Topics Related to Historic Preservation

Hello NC Initiative Celebrates Rural North Carolina

From hearing the calls of endangered birds in a sanctuary in eastern North Carolina to seeing a mountain sunrise in the west, our state has unlimited rural treasures awaiting discovery.

We are a rural state, with 80 of 100 counties beyond the hustle and bustle of major cities. Without a doubt, the state’s most beautiful natural resources can be found in rural North Carolina.

In 2020, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is launching a new initiative to celebrate North Carolina's rural counties.

Aycock Birthplace Celebrates Black History Month

FREMONT, N.C. — Music and dance will resonate at Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site during a free program celebrating Black History Month Saturday, Feb. 22, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Artist April C. Turner will lead an interactive performance celebrating African American culture. The free program will include site tours and a presentation on groundbreaking African American legislator George White. 

“Plunging Shot and Screaming Shells:” 155th Anniversary of the Fall of Fort Anderson

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will commemorate the 155th anniversary of the fall of Fort Anderson Feb. 15 and 16.

The site is offering a free living-history event during the daytime, and a special program Saturday night requiring tickets purchased in advance.

Tickets for the Largest Civil War Re-enactment and Family Day Available

Advance tickets for the country’s largest Civil War re-enactment of 2020, the 155th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville slated for March 21-22, are limited but still available. Other weekend family activities are free. 

Black Gold – African American Gold Miners in North Carolina Black History Month Tour

The origins and impact of slavery in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and the benefits of slave labor to Reed Gold Mine will be examined during Black History Month. Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site will offer “Black Gold – African American Gold Miners in North Carolina” tours Saturdays in February at 1 p.m. and examine the area’s social and economic environment during John Reed’s lifetime. Join us Feb. 8, 15, or 29. 

CSS Neuse Interpretive Center Unveils “Treasures from the Vault” Feb. 5

Rarely seen Civil War-era artifacts will be on view when the “Treasures from the Vault” exhibit opens Feb. 5 at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center. The temporary exhibit will display unseen items from the museum’s collection and also present eastern North Carolina’s Civil War history more broadly. 

WWII N.C. Military Base Newsletters Available Online Through State Archives

A collection of North Carolina military installation camp newsletters and newspapers from World War II are now available online as part of the State Archives of North Carolina’s Military Collection. As part of a two-year digitization project begun in 2018 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of World War II, the State Archives has been digitizing unique, and in some cases, complete runs of newsletter issues published by military officials and various base units during the war, such as Camp Lejeune, Camp Davis, Morris Field, and Elizabeth City Naval Air Station. 

National Register Adds Seven North Carolina Historic Places

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is pleased to announce that seven individual properties across the state have been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The following properties were reviewed by the North Carolina National Register Advisory Committee and were subsequently nominated by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register for consideration for listing in the National Register.

32-Pounder Cannon Now at Fort Anderson for First Time in Over 150 Years

Fort Anderson, at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site, recently unveiled its newest exhibit – a long awaited 32-pounder seacoast cannon that was installed in Gun Emplacement #2 on the Southern Battery. 

“This is a great day for the site,” said Site Manager Jim McKee. “After more than eleven years we have finally completed this project. It will put Fort Anderson in elite company, in terms of interpretation. The staff and I are beyond excited!”

State Historic Preservation Office Requests Information on Storm Damaged Historic Structures

The North Carolina Historic Preservation Office has set up an online form for local governments and citizens to report damage to historic properties from wind and flooding associated with Hurricane Dorian.