Folklore: what is a tarheel?

Subject: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: tar_heel
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 01:02 PM

i've been using the nickname"tarheel",on the internet for a little over 3 years now and it still amazes me the number of folks who ask me where,why,how,what is a tarheel...many in members in mudcat chat here,always ask me too...well,if you are from north carolina,you are a tarheel...it comes from a legend in the "war for southern independence." aka,the civil war!there are many versions,but this is my short version...it may have happened,maybe not,but we tarheels love it!anyway,during that period of time in our state,1860-1864,north carolina was the main producer of tar and turpentine for the war effort...and it seems that a regiment of northern soldiers were chasing some north carolina rebels and the rebels were making good time towards getting away...and as the legend goes,a northern soldier yelled,"put some TAR on their HEELS,to slow them down!"...well,when general lee heard about this encounter,he remarked,"God bless them tarheels!"...so now you know,the rest of the story!

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: catspaw49
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 01:12 PM

OR perhaps this from the UNC website, which makes a bit more sense:

What is a Tar Heel?
The University not only uses the nickname "Tar Heels," but the entire state does as well. One version of the nickname's origin has the name first being applied to North Carolinians during the Civil War. One record talks of a battle in Virginia, where their supporting column retreated, but North Carolina troops fought alone. The victorious troops were asked in a condescending tone by some Virginians, who had retreated, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" The response came quickly: "No, not a bit; old Jeff's bought it all up." The Virginians asked: "Is that so? What is he going to do with it?" The reply: "He is going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight."

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 01:34 PM

I grew up in Northwestern Washington State, and worked for several years in Darrington, which has traditionally been a logging town filled with residents who moved there as loggers from around Bryson City, North Carolina, as NC logging operations closed down sometime after the turn of the last century. Second and third generation folks grow up in Darrington with southern accents, and there is a regular path worn across the country as folsk go back to see relatives. Most of their neighboring towns had more in the nature of Norwegian and German accents.

The "Tarheel" story in Darrington has to do with logging, and how pine tar was something that loggers had on their boots back in North Carolina. This may well be a local adaptation of the story from NC, because we don't have nearly the amount of pine in the Northwest, they're dealing with Douglas fir, western red cedar, and fir trees. Doug fir and true firs have a lot of pitch, but not like pine.

Leastways, that's how I heard the story. . .

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 01:36 PM

Tarheel first appeared in print in 1869 in the Overland Monthly:
"A brigade of North Carolinians... failed to hold a certain hill, and were laughed at by the Mississippians for having forgotten to tar their heels that morning. Hence originated the name tar heels." From the OED, 1987 and later eds.
The name appeard in a diary entry for 1864, the writer speaking of "a poor, starving tarheel at Elmira." Park, pub. in Southern Hist. Soc. papers, 1876.

However, tar_heel is correct, the term alluding to an important product of North Carolina in the 19th century. All major referencs accept this. The name is older than the quoted references.
Walt Whitman printed a list of state nicknames, supposedly from the Broadway Journal for May 1, 1845. (H. L. Mencken, "The American Language") This has not been verified.
Another quote from 1889, Jour. American Folk-lore: "The mountain 'tarheel' gradually drifted into a condition of dreary indifference to all things... but hogs and hominy." (OED)
The appelation is now respectable. A recognized nickname for the state is the Tarheel State, and a North Carolina University football team is known as the 'tarheels." (Sorry, can't remember if it is UNC or NCSU at the moment- getting forgetful).

The "tarhood" has been used since the 18th century as a general collective term for sailors, but this apparently has no bearing on the American usage.

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 02:03 PM

Referring to sailors as "tars" goes back to the custom of using pine tar [byproduct of distilling turpentine] as a preservative on rigging and wood. Pine tar is still used, not only on vessels but on various parts of horses' tack and hooves. It is, among other things, an effective bacteriostatic.

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 03:56 PM

Even after all that stuff - I am still guessing.

Ok, the Carolineans since earliest days used bits of wooden sailing ships for heels for their Hog n Homminy Huntin Boots. The Virginians having a good snout found the aroma inviting, hence before eating a Carolinean they would holler 'Tarheel'.

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 04:24 PM

But first the Virginians had to catch one, which, if I know my Tarheels, was sure to break them of the habit...

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 04:36 PM

Carolinians, at birth, were bathed in pine tar and turpentine, hence the name "tarbaby."

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 04:51 PM

Naw, it were a ol timer learnin' his dog, Tar, to heel.

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 05:17 PM

When the towns folk wanted to tar and feather a crooked gambler and run him out, they called in the tarriers.

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: ddw
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 06:41 PM

OK, an old Tarheel will wade in here with yet another origin of the name, with no more authentication than that my brother-in-law -- a reasonably good amateur folklorist -- told me.

He said the name came from the fact that when the first settlers hit the coast of North Carolina and started inland, they had to cross a number of slow-moving, silty rivers that criss-cross the coastal plain. In wading the rivers they had their boots covered with a black, tar-like silt -- hence the name applied to those who moved west in the state, but over the years became applied to any resident of the state.

As noted above, the term was used prior to the Civil War and prior to extensive logging (at least in western NC, where I'm from), so I find it a more believable explanation than those linking it to logging and battle prowess.

cheers,

david

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 10:51 PM

I believe I've heard Alabama referred to as "The Shit-Heel State", but it's not something they talk about in any of the little handouts they give away at the welcome stations.

I also believe I've heard New York referred to as "The Dick-Head State", but that's a different matter entirely.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: UB Ed
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 11:00 PM

Well, I certainly can't testify about New York.

But Tar Heel is the name for the Univeristy of North Carolina (UNC)at Chapel Hill. NC State is the Wolfpack.

Interesting how the stories can vary from bravery to cowardice. I had always heard "Spaw's version.

Those of us from Virginia are quick to point out to the UNC folk that it is NOT tar on them heels...Maybe they were in Alabama...

Ed

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: Blackcatter
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 11:07 PM

Gee,

I can't wait to see what tar_heel has to say about these responses.

Can we start a discussion on Sooners, soon?

Subject: RE: BS: what is a tarheel?
From: UB Ed
Date: 25 Feb 03 - 11:25 PM

Click here