Until the last few months of the Civil War, Fort Fisher kept North Carolina’s port of Wilmington open to blockade-runners supplying necessary goods to Confederate armies inland. By 1865, the supply line through Wilmington was the last remaining supply route open to Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. When Fort Fisher fell after a massive Federal amphibious assault on January 15, 1865, its defeat helped seal the fate of the Confederacy. The Confederate forces surrendered, opening the way for a Federal thrust against Wilmington, North Carolina, the South’s last open seaport of the Atlantic coast. Union troops moved inland and occupied homes and structures.
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Attractions with Civil War History:

Bellamy Mansion, a fine example of antebellum architecture, was completed on the eve of the Civil War and occupied by Federal troops during the 1865 occupation of Wilmington. The mansion now serves as a museum of history and the design arts, offering daily tours and educational/cultural programs year-round. Tour the magnificent 10,000-square-foot home, visit the meticulously-recreated gardens, and walk through the recently restored Slave Quarters, one of very few preserved urban slave quarters in the country. www.bellamymansion.org

Cameron Art Museum is located on the site where the Battle of Forks Road was fought in February, 1865. A NC Civil War Trails historical marker identifies the location of the “Forks Road Engagement” where Major General Robert F. Hoke made his last stand against Union soldiers comprised primarily of U.S. Colored Troops. Each year in February the museum reenacts this significant 3-day skirmish with a Civil War Living History weekend event (Feb. 7-8, 2015). For more information about this year’s event: battleofforksroad.org

Cape Fear Museum of History & Science, N.C.’s oldest history museum, was founded in 1898 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to preserve Civil War history. Its collection includes an interactive diorama of the Battle of Fort Fisher and hundreds of artifacts, many of which will be on display in a special collections exhibit Fort Fisher: 100 Years from Dec. 15 through July 13. www.capefearmuseum.com

Fort Fisher State Historic Site kept the port of Wilmington open to blockade-runners supplying goods to Confederate armies. When Fort Fisher fell on January 15, 1865, its defeat helped seal the fate of the Confederacy. Today Fort Fisher is a state historic site that welcomes visitors year-round to explore the Civil War battlefield and gigantic earthworks, museum exhibits, outdoor monuments, and a 1/4 mile interpretive trail around the fort. Educational programs and artillery demonstrations are offered throughout the year. The Fort’s annual Anniversary Observance takes place in mid-January with reenactments and special programs. For more information about this year’s grand 150th Anniversary event, visit www.friendsoffortfisher.com and www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher.

Fort Fisher Underwater Archeology Center has uncovered historic gems dating back to the Civil War era, including the remains of 29 Civil War period shipwrecks off the coast of southeast NC. Most were blockade runners attempting to evade the Union ships and enter the Cape Fear River. Divers have also located four sunken Union warships and two Confederate gunboats. www.arch.dcr.state.nc.us/ncarch/underwater/underwater.htm

Oakdale Cemetery, established in 1852, was open for burials in 1855. Within the grounds you will find the graves of Civil War Generals such as Whiting, Barry and MacRae to name a few. Confederate spy Rose O’Neale Greenhowe is also laid to rest here and there is an impressive monument to the Confederate Dead, overlooking the 367 graves within its enclosure. www.oakdalecemetery.org

Orange Street Landing on Cape Fear was dedicated in May 2005 as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Wilmington’s largest known escape took place here in September 1862, when 22 freedom-seekers confiscated three sailboats and rowed 28 nautical miles to the mouth of the Cape Fear River. A kiosk interprets this freedom story. www.wilmingtonnc.gov/Home/News/tabid/429/ItemID/406/View/Details/Default.aspx

Sugarloaf Sand Dune at Carolina Beach State Park. Hike the Sugarloaf Trail (a 3-mile journey beginning at the marina parking lot) that leads to the giant Sugarloaf sand dune where up to 6,400 Confederate troops under Major General Robert F. Hoke were encamped in defensive positions during the siege of Fort Fisher. www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/cabe/main.php

Thalian Hall Center for Performing Arts (c.1855-1858) serves as the city’s political and cultural center. During the Civil War, Thalian Hall was in almost constant use as a place of amusement for soldiers and locals alike. It was built by freed and enslaved Africans. The theatre’s main stage makes an appearance in the upcoming Smithsonian Channel documentary “Lincoln’s Last Day.” Thalian Hall’s designer John Montague Trimble is believed to have been involved in the design of Ford Theatre which may explain why they look so similar. www.thalianhall.org

