Bennett Place State Historic Site will commemorate the 160th anniversary of its Civil War surrender with two public programs on April 25-26. These programs mark the end of the 160th-anniversary commemorations of the American Civil War in North Carolina by North Carolina State Historic Sites.
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative has dispersed nearly $1.2 million in a second round of grant funds across 58 counties in the state. The grant-funded projects include new cultural events, physical and digital exhibits, historical markers, and more all inspired by North Carolina’s revolutionary history and the themes of America 250 NC. The America 250 NC Grants are designed to spark programs and activities on a local level to create a memorable and meaningful commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
On April 12, 1776, the 4th Provincial Congress in session at Halifax, N.C., passed a resolution that became known as “The Halifax Resolves.” In this document, North Carolinians declared their grievances against British rule and encouraged their delegates in the Continental Congress to vote for independence. It was the first official action of any of the 13 colonies calling for independence.
Join us in celebrating with the dedicated staff of the CSS Neuse Museum, devoted volunteers, and Friends of the CSS Neuse Museum board members as we commemorate ten years of promoting local history. Attend our "Cheers to Ten Years: Anniversary Celebration and Living History" on Saturday, March 8, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. We warmly invite our community and all visitors to explore the new exhibits and interactive enhancements that have enriched the museum over the past decade.
On Saturday, March 8, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will host the North Carolina Rice Festival. The festival celebrates how rice and Gullah-Geechee culture shaped the North Carolina Lowcountry.
Experience history come alive at the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site 160th anniversary program March 15-16. Thousands of living historians from across the country will descend on Bentonville Battlefield for one of the nation’s largest battle reenactments.
Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will offer a glimpse of the harrowing days of the Anglo-Cherokee War on March 1 with a living-history commemoration.
On Saturday, Feb. 15 at 2 p.m., Bennett Place State Historic Site will host a free lecture with local historian Ernest Dollar entitled “Jublio: Moments of Freedom, 1865.”Dollar, who serves as director of the Museums Section for the City of Raleigh, will highlight how enslaved people found and claimed freedom for themselves in the final days of the Civil War in North Carolina. This program will explore perspectives of African American men and women’s first moments of freedom as part of the site’s Black History Month programming.
Historic Halifax State Historic Site will mark the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s historic visit to the town with special programming on Thursday, Feb. 27.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will commemorate the 160th anniversary of Fort Anderson's capture by U.S. forces in 1865. The site will host two public events, starting with a free day of living history. This will be followed by a ticketed nighttime reenactment of the bombardment and evacuation of the fort.