Who

 

In January 2009, High Point will launch a year-long celebration of the city’s 150th birthday! The Sesquicentennial Commission and volunteers from throughout the community have been planning the birthday celebration since early 2007.  

Although all the plans have not been finalized, we believe that you’ll want to participate in many of the activities, some of which will be familiar events with a birthday theme and some that will be new to High Point. We will post a calendar of sesquicentennial events in a few months.

 

Sesquicentennial Commission Members & Committees

Hello!
I'm SesquiWHOO!

I have a big name for a little owl, but I'm very proud to be called SesquiWHOO (pronounced "Ses-Kwi-Hooo!"). That's because my name is short for an even bigger word-sesquicentennial-which means 150th anniversary.

Mom and Dad-a pair of Great Horned Owls who have lived in a big tree in the City of High Point, North Carolina, for a long, long time-named me SesquiWHOO to honor our City's 150th anniversary or sesquicentennial.

As the mascot for High Point's Sesquicentennial Celebration, it's my job to help make everyone wiser about our City's history. (I am an owl, after all!)

Did you know that our City is named High Point because it was the "highest point" along the first North Carolina railroad between Charlotte and Goldsboro? The City's original charter was granted by the North Carolina General Assembly on May 26, 1859. That means our Sesquicentennial is May 26, 2009!

Here's another interesting fact: High Point's Main Street covers a trail made by Native Americans during their annual trek from the North Carolina Mountains to the sea.

SesquiWHOO

The longest plank road in the world was later built over this trail. Engineers assigned to find the best route for the road discovered that the Native Americans had already found the straightest path without the aid of a compass.

Of course, you won't need a compass to find all the special activities that are planned for the Sesquicentennial Celebration. Just watch for me, SesquiWHOO, and you'll be wise to all the fun!

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