Fort Branch

Historical marker location:

Hamilton, North Carolina

( Marker is at the intersection of State Highway 125 and Fort Branch Road (County Route 1416), on the right when traveling north on State Highway 125.)

Marker installed: 1939

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, North Carolina became a leading producer of furniture, textiles, and tobacco products. The state's nickname, the "Tar Heel State," comes from the fact that the state was a major producer of tar, pitch, and turpentine from its vast pine forests.