of a cave

06:53.568 --> 06:55.167
as this large
underground passage

06:55.267 --> 06:56.867
that you can walk through

06:56.967 --> 06:58.767
and has rivers
and everything in it--

06:58.867 --> 07:00.301
heh, heh,
heh, heh--

07:00.401 --> 07:02.667
not so much the case
in North Carolina.

07:02.767 --> 07:04.434
There are caves
like that

07:04.534 --> 07:06.201
but generally
in limestone areas,

07:06.301 --> 07:08.167
and we're not
in a limestone area.

07:08.267 --> 07:10.667
This is, uh--
this is granite.

07:12.601 --> 07:14.667
(narrator)
Getting to parts of the cave

07:14.767 --> 07:15.935
can mean squeezing through

07:16.035 --> 07:18.700
what seems to be
an impossibly small opening.

07:18.800 --> 07:21.501
[indistinct talking]

07:21.601 --> 07:24.835
This kind of caving
can be difficult and dangerous,

07:24.935 --> 07:28.934
another reason that the public
is not allowed free access.

07:31.768 --> 07:33.900
(McGrath)
We've left the twilight zone,

07:34.001 --> 07:35.668
where daylight shines in,

07:35.768 --> 07:38.800
and we're into
the dark portion of the cave.

07:38.900 --> 07:40.501
And this is the first room

07:40.601 --> 07:44.334
where we typically
start to see bats.

07:44.434 --> 07:46.667
What we'll do every two years--

07:46.767 --> 07:48.401
One, two, three--

07:48.501 --> 07:50.334
As relatively quickly--

07:50.434 --> 07:53.267
try to pass through
as much of it as we can

07:53.368 --> 07:55.401
and count all
the bats that we see--

07:55.501 --> 07:57.534
One, two, three,
four pipistrelles.

07:57.634 --> 08:02.334
And then leave,
because once we are in here,

08:02.434 --> 08:06.935
our very presence is altering
the microclimate in here.

08:07.035 --> 08:10.368
Our body temperature actually
can increase the air temperature

08:10.468 --> 08:13.634
in the cave and trigger
the physiological processes

08:13.735 --> 08:16.934
that start them waking up
from hibernation.

08:20.301 --> 08:22.668
We try not to wake them up

08:22.768 --> 08:24.835
or disturb them
while we're doing the counts.

08:24.935 --> 08:27.768
In some cases, we have
to actually handle the bat

08:27.868 --> 08:30.501
to determine
what species it is.

08:30.601 --> 08:32.301
(narrator)
On this expedition,

08:32.401 --> 08:36.334
the team encounters the very
rare eastern small-footed bat.

08:36.434 --> 08:39.601
It's an exciting find,
as only a few dozen

08:39.701 --> 08:42.668
are known to exist
in western North Carolina.

08:42.768 --> 08:46.567
And then you can just
hang him back on the wall.

08:46.667 --> 08:48.166
Hmm?

08:49.735 --> 08:51.700
[man chuckling]
hmm, hmm

08:53.935 --> 08:56.201
(McGrath)
Many of the different
species of bats

08:56.301 --> 08:59.368
that we have in North Carolina
look relatively the same.

08:59.468 --> 09:01.835
They have brown fur,
for the most part.

09:01.935 --> 09:04.901
There are some--
some species that are different.

09:05.002 --> 09:07.800
There's a little projection
that comes up inside the ear

09:07.900 --> 09:09.401
that's called the "tragus,"

09:09.501 --> 09:11.768
and if it's really long
and pointed,

09:11.868 --> 09:14.667
then it would
be a northern bat.

09:14.767 --> 09:16.801
If it's rather short,

09:16.901 --> 09:19.801
then it's likely to be
a little brown bat.

09:19.901 --> 09:23.034
So the combination
of the guard hairs on the toes,

09:23.134 --> 09:25.568
the color pattern
of a light ventral fur

09:25.668 --> 09:29.968
and a darker dorsal fur
and a short tragus in the ear

09:30.068 --> 09:34.967
tells me that this is a little
brown bat, Myotis lucifugus.

