Tar Heels Go Walking

Teaching our future about the past

Teaching Our Future The Value of Our Past

For more than 10 years, the Historic Wilmington Foundation has partnered with New Hanover County Public Schools for Tar Heels Go Walking, an educational walking tour for third graders. 

Each year, HWF volunteers lead thousands of students through a tour of our city’s most renowned sites, including Thalian Hall and the New Hanover County Public Library. Through learning about the history of downtown Wilmington, Tar Heels Go Walking introduces the next generation to the concept of historic spaces and engages them in the mission of preserving our built environment—everything that connects us to the past and paves the way to our collective future.

Interested in serving as a tour guide?
Here’s what you need to know:

The Tar Heels Go Walking season runs from September to February, and tours are given Monday through Friday from approximately 9:30am-12pm. Tours are mostly outdoors, and still run in light rain and high or low temperatures. Guides are asked to be able to safely and comfortably walk the route, which is ~0.75 miles. HWF provides a script and all necessary training—no prior experience required!

To get started, click here to email tarheelsgowalking@historicwilmington.org.

Click on the images (below) to view drawings made by students from Friends School of Wilmington after going on a Tar Heels Go Walking tour!

Click on the images (below) to read some notes from a class of third graders who went on our Tar Heels Go Walking tour!