The Division of State Advertising was created during the midst of the Great Depression to help bring revenue into North Carolina. During the 1940s, the Division expanded, creating and publishing pamphlets, brochures and articles appealing to tourists and industries interested in North Carolina. State publications contained the message that North Carolina was a modern New South state, full of progress. In order to understand present day tourism in North Carolina, one must understand how tourism came to be an important part of the state’s identity and economy. The publications the state produced show how the state viewed itself and wanted others to view it. These publications played a large role in separating North Carolina from its Southern neighbors and creating a more positive national image of the state.