We love discovering and sharing new and sometimes weird facts about the Tar Heel State, like the 15 random facts about our state in this previously published article. But this one is beyond bizarre – and equally amazing. Not only does North Carolina have at least one house made out of hemp (that’s right, marijuana’s close cousin), but we were also the first state in the US to build such a home. Take a look below at the first hemp house in America.

America's first hemp house was built in Asheville by former mayor Ross Martin, who was drawn to the green footprint the home would provide.
youtube/votehemp
The outer walls are made of hempcrete and are fourteen inches thick. Shown below is a cross section of a hempcrete wall. The material is, among other things, environmentally friendly and low maintenance.
youtube/votehemp

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A finished hempcrete wall without any additional finishes is shown below. The stucco-like material offers exceptional insulation properties for both hot and cold temps.
Flickr/Jnzl's Photos
You may be wondering if the interior walls are as unique as the hemp on the outer walls. We think yes. They're made of compressed recycled paper. You can see a cross section sample in the photo below.
youtube/votehemp
America's first hemp home is a private residence. Sadly, it's not open for tours.
youtube/votehemp
But you can get a sneak peak of the inside in this short video below from youtube user votehemp:

Would you live in a home made of hemp? For some other unique homes in North Carolina keep reading here.

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