09:35.067 --> 09:36.734
Can you hear him squeaking?

09:36.834 --> 09:38.234
He's kinda mad.

09:38.334 --> 09:39.768
chk, chk...chk

09:39.868 --> 09:41.901
See, even a little
tiny booger like this--

09:42.002 --> 09:44.835
you know, here's what it looks
like when it's flying around.

09:44.935 --> 09:47.234
So I'm looking
at a 7-, 8-inch wingspan here.

09:47.334 --> 09:50.167
It looks like a much bigger
animal than it really is.

09:50.267 --> 09:52.900
It's much smaller
than your average mouse--

09:53.001 --> 09:54.868
the body on it is.

09:54.968 --> 09:57.568
Is anybody gonna panic
if I just let this go?

09:57.668 --> 09:59.734
It's gonna fly around--
just let it go.

09:59.834 --> 10:01.900
It won't hurt you.

10:02.001 --> 10:04.568
[gentle guitar
leads sustaining strings]

10:04.668 --> 10:07.401
People don't need to react
with too much fear

10:07.501 --> 10:09.668
just because
there are bats in an area

10:09.768 --> 10:12.102
because there
is not any increased risk

10:12.202 --> 10:16.667
or threat associated with just
having bats in the vicinity.

10:16.767 --> 10:18.468
Bats are responsible

10:18.568 --> 10:21.668
for eating millions of tons
of insects every year.

10:21.768 --> 10:25.134
Well, anybody find any other
holes that we need to look in?

10:25.234 --> 10:26.934
And if we didn't have bats,

10:27.034 --> 10:28.801
there would be
a lot more insects.

10:28.901 --> 10:30.934
And some of those
things would, no doubt,

10:31.034 --> 10:32.434
cause us great concern,

10:32.534 --> 10:35.134
whether it's just from the
standpoint of them bothering us

10:35.234 --> 10:38.101
or from the standpoint
of them causing us economic harm

10:38.201 --> 10:40.668
or potentially
even health concerns that arise

10:40.768 --> 10:43.867
from insectborne diseases
or things of that nature.

10:43.967 --> 10:49.401
♪

10:49.501 --> 10:51.634
(narrator)
The work these scientists do

10:51.735 --> 10:53.333
behind the scenes underground...

10:53.433 --> 10:55.068
Shoo.

10:55.168 --> 10:58.001
(narrator)
...and through
summer educational field trips

10:58.101 --> 11:00.034
is creating a valuable addition

11:00.134 --> 11:02.468
to scientific knowledge of bats

11:02.568 --> 11:04.301
and expanding our appreciation

11:04.401 --> 11:07.801
of the remarkable place
known as Bat Cave.

11:07.901 --> 11:10.368
(Barks)
This type of granite
erodes in circles.

11:10.468 --> 11:12.334
And right there,
behind that rock,

11:12.434 --> 11:14.066
is a perfect
circle.

11:16.934 --> 11:19.567
[soft piano
leads pacing violins]

11:19.667 --> 11:21.568
♪

11:21.668 --> 11:23.668
(narrator)
As March gives way to April

11:23.768 --> 11:27.201
in the Cape Fear region
and the sun gets warmer,

11:27.301 --> 11:30.367
an abundance of flowering
plants graces the landscape...

11:31.634 --> 11:33.867
and Wilmington extends
a standing invitation

11:33.967 --> 11:36.768
to visitors from near and far

11:36.868 --> 11:40.735
to enjoy the North Carolina
Azalea Festival.

11:40.835 --> 11:44.134
The festival was the brainchild
of a local physician,

11:44.234 --> 11:47.368
Dr. Houston Moore,
who, as early as 1936,

11:47.468 --> 11:50.667
thought that such an event
would provide refreshing relief

11:50.767 --> 11:53.201
from the bleak Depression years.

11:53.301 --> 11:55.334
Well-known photographer
Hugh Morton

11:55.434 --> 11:58.101
kick-started
Moore's dream in 1947,

11:58.201 --> 12:00.267
and once things got going,

12:00.368 --> 12:03.834
quickly became known
as "Mr. Azalea."

