During the first part of July 1940, Albemarle saw the daytime outdoor temperature reach 100+ degrees. The temperature seemed to cool off somewhat until the 18th when it started to climb. The 18th saw the temperature reach 90 degrees. On the 19th it hit 96 and on the 20th, it rose to 98. Starting on July 21, the temperature in Albemarle again reached 100 and for the next eight days that followed, the daytime high was at least 100 degrees. The temperature on the days that followed were: July 21 – 100; July 22 – 101; July 23 – 101; July 24 – 102; July 25 – 101; July 26 – 105; July 27 – 108; July 28 – 109; July 29 – 100. (On the 30th the daytime high only reached 90 degrees.) The 108-degree temperature in Albemarle on the 28th tied a 19-year record for the highest recorded temperature in the state of North Carolina. The next day, when it reached 109, this became a new state record that Albemarle held for the next 43 years. The record was broken on Aug. 21, 1983, when Fayetteville recorded a high of 110 degrees. Thanks to Robby Stiller for sharing the photo. {Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}