Kelly Kazek
January 08 | 2019
View from the Blowing Rock in N.C.
Wil Elrick
The popular time-travel show "Outlander," now in its fourth series on Starz, is set largely in Scotland but time travel has also led our heroes Claire and Jamie to Fraser's Ridge, N.C., in Colonial America.
So is it a real place? No … but sort of. The scenes at Fraser's Ridge are actually filmed in Scotland, in an area the director says looks very much like North Carolina.
But, Diana Gabaldon, who wrote the books on which the series is based, says she had two real towns in mind when describing Fraser's Ridge: Blowing Rock and Boone, picturesque burgs nestled in the North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains.
A view from the Blowing Rock in N.C.Wil Elrick
The town of Blowing Rock posted background on the series and the area on BlowingRock.com: "Diana Gabaldon herself once said that Fraser's Ridge is up near Boone and Blowing Rock. It has been remarked before that North Carolina's High Country strongly resembles the Highlands of Scotland – perhaps that is in part why this place would speak to the Highlander in Jamie. The two making their way to NC fits perfectly, as well, as Scottish settlers made their home in NC in large numbers in the mid- to late-1700s. ... This rich connection to Scotland provides lots of historical context for, and possible connections to, people and places that Jamie and Claire would have known."
Downtown Blowing RockWil Elrick
Blowing Rock has a vibrant historical downtown with lots of restaurants and shops. It is also home to the tourist attraction the town is named for: The Blowing Rock, which is a boulder atop a cliff where legend says "snow falls upside down" and light items tossed over the side blow upward.
Boone, named for Daniel Boone, is home to Appalachian State University and a Mast General Store, as well as quaint restaurants and shops.
Click here to read more about Boone.
Click here to read more about Blowing Rock.
Boone, N.C., with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background.Wil Elrick
The Blowing Rock, a tourist attraction in North Carolina.Wil Elrick
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Related Articles Around the Web
- Outlander Locations – “Fraser's Ridge” – OutlanderAmerica.com ›
- Is Outlander's Fraser's Ridge a Real Place? - Outlander Filming ... ›
- Finding Fraser's Ridge - An Outlander fan's guide to Blowing Rock ... ›
- Fraser's Ridge | Outlander Wiki | FANDOM powered by Wikia ›
- Outlander Locations – “Fraser's Ridge” – OutlanderAmerica.com ›
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Amber Sutton
March 28 | 2023
"How would you describe your state in two words?"
It's something that sounds easy enough until you try it -- and our followers on the It's a Southern Thing Facebook page can attest to that because we recently asked 'em to do just that. We got more than 2,000 responses, with submissions ranging from very obvious ("Peachtree Street," for example) to a little more on the vague side. After all, mountains and coastal could be several Southern states.
You can see some of the submissions below, and you can see all of them on the Facebook page.
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Submitted by Rae Badie
Submitted by Heather Booth Newsom
Submitted by Nicole Hands
Submitted by Laura-Lyn Rice
Submitted by Kenneth Boyd
Submitted by Marlys Bridgeman
Submitted by Melanie Davis Hardy
Submitted by Cindra Mullins
Submitted by Annie Ford Holt
Submitted by Leslie Fisher White
Submitted by Sherry Buttry
Submitted by Rachel Nash
Submitted by Laurel Linville Dunlap
Submitted by Gail Snyder
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The emojis we'd use to describe each Southern state
Here are the most hated foods in each Southern state
The weirdest town name from every Southern state
Southerners share the most iconic foods from their state
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southern states
Amber Sutton
March 22 | 2023
All of our mama's best mosquito remedies
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A new mosquito species has made its way to Florida, so if you're planning a summer trip to the sunshine state, go ahead and add an extra bottle of bug spray to your bag.
NPR reports the new mosquito species was first discovered to be in a rural area around Miami by researchers at the University of Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in 2018, but has since spread to new counties in the state.
The mosquito's scientific name is Culex lactator, and it is typically found in Central and South America. It's a part of a type of mosquitoes known to carry viruses, including West Nile and St. Louis Encephalitis.
Currently, there are about 90 mosquito species living in Florida.
For more information, read the full article on NPR's website.
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mosquitoes
Amber Sutton
March 21 | 2023
#1) Boiled peanuts
Shutterstock
Everyone knows a road trip, no matter how short or long, is only as good as the snacks you eat along the way.
Of course, you got plenty of snacks to choose from no matter where you are, but at Southern gas stations, you've got a few extra. We're talking those Southern gas station snacks you'd be hard-pressed to find at most chain stations but seem to always be stocked at mom and pop shops on old country roads.
With that in mind, we decided to ask members of The Potluck, the It's a Southern Thing subscription program, to rank some of the most popular Southern gas station snacks, including giant pickles, mini pecan pies and, of course, boiled peanuts.
You can see the results below, and you can find out more about The Potluck here.
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#6) Giant pickles
If there's one thing we learned from this ranking, it's that most folks are all or nothing when it comes to pickles. There is no middle ground. So while there weren't enough pickle enthusiasts in the Potluck to keep the iconic Southern gas station snack that is a giant pickle in a pouch from landing in in sixth place, just know that it actually did score the top spot for a lot of folks. Sadly for the pickle, it landed dead last for everyone else.
#5) Fried pork skins
Fried pork skins are another classic Southern gas station snack that we all have eaten a time or two yet they don't quite have the fan following to keep 'em from getting a low score in this ranking. Maybe if we had polled everyone Southerner who has ever driven a Ford Ranger or just dads who fish at least nine hours a week, they would have faired better.
#4)Cheese straws
Cheese straws ending up halfway through our ranking makes sense because you're only going to find them at about half of the gas stations in the South. Basically, if the gas station looks more like a shack than a building, and it is located at the intersection of two county roads in the middle of nowhere, the chances it's going to have cheese straws goes up exponentially. You just have to make sure you take advantage and stock up.
Mini pecan pies
Mini pecan pies are one of those gas station snacks no one plans to buy. You go in fully intending to grab a Coke and some chips, but then as you're browsing the aisles -- or, if the cashier is playing really dirty they'll be next to the register -- you spot 'em, and all your plans go out the window. They're just so perfect, like tiny versions of Granny's pie, but better because they're bite-sized so you won't have to share.
#2)Peanuts and Coke
We all knew it would come to this. There are two snacks Southern gas stations are known for, and they both involve peanuts. While the classic combination of peanuts and Coke came in second in our ranking, we feel the need to tell you it put up a solid fight. It seems the only thing that can defeat the sweet and salty combo Peanuts and Coke has to offer is, well, we think you already know...
#1) Boiled peanuts
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Yep. Boiled peanuts took home the crown in this ranking, and it's hard to imagine anyone's surprised. After all, the aroma alone could summon Southerners for miles. In any self-respecting Southern gas station, you're bound to find a table set up with what amounts to a vat of shelled peanuts boiled to perfection, and while they aren't much to look at it, especially once you put 'em in their customary Styrofoam cup, they make any drive, no matter the distance, so much better.
Read more:
Boiled peanuts vs. roasted peanuts: Southern chefs weigh in on the ultimate question
14 things to know about boiled peanuts, a Southern tradition
Here's why Southerners love peanuts and Coke
28 things that could only happen at a Southern gas station
17 things you need if you really, really love pickles
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