12:03.934 --> 12:06.201
People, like Hugh Morton,

12:06.301 --> 12:09.267
who was consistently
a man interested

12:09.368 --> 12:11.834
in environmental conditions--

12:11.934 --> 12:14.935
uh, Houston probably said,

12:15.035 --> 12:18.167
you've got something here
that's worth showing off,

12:18.267 --> 12:21.201
uh, something
that the public will love.

12:21.301 --> 12:24.867
There's nowhere else in
the world that this can happen,

12:24.967 --> 12:27.501
so why not
let's have a festival?

12:27.601 --> 12:29.134
(narrator)
So, at last,

12:29.234 --> 12:31.368
the longtime dream
of a festival

12:31.468 --> 12:33.600
created around
Wilmington's millions of azaleas

12:33.700 --> 12:35.568
began to bloom

12:35.668 --> 12:39.233
and, over time, grew into
a deeply held local tradition.

12:39.333 --> 12:41.334
♪

12:41.434 --> 12:45.067
The four-day Azalea Festival
is truly a grand affair...

12:45.167 --> 12:47.034
[light applause]

12:47.134 --> 12:49.935
beginning with
a ribbon-cutting ceremony

12:50.035 --> 12:52.668
and a bevy of beautiful
Southern belles--

12:52.768 --> 12:55.368
this day,
on display in Airlie Gardens.

12:55.468 --> 12:57.467
[airy flute joins]

12:57.567 --> 12:59.801
♪

12:59.901 --> 13:02.568
As long as the weather
doesn't interfere,

13:02.668 --> 13:06.334
this event promises
to be gorgeous all around.

13:06.434 --> 13:09.201
And then,
when the sun comes out,

13:09.301 --> 13:12.934
all is suddenly
well with the world.

13:13.034 --> 13:14.400
(man)
Thank you.

13:14.500 --> 13:16.367
Thank you.

13:16.467 --> 13:21.067
♪

13:21.167 --> 13:22.835
(narrator)
The belles line up

13:22.935 --> 13:25.201
with their well-polished
escorts for the day--

13:25.301 --> 13:28.002
from the Citadel.

13:28.102 --> 13:31.735
And then the ribbon is cut
in appropriate queenly style

13:31.835 --> 13:34.034
[local announcer]
Sheee's done it.

13:34.134 --> 13:36.167
[applause]

13:36.267 --> 13:39.334
(narrator)
There is a party on the lawn,

13:39.434 --> 13:42.334
and folks eventually disperse
to enjoy the azaleas

13:42.434 --> 13:44.368
and other springtime finery

13:44.468 --> 13:48.001
of the longstanding
Cape Fear Garden Tour.

13:48.101 --> 13:50.368
(girl)
What is your name?
I'm sorry--

13:50.468 --> 13:52.633
Jessica--
it's nice to meet you.

13:52.734 --> 13:54.734
[wandering piano leads]

13:54.834 --> 13:56.167
Isn't
this wonderful?

13:56.267 --> 13:58.201
This is what
springtime should be.

13:58.301 --> 13:59.800
It's springtime
in Wilmington.

13:59.900 --> 14:02.468
♪

14:02.568 --> 14:04.134
It just brings
Wilmington together,

14:04.234 --> 14:06.534
and we really
have had a good time.

14:06.634 --> 14:09.067
This is what it's all about--
these beautiful azaleas.

14:09.167 --> 14:11.234
They come out
this time of year

14:11.334 --> 14:13.368
and just make this city
come alive.

14:13.468 --> 14:15.234
You see them everywhere.

14:15.334 --> 14:17.266
[airy flute leads]

14:17.367 --> 14:20.601
♪

14:20.701 --> 14:23.368
(narrator)
Not far away,
in Wrightsville Beach,

14:23.468 --> 14:26.735
there's a festive air
on Live Oak Street

14:26.835 --> 14:30.001
at the home of landscape
designer Chris Lindley.

14:31.468 --> 14:33.668
Well, this back
is just charming.

