For more than 17 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.
Guides 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 sharing 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.
The Tar Heels Go Walking season runs from August 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 no prior experience is required! Guides must attend orientation and shadow a tour.
Orientation attendees will be given a detailed overview of the program, including plenty of support materials, practice operating our new wireless audio system, and an opportunity to chat with other more experienced guides.
Attending the training does not commit you to being a volunteer tour guide, but it is a required starting point. Please come even if you’re just a little curious, and invite a friend or two to join!
This orientation will be held on Tuesday, August 11th at 7pm in our 511 Queen Street Headquarters.
Interested in learning more? Tar Heels Guide Bill Shomo shares his story: https://youtu.be/DJsDIG8CuMQ?si=XWYDolSi-y7fMSnq
