The Tar Heel State is always fascinating, but did you know these 11 unique trivia facts about North Carolina? From royal roots to the safest beach, and some of the bravest women in the nation, read on for more interesting information.

1. Named After Royalty

In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a charter for a new colony that established North Carolina's borders. The name Carolina was for his father, Charles I. Discover how the counties of North Carolina were named on the NC History Project website.

2. Tea Act Protest: 1st Recorded Political Demonstration by Women in the U.S.

In 1774, Penelope Barker organized the first recorded political demonstration by women in America from a group of women in Edenton to protest the 1773 Tea Act. Visit the Penelope Barker House Welcome Center web page.

3. Hiram Rhodes Revels: 1st African-American Congressman

When Hiram Rhodes Revels was born in 1827 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he had no idea he would become the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress in 1870 for Mississippi. Read the whole story on the National Park Service web page.

4. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.: Town of Wendell's Namesake

When Wendell opened as a town in the 1850s, their schoolteacher M.A. Griffin was asked to name it. He is said to have loved the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes who died in 1894. Learn more about the town on the Wendell Historical Society website.

5. White Lake: "Nation’s Safest Beach"

The very first commercial operation in White Lake opened in 1901. Find out why it's called the "Nation's Safest Beach."

6. Carroll A. Deering: Most Well-Known Ghost Story

The impressive five-masted schooner Carroll A. Deering, a.k.a., Ghost Ship, is pictured from the Cape Lookout lightship on Jan. 28, 1921, when it washed ashore without passengers or equipment.

7. Babe Ruth's 1st Home Run Was Hit in North Carolina

This picture was captured in Fayetteville on March 7, 1914, the very day the great Babe Ruth hit his first home run while playing a game with the Baltimore Orioles. Visit the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum web page. This place has an exhibit dedicated to the city's baseball history.

8. North Carolina Museum of Art: 1st State-Owned Museum

In 1947, the North Carolina Museum of Art was established in Raleigh when the General Assembly appropriated $1 million to purchase some Old Master paintings. NC was the first state to use public funds to create an art collection for its citizens. See more pictures on the NC Museum of Art Facebook page.

9. Red Wolves Only Exist in North Carolina

In danger of extinction, the Albemarle Peninsula is home to the only confirmed wild red wolves in existence. Read more about these beautiful creatures on the NC Wildlife Federation website.

10. Milk: State Beverage

The General Assembly adopted milk as the official State Beverage on June 12, 1987. Visit the Homeland Creamery website to read about a working dairy farm in North Carolina.

11. And we can't leave without one more brush with royalty that we're most excited about.

On Oct. 19, 1957, Queen Elizabeth II visited the University of Maryland for her first American college football game. Unfortunately, the Maryland Terrapins defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels, 21-7. But just imagine being in the crowd that day.

Discover more unique trivia facts about North Carolina. And for those who think they know them all, find a brand new Great American Trivia Challenge: North Carolina Style game from 1986 on Etsy.