14:33.768 --> 14:36.167
(woman #1)
It's a little studio.

14:36.267 --> 14:37.868
(woman #2)
Gorgeous.

14:37.968 --> 14:41.934
(woman #3)
Those of us who participate in
the Azalea Festival Garden Tour

14:42.034 --> 14:45.167
put a lot of time
and effort into it,

14:45.267 --> 14:48.667
but the reason I do
is because what they do

14:48.767 --> 14:50.868
for our community
is phenomenal.

14:50.968 --> 14:54.801
They give a sense
of community to Wilmington.

14:54.901 --> 14:56.835
(narrator)
During the rest of the year,

14:56.935 --> 14:59.434
the garden club uses
its proceeds from the tour

14:59.534 --> 15:01.401
for community good,

15:01.501 --> 15:04.101
including beautification,
environmental education,

15:04.201 --> 15:06.467
and conservation projects.

15:06.567 --> 15:09.301
♪

15:09.401 --> 15:11.101
I won't put
my toes under.

15:11.201 --> 15:15.201
Okay, good--
hah, hah, hah!

15:15.301 --> 15:17.500
[bird chirping]
chi, chi...chi

15:18.934 --> 15:22.301
(narrator)
Meanwhile, downtown,

15:22.401 --> 15:24.900
street fair vendors
are making their preparations

15:25.001 --> 15:26.867
alongside the Cape Fear.

15:26.967 --> 15:28.700
[pacing violins lead]

15:28.800 --> 15:31.002
And a couple of blocks away...

15:31.102 --> 15:33.668
(woman)
Let's do, like,
the blue like that.

15:33.768 --> 15:37.668
(narrator)
...at least one group
of early birds is getting a jump

15:37.768 --> 15:40.567
on float preparations
for tomorrow's parade.

15:40.667 --> 15:42.568
♪

15:42.668 --> 15:45.968
Early the next morning,
the weather threatens again,

15:46.068 --> 15:49.667
but the possibility of rain
doesn't dampen the enthusiasm.

15:49.767 --> 15:51.601
Welcome to the morning

15:51.701 --> 15:54.601
of the North Carolina
58th Azalea Festival!

15:54.701 --> 15:56.601
(man)
They're not in here.

15:56.701 --> 16:00.800
(narrator)
Plans have been in place
for this event for a long time.

16:00.900 --> 16:04.500
And...
one, two, ready.

16:04.600 --> 16:06.034
[horns blare]

16:06.134 --> 16:08.334
(narrator)
And people are tuning up

16:08.434 --> 16:10.934
for a bit
of last-minute practice...

16:11.034 --> 16:13.202
(woman)
I need another balloon to tie.

16:13.302 --> 16:15.267
(narrator)
...and tending
to last-minute float details.

16:15.368 --> 16:16.534
Which one?

16:16.634 --> 16:19.267
Becky, this one's
got to be moved
this way, right?

16:19.368 --> 16:20.667
[all together]
Yeah!

16:20.767 --> 16:22.068
All right!

16:22.168 --> 16:24.667
(narrator)
There are folks working
on their routines...

16:24.767 --> 16:26.201
[all shouting]
whoooaaa!

16:26.301 --> 16:28.501
(narrator)
...as best they can.

16:28.601 --> 16:31.600
And as the clock ticks
toward starting time,

16:31.700 --> 16:33.634
anticipation and energy

16:33.735 --> 16:36.101
increase among
parade participants.

16:36.201 --> 16:38.667
[small engines revving]
pt, pt...pt

16:39.967 --> 16:42.101
Gentlemen,
start your engines?

16:42.201 --> 16:44.267
pt, pt...pt

16:44.368 --> 16:46.967
Hey, guys,
go up on the hill here.

16:47.067 --> 16:48.901
(narrator)
All this happens, of course,

16:49.002 --> 16:51.234
under the direction
of practiced parade marshals

16:51.334 --> 16:52.834
and their volunteers.

16:52.934 --> 16:55.201
I'm missin' TV3.

16:55.301 --> 16:57.101
(man)
Watch out, guys.

