We’ve taken a look back at this year’s top 5 most viewed items on DigitalNC, and they may not be what you expect! Here they are in order of popularity.
#1 Madison Beach
Contributing Institution: Rockingham Community College
The most viewed single item on DigitalNC was this photo:
Want to know more about Madison Beach? We did, and found this page in a Rockingham County Public Library volume by local author John T. Dallas to help us out.
#2 Newspaper Clippings about the Hibriten Company
Contributing Institution: Hickory Public Library
Hickory Public Library has shared a variety of files related to local businesses, and this one on Hibriten Furniture was the second most popular item.
#3 Jim Thornton Band
Contributing Institution: Harnett County Public Library
This picture of Jim Thornton and his band includes Congressman Harold D. Cooley and singer Mozelle Phillips. The band played at dances and events, as well as on the radio and a live country music television show out of Raleigh entitled “Saturday Night Country Style.”
#4 Wiggins Mill Bridge Postcard
Contributing Institution: Wilson County Public Library
From the 1880s, this postcard shows the bridge spanning Contentnea Creek in Wilson County, with “Wiggin’s Mill” and the reservoir waterfall in the background. Wiggin’s Mill was a sawmill, and can be found in newspapers of that era as a local landmark both on land and on the creek. The Wilson Advance describes the Wiggin’s Mill bridge floating away in a “freshet” in June 1891.
#5 1976 Yackety Yack Yearbook
Contributing Institution: UNC-Chapel Hill
Taken together, yearbooks are the most popular items available on our site. It’s not surprising that one made the top 5 list. This 1976 Yackety Yack has spectacular photographs with 1970s style.
For the curious, here are some overall numbers for DigitalNC for 2017. Here’s looking forward as we work with partners to share even more of North Carolina’s cultural heritage in 2018!
Pageviews | 3,510,047 |
Users | 390,667 |
Scans Added | 567,315 |