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North Carolina's Governors
Craig served in the House in the eventful 1899-1900 and 1901 sessions. He took a leading role in the white supremacy campaign, on the stump and in the well of the House. Craig lost the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in 1902 to Lee Overman and, in a race with W. W. Kitchin and Ashley Horne, lost his party's nomination for governor in 1908. Four years later Craig was his party's nominee and in the fall defeated Republican Thomas Settle and Progressive Iredell Meares. In his inaugural address Craig issued his "Pledge of Progress," promising to carry forward the education reforms of his predecessors. He denounced the railroad freight rate structure as discriminatory to North Carolina business. The readjustment of those rates in 1915 spurred economic development and was the signal achievement of his administration. During his term a framework was established for the extension of the road system with the creation of the State Highway Commission in 1915. The number of miles in the system increased from 5,000 in 1913 to 15,000 four years later. Craig coordinated relief efforts for victims of the July 1916 floods in western North Carolina. In 1915, at his urging, the state purchased 600 acres at the summit of Mount Mitchell for the creation of the first state park. At the conclusion of his gubernatorial term Craig returned to his law practice and his home in Asheville where he died in June 1924, and was buried in Riverside Cemetery.
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Buncombe County resident Locke Craig (1860-1924), the first governor from the mountain region since Zebulon B. Vance, made transportation improvements and conservation efforts the hallmarks of his administration. The "Little Giant of the West" was born in the east in Bertie County and attended the Horner School in Henderson and the University of North Carolina. In 1883 he established a law practice in Asheville.