16:57.201 --> 16:59.201
I'm missin', uh,
Great Clips.

16:59.301 --> 17:01.101
[bagpipes playing distantly]

17:01.201 --> 17:02.800
This is a mess.

17:02.900 --> 17:04.568
I got one--
I'm missin' one.

17:04.668 --> 17:06.001
(man)
Like Mark Twain said,

17:06.101 --> 17:08.201
"You don't want
to watch sausage being made,"

17:08.301 --> 17:09.868
or laws being made
in Raleigh.

17:09.968 --> 17:13.001
And you don't want to watch
a parade being put together.

17:13.101 --> 17:15.001
Yeah, we got the--
we got the--

17:15.101 --> 17:16.934
we got the--

17:17.034 --> 17:19.867
It's confusing,
but we all have fun--

17:19.967 --> 17:22.767
just keep smiling.

17:22.867 --> 17:24.668
(narrator)
It's approaching 9 a.m.,

17:24.768 --> 17:27.501
and things
are almost ready to go.

17:27.601 --> 17:29.002
(woman)
Okay, y'all--

17:29.102 --> 17:31.967
you're gonna see a sign
that says "Reviewing Stand."

17:32.067 --> 17:34.301
Make sure you wave
and smile,

17:34.401 --> 17:37.334
and don't give 'em
an armpit shot, okay?

17:37.434 --> 17:39.734
[bagpipes lead upbeat
Scottish folk arrangement]

17:39.834 --> 17:45.334
♪

17:45.434 --> 17:48.533
[engine running]
rrrrnnnn

17:50.667 --> 17:51.834
You ready?

17:51.934 --> 17:53.900
(man)
Ready.

17:54.001 --> 17:55.334
Let's do it.

17:55.434 --> 17:57.900
(narrator)
And now the fun begins!

17:58.001 --> 17:59.633
[sirens blaring]
whhhhaaaaa

17:59.734 --> 18:01.034
wha-uhh, wha-uhh...wha-uhh!

18:01.134 --> 18:03.001
[drum introduction]

18:03.101 --> 18:04.735
♪

18:04.835 --> 18:07.334
[band plays "When the
Saints Go Marching In"]

18:07.434 --> 18:09.634
(narrator)
On they come,

18:09.735 --> 18:12.201
participants of all shapes...

18:12.301 --> 18:14.334
and sizes...

18:14.434 --> 18:17.101
and inclinations.

18:17.201 --> 18:19.300
[girls cheerleading]
Let's go! Let's go!

18:21.101 --> 18:22.568
Hey,
let's go!

18:22.668 --> 18:24.567
[taps clicking]
ck, ck...ck

18:24.667 --> 18:26.967
(man)
Left, right.

18:27.067 --> 18:33.668
♪

18:33.768 --> 18:36.300
Okay, that's fine--
take a left.

18:37.567 --> 18:39.601
tp, tp...tp

18:39.701 --> 18:41.334
(narrator)
And finally...

18:41.434 --> 18:43.201
[playing "Auld Lang Syne"]

18:43.301 --> 18:46.368
many hundreds of people
and some three hours later,

18:46.468 --> 18:49.266
the parade comes to an end.

18:49.367 --> 18:53.234
♪

18:53.334 --> 18:54.935
Oh,
we done early?

18:55.035 --> 18:58.867
(narrator)
And now it's time for the
marshals to catch their breath

18:58.967 --> 19:01.267
and discuss this year's work.

19:01.368 --> 19:03.067
(man)
Oh, the day went super.

19:03.167 --> 19:06.001
This is the first year
I have started the parade.

19:06.101 --> 19:07.834
It went fine.

19:07.934 --> 19:10.067
Every year,
we say we're gonna quit,

19:10.167 --> 19:12.900
but you always end up
comin' back--hah.

19:13.001 --> 19:14.301
(narrator)
Altogether,

19:14.401 --> 19:17.301
it's been another successful
event, by most counts,

19:17.401 --> 19:19.333
including
the final evening's capper...

