Many stories exist about how North Carolina became known as the Tar Heel state, but most follow a similar theme about the Civil War. The stories either involve North Carolina’s regiments fighting as if they had “tar in their heels” or threatening to put tar under the heels of troops that were retreating leaving North Carolina’s troops to hold the lines of battle. In some stories, the phrase is a slight against some of NC's soldiers who retreated themselves and were said to have failed to put tar under their heels. Prior to the Civil War, North Carolina was known as the “Old North State.” Regardless of the true origin, which no one actually knows or can confirm, these stories are usually interesting. And every state has some tall tales about their state's nickname. Below are several sources about the origin of the nickname, Tar Heel.
The Tar Heel State Nickname according to the North
Carolina State Website
In
1629, King Charles I of England "erected into a province," all the
land from Albemarle Sound on the north to the St. John's River on the south,
which he directed should be called Carolina. The word Carolina is from the word
Carolus, the Latin form of Charles.
When Carolina was divided in 1710, the southern part was called South Carolina and the northern, or older settlement, North Carolina. From this came the nickname the "Old North State." Historians have recorded that the principal products during the early history of North Carolina were "tar, pitch, and turpentine." It was during one of the fiercest battles of the War Between the States, so the story goes, that the column supporting the North Carolina troops was driven from the field. After the battle the North Carolinians, who had successfully fought it out alone, were greeted from the passing derelict regiment with the question: "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" Quick as a flash came the answer: "No, not a bit, old Jeff's bought it all up." "Is that so; what is he going to do with it?" was asked. "He's going to put on you-un's heels to make you stick better in the next fight." Creecy relates that General Lee, upon hearing of the incident, said: "God bless the Tar Heel boys," and from that they took the name (Adapted from Grandfather Tales of North Carolina by R. B. Creecy and Histories of North Carolina Regiments, Vol. III, by Walter Clark).
SOURCE: Taken directly from the official North Carolina State Website (July 2001)
A commonly accepted origin is a slight against the state's
Civil War soldiers, who could not hold a position in battle because they had
forgotten to "tar their heels."
SOURCE: "North Carolina Quick Facts," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation.
The state is nicknamed the “Tar Heel
State.” While time has obscured the source of the name, some historians believe
it refers to one of the state's major colonial-era products—tar—which was
derived from slowly burning the stumps of longleaf pine trees. More commonly
accepted is that the name came about during the Civil War. Some say the name
may have originally been used derisively, applied to North Carolina soldiers who
could not hold a position against Union troops because they had forgotten to
“tar their heels” and thus could not stick to their ground. Others contend the
name was applied to North Carolina troops by Confederate leaders as a tribute
to their sticking quality during battle. The state, once the northern part of
the original Carolina colony, is also referred to as the “Old North State.”
SOURCE: Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia (2001).