Well, actually, the North Carolina was built in Brooklyn, New York and I don't think it ever even visited its namesake state.
From the October 1, 2011, Wilmington Star-News "Fifty years ago entire state rallied to bring battleship home" by Ben Steelman. The first entries on this article are in my Cooter's History Thing from October 2011.
CHILDREN RALLY TO THE SHIP
In North Carolina, any child who contributed to bringing the North Carolina home, even as little as ten cents, would get a free pass to visit the ship. School children in Texas had likewise contributed coins to bring that state's battleship home.
More than 700,000 children contributed (including me)
According to Block, "I gave my dime, but never used the pass."
There was a statewide television appeal over Memorial Day weekend by WECT in Wilmington, WRAL in Raleigh and Public TV WUNC and ten other stations. Some $330,000 was raised. New Hanover County (Wilmington) raised $40,000 with one legion post donating $1,000.
In addition, Wilmington and New Hanover County raised funds to buy a 36 acre site on the west bank of the Cape Fear River to dock the ship.
Coming Home. The NC's Coming Home. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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