19:19.433 --> 19:21.768
♪

19:21.868 --> 19:23.901
a brilliant
fireworks presentation,

19:24.002 --> 19:28.134
reflecting in the sky and across
the surface of the Cape Fear

19:28.234 --> 19:31.201
colorful tracings reminiscent
of the lovely blossoms

19:31.301 --> 19:34.167
that frame
each annual Azalea Festival

19:34.267 --> 19:37.834
in so much extraordinary
springtime beauty.

19:37.934 --> 19:40.300
bmm, bmm...bmm

19:40.400 --> 19:45.700
♪

19:50.234 --> 19:52.667
[piano and clarinet
lead gentle orchestration]

19:52.767 --> 20:03.801
♪

20:03.901 --> 20:06.800
(narrator)
It's hard to think about azaleas

20:06.900 --> 20:08.768
or any other flowering plant

20:08.868 --> 20:11.234
during March and April
in Wilmington

20:11.334 --> 20:15.401
without New Hanover County's
Airlie Gardens coming to mind.

20:15.501 --> 20:18.234
Even the very name,
Airlie,

20:18.334 --> 20:20.835
evokes the pleasure
of gentle breezes

20:20.935 --> 20:24.935
coursing through moss-hung
stands of live oak and cedar,

20:25.035 --> 20:29.901
set off by the gloriously
audacious blooms of spring.

20:30.002 --> 20:32.768
Originally a place
of retreat and repose

20:32.868 --> 20:34.901
for some of Wilmington's
leading families,

20:35.002 --> 20:38.034
the pure coastal air
in what was once described

20:38.134 --> 20:40.835
as a "happy, beautiful,
magical place,"

20:40.935 --> 20:44.334
was said, at the time,
to have been a healthful tonic

20:44.434 --> 20:47.668
for the many ails
of city life.

20:47.768 --> 20:49.934
The first recorded
owner of the land

20:50.034 --> 20:51.867
that would become Airlie

20:51.967 --> 20:54.534
was, in fact,
King George II.

20:54.634 --> 20:58.468
In time, a family named Wright
purchased the tract.

20:58.568 --> 21:01.967
By 1886,
it was known as Seaside Park

21:02.067 --> 21:05.001
and was sold
in that year for $1,250

21:05.101 --> 21:08.568
to a wealthy young woman
named Sarah Green Jones.

21:08.668 --> 21:10.634
The tract was renamed Airlie

21:10.735 --> 21:14.400
in honor of her husband's
ancestral Scottish home.

21:14.500 --> 21:17.201
♪

21:17.301 --> 21:20.534
When Pembroke Jones
passed away in 1919,

21:20.634 --> 21:24.501
Sarah married a longtime
family friend, Henry Walters,

21:24.601 --> 21:28.868
and stayed on in her rambling
old mansion at Airlie in season

21:28.968 --> 21:31.800
for the fresh air
of Wrightsville Sound

21:31.900 --> 21:33.800
and for her flowers.

21:33.900 --> 21:36.201
♪

21:36.301 --> 21:37.868
Albert Corbett,

21:37.968 --> 21:42.934
whose family owned Airlie
from 1948 to 1999.

21:43.034 --> 21:44.834
(Corbett)
It was an escape.

21:44.934 --> 21:47.234
It was a place of serenity,

21:47.334 --> 21:48.900
where people could come

21:49.001 --> 21:52.468
and, uh, find
a little peace and quiet

21:52.568 --> 21:57.234
among all the hubbub of a big,
bustling town that was--

21:57.334 --> 21:59.968
was growing with commerce.

22:00.068 --> 22:04.167
It--it was just an escape,
particularly on weekends--

22:04.267 --> 22:07.534
that families could come
and relate to each other

22:07.634 --> 22:09.533
and just experience nature

22:09.633 --> 22:13.301
and, uh, its beauty.

22:13.401 --> 22:15.201
In the early days,

22:15.301 --> 22:18.301
it was mainly
camellias and azaleas

22:18.401 --> 22:20.401
and the lake

22:20.501 --> 22:24.101
and a lot of the, uh,
columns and the pergola,

22:24.201 --> 22:25.468
as you're--

22:25.568 --> 22:27.633
as you're seeing right now.

