What do NASCAR, Tom Dula and Lowe s Home Improvement have in common? They all came from Wilkes County, North Carolina. The foothills of Wilkes County are a region of unsurpassed beauty and captivating history. Cradled by the Blue Ridge and watered by the Yadkin River, the county has faced the Revolution and Civil War, cheered on moonshiner and revenuer alike and struggled mightily to become the North Carolina jewel it is today. Join local historians Jennifer Pena and Laurie Hayes as they tell the story of a county steeped in tradition and immersed in history." Jennifer L. Pena recently served as the Chief Curator of Collections at Wilkes Heritage Museum. She is also the Secretary of the history section of the North Carolina Museums Council and a member of Preservation North Carolina. Laurie B. Hayes recently served as the Fundraising Coordinator and Library Specialist at the Wilkes Heritage Museum. From 2001-2004 she was the Director of Programs at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. She also interned at Tryon Palace in 2005 while earning her Master s in Public History. Additionally, she is affiliated with the Association for State and Local History.