Inaugural NC Region Cruse-in Saturday June 13, 2014
Kinston, NC
NC Region Vice President Bill Cox has planned a Cruise-in for the NC Region. Bill says, “I imagine we have had Region cruises and certainly tours before now, but this year, we’re having an NC Region cruise-in event that will hopefully start a new tradition. We’re talking about a no-registration, come as you are, one day trip to a fun destination that is low stress and high on the fun meter. We’ve chosen Kinston N.C. and the CSS Neuse Interpretive Center for our first cruise-in.
Kinston is a small historic town in Eastern NC that has a very nice riverside farmers market, some cool restaurants and a new museum housing the Confederate Ironclad gunboat, the CSS Neuse. The museum comes under the direction of the State Cultural Resources Department that also manages the Transportation Museum in Spencer. If you remember, the Spencer Museum houses many of our trophies and we hold a Region Meet there just about every fall. Dr. Cherry, the deputy commissioner of the Department spoke at our Region annual meeting in January and provided a very interesting program.”
Plans for the day:
- Cruise on down to Kinston, NC Saturday June 13 and plan to arrive by 11:00.
- Drive your old vehicle of choice and prepare to make a splash in Kinston.
- Park in a group behind the museum at 100 N. Queen St. Kinston N.C.
- If you’d prefer to drive something modern, come on down and join the fun.
- You’ll have an opportunity to view a film on the history of the CSS Neuse.
- Walk through the museum at your own pace.
- Plan to eat lunch, hit the farmers market, and view the full life-size model of the CSS Neuse located at the riverside park.
- Head home whenever you’re ready.
There you go… simple and easy. Grab a few friends and drive down together in a parade of vintage cars or pile in the seven seat Tahoe.
Questions: Contact Bill Cox at 919-732-3104 or billcoxjr@gmail.com
Directions: The museum is located at: 100 N. Queen St. Kinston N.C. on your GPS
or look for Highway 11 off of Hwy 70 into Kinston, it’s the main drag in downtown Kinston. Look for old cars!
Some fun restaurants and businesses in Kinston:
- The Chef and the Farmer’s Boiler Room (this restaurant shares the parking lot behind the museum. It is owned by a now famous chef (Vivian Howard) who hosts a TV show on WUNC called “It’s a Chef’s Life”. She worked in restaurants in New York and then came “home” to Kinston to open a couple of “farm to table” restaurants in Kinston- Google it! 108 West North St. Kinston, NC
- Christopher’s Café: rumored to have “The best fried chicken ever!” 217 North Queen St. Kinston, NC
- Kings Barbecue Restaurant: Home of the “Pig in a Puppy”… more than you can eat! On the 70 by pass around Kinston. 405 East Newbern Rd. Kinston, NC.
- You can also picnic at the Riverside Park and Farmers Market. There may be food vendors. (Not confirmed).
- Southern Heritage Folk Art and Antiques, 115 N. Queen St. It’s the coolest one I know of, not sure about others.
Pass the word along – Bring a prospective member.
PS: I hope to have something special for those who drive their vintage vehicle!
Tour Photos from 2014.