22:27.734 --> 22:30.301
[piano leads placid melody]

22:30.401 --> 22:32.534
(narrator)
The gardens we see today

22:32.634 --> 22:35.401
grew from lavish plantings
by Sarah Jones,

22:35.501 --> 22:38.768
beginning in about 1901.

22:38.868 --> 22:41.700
Sarah preferred to improve
on nature's perfection,

22:41.800 --> 22:43.267
as it were,

22:43.368 --> 22:46.901
by gently directing nature
toward completion of her vision,

22:47.002 --> 22:50.934
which included a landscape
of glimpses and surprises.

22:51.034 --> 22:52.934
♪

22:53.034 --> 22:55.434
Coming down
the drive toward the house

22:55.534 --> 22:58.034
was said to have been
an enchanting experience,

22:58.134 --> 23:00.668
with a view of the lake here,

23:00.768 --> 23:03.734
a brilliant grouping
of azaleas there.

23:03.834 --> 23:05.868
♪

23:05.968 --> 23:09.167
Hardly a straight line
marred Sarah's garden,

23:09.267 --> 23:13.934
which simply flowed
without seeming contrived.

23:14.034 --> 23:15.867
The large plantings
you're seeing here

23:15.967 --> 23:18.301
are the large Formosa azalea,

23:18.401 --> 23:21.800
which comprise quite a bit
of the plantings,

23:21.900 --> 23:23.834
particularly around the lake.

23:23.934 --> 23:26.568
♪

23:26.668 --> 23:29.768
And you're really seeing
two plants for every one

23:29.868 --> 23:33.600
because of the reflection
along the edge of the lake.

23:33.700 --> 23:36.801
♪

23:36.901 --> 23:40.633
(narrator)
Many of the staff tasked
with keeping Sarah's place up

23:40.734 --> 23:43.034
were descendants of slaves,

23:43.134 --> 23:45.267
people who were loved,
appreciated,

23:45.368 --> 23:49.768
and often admired
by their employers.

23:49.868 --> 23:52.501
During the late 1940s,
Minnie Evans,

23:52.601 --> 23:55.134
a former housekeeper
for the Joneses,

23:55.234 --> 23:58.167
became Airlie's
beloved gatekeeper.

23:58.267 --> 24:01.001
She also became,
about that time,

24:01.101 --> 24:03.434
an astonishingly adept painter,

24:03.534 --> 24:06.333
whose work
is much sought after today.

24:06.433 --> 24:08.668
♪

24:08.768 --> 24:11.668
As a testament
to Minnie's colorful creativity,

24:11.768 --> 24:13.934
local artist
Virginia Wright-Frierson

24:14.034 --> 24:16.568
created this whimsical
"Bottle Chapel,"

24:16.668 --> 24:19.600
in Airlie's Minnie Evans
Sculpture Garden.

24:19.700 --> 24:22.568
♪

24:22.668 --> 24:26.767
In 1948, when the estate was
purchased by the Corbett family

24:26.867 --> 24:29.401
for an astonishing $150,000,

24:29.501 --> 24:31.900
Waddell A.
and Bertha Barefoot Corbett

24:32.001 --> 24:34.002
became the proud new owners

24:34.102 --> 24:37.101
of a huge swath of
priceless botanical wonderland

24:37.201 --> 24:39.701
and a great swath
of a house, too,

24:39.801 --> 24:41.900
that was so big even
professional photographers

24:42.001 --> 24:44.267
were said
to have had a hard time

24:44.368 --> 24:47.167
fitting its image
into their lenses.

24:47.267 --> 24:52.334
There were 33 rooms
and 11 full baths.

24:52.434 --> 24:54.568
By the time
the Corbett's grandchildren

24:54.668 --> 24:56.835
were enjoying Airlie
in the mid-'50s,

24:56.935 --> 24:59.434
the family had dismantled
the old mansion

24:59.534 --> 25:01.801
and built their own home.