Wilmington National Cemetery (c.1867). Civil War soldiers’ remains were reinterred to the National Cemetery from the Wilmington City Cemetery, Fort Fisher, and surrounding areas. The remains of the 557 U.S. Colored Troops (55 known, 502 unknown) who died on the advance to Wilmington are buried in the northwest corner of the cemetery. Their grave markers are identified with the inscription “U.S.C.T.” or “U.S. Col. Inf.” A state highway marker honors the USCT soldiers buried here. www.ncmarkers.com/Markers.aspx?MarkerId=D-111

Wilmington Railroad Museum is housed in an authentic 1883 railroad freight warehouse. During the Civil War, the Wilmington and Weldon line was essential to the Confederacy and was referred to as the “Lifeline of the Confederacy.” The line moved goods and supplies from the single open Confederate port of Wilmington to Robert E. Lee’s Army in Virginia and throughout the Confederacy. The museum interprets Wilmington’s railroad history. www.wrrm.org

Nearby: Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson in Winnabow, N.C. was constructed atop the old Colonial village site of Brunswick Town during the Civil War and served as part of the Cape Fear River defenses below Wilmington before the fall of the Confederacy. Colonial foundations dot the present-day tour trail, which crosses the earthworks of the Confederate fort. On February 14-15, Fort Anderson will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Anderson with a weekend of special events and programs. www.nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/brunswic.htm

Nearby: Poplar Grove Plantation in Scotts Hill, N.C. is one of the oldest existing peanut plantations in North Carolina. The Foy family purchased the land in 1795 and kept it until the mid-1970s. Visitors can tour the 1850 manor house and observe farm animals, exhibits and live craft demonstrations typical of an 1800s working plantation. A new exhibit “From Civil War to Civil Rights: The African American Experience at Poplar Grove” chronicles the lives of African Americans on-site at Poplar Grove from slavery to the early Civil Rights movement. (Note: Poplar Grove will close for the season on Dec. 12 and will reopen March 2, 2015). www.poplargrove.org

Tours That Specialize in Civil War History:

*Cape Fear Historical Institute offers a guided “Confederate Wilmington Walking Tour” (by reservation only) that highlights people, historic buildings and events of the ante-bellum and wartime era. A special “General Hoke and the Wilmington Campaign Tour” will be offered on January 10. To reserve a guided Civil War tour of historic Wilmington, contact CFHI at 910-619-4619 or bernhard1848@gmail.com. Website: www.cfhi.net.

*Wihi App Tours: A new app tour is available for visitors who prefer a self-guided tour of Civil War sites at www.wihi.info/civil-war-wilmington. “wihi” (short for Wilmington History) offers a “Civil War Wilmington” tour on its app that uses the technology of a cell phone or tablet to show history like you’ve never seen it before. To find out more about the wihi app and its history tours, visit the website www.wihi.info.

Events with Civil War Themes:

Civil War themed events continue through 2014, culminating in 2015 with exhibits, tours, programs, an Educational Civil War Symposium (Feb. 27-28), a National Medal of Honor Commemoration (March 22), and two large-scale living history events. The 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fort Fisher: Nor Shall Your Glory Be Forgot (Jan. 17-18) will feature two battle reenactments, night artillery firing, special daytime and nighttime lantern tours, historian presentations, and a memorial service at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site near Kure Beach. There will also be a Descendants’ Reunion on January 15-16. For more information, visit www.friendsoffortfisher.com and www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher. In February, the Battle of Forks Road Living History Weekend (Feb. 7-8) will feature a reenactment on the grounds of the Cameron Art Museum where this important skirmish was fought. On February 14-15, Fort Anderson will commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Anderson with a weekend of special events, reenactments and programs. Details for these and other Civil War events, exhibits, symposiums and observances are online at www.WilmingtonCivilWar150.com. Visitors are advised to check the website often for updates. 

Museums, attractions, tours and events provide a fun and affordable way to experience a region’s history and culture. Wilmington, N.C.’s historic river district and the island beaches of Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach offers one destination with four unique settings. Wilmington is an easy drive from I-95 via I-40 and US74. Prefer to fly? The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is located only 10 minutes from the river and 20 minutes from the beach. For general visitor information, visit www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com, where you’ll also find a complete Event Calendar. To request a free Official Visitors Guide call 1-866-266-9690 or email visit@wilmingtonandbeaches.com.

Media Contact:
Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau
Connie Nelson
Communications/PR Director
910-332-8751
866-266-9690 ext. 120
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The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization of New Hanover County, North Carolina that stimulates economic development through the promotion of travel and tourism.

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