25:01.901 --> 25:03.968
And that's where
their grandson Albert,

25:04.068 --> 25:07.500
along with his sisters
and many cousins, congregated.

25:07.600 --> 25:10.468
♪

25:10.568 --> 25:13.301
(Corbett)
It's what I appreciate
most down here

25:13.401 --> 25:15.633
was what it meant
to our family--

25:15.734 --> 25:18.868
and was a gift that, uh,

25:18.968 --> 25:22.735
just almost beyond words
to explain what--

25:22.835 --> 25:26.767
what it really--
what it really meant for us.

25:26.867 --> 25:28.967
It's just indescribable.

25:29.067 --> 25:32.534
And that was a big part
of the reason, uh,

25:32.634 --> 25:34.301
that my grandparents
purchased Airlie,

25:34.401 --> 25:36.534
was to bring
our family together.

25:36.634 --> 25:39.101
And it--
it certainly did that.

25:39.201 --> 25:41.934
♪

25:42.034 --> 25:45.567
We kids, when we would
get down here, uh,

25:45.667 --> 25:47.267
we would all gather

25:47.368 --> 25:49.501
and determine
where we were going, and--

25:49.601 --> 25:51.234
but before I would leave,

25:51.334 --> 25:53.434
I can still remember
my mother saying,

25:53.534 --> 25:57.035
"Now, one place
to stay away from is the lake."

25:57.135 --> 26:01.468
And so where do you think the
first place that we would go?

26:01.568 --> 26:03.868
(narrator)
The Corbett family sold Airlie

26:03.968 --> 26:07.233
to New Hanover County
in January of 1999.

26:07.333 --> 26:09.301
♪

26:09.401 --> 26:12.001
(Corbett)
We, the owners, wanted everyone

26:12.101 --> 26:15.201
to be able
to experience this as we had

26:15.301 --> 26:18.368
and it to be their garden.

26:18.468 --> 26:20.167
The decision was made

26:20.267 --> 26:23.935
that Airlie
should belong to-- to everyone,

26:24.035 --> 26:26.800
should be a place
where they could experience

26:26.900 --> 26:28.768
what I had the--

26:28.868 --> 26:31.167
the pleasure
and good fortune to experience.

26:31.267 --> 26:33.868
And I believe,
and with all my heart,

26:33.968 --> 26:37.867
that it will be that in--
in the years to come.

26:37.967 --> 26:49.567
♪

26:54.201 --> 26:56.166
[bird chirping]
twi, twi....twi

26:57.568 --> 27:00.101
[piano suggests chamber music]

27:00.201 --> 27:08.600
♪

27:08.700 --> 27:10.600
[violins join]

27:10.700 --> 27:18.067
♪

27:18.167 --> 27:28.935
♪

27:29.035 --> 27:31.834
Captioning by Caption Perfect
www.CaptionPerfect.com

27:37.434 --> 27:39.967
(announcer)
To subscribe
to "Our State" magazine,

27:40.067 --> 27:44.133
visit the Web
site www.ourstate.com or call...

27:48.967 --> 27:51.067
[crickets chirping]

27:51.167 --> 27:53.201
From back roads and small towns

27:53.301 --> 27:55.735
to busy interstates
and bustling cities,

27:55.835 --> 27:58.735
BB&T is proud
to contribute to the growth

27:58.835 --> 28:01.735
of more than 180 North Carolina
communities.

28:01.835 --> 28:04.835
We've seen a lot change
in our 130 years,

28:04.935 --> 28:07.234
but our commitment
to the people we serve

28:07.334 --> 28:09.102
is one thing that never will.

28:09.202 --> 28:12.734
We're proud to help build
this special place we call home,

28:12.834 --> 28:14.700
and we're proud to provide

28:14.800 --> 28:17.333
major funding for "Our State."

28:18.601 --> 28:20.768
Quality public television
is made possible

28:20.868 --> 28:22.567
through the financial
contributions

28:22.667 --> 28:24.334
of viewers like you,

28:24.434 --> 28:28.434
who invite you to join them
in supporting UNC-TV.