Topics Related to Living History

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the N.C. African American Heritage Commission and the N.C. Freedom Park Board of Directors will celebrate the opening of North Carolina Freedom Park Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m.

The site is the first park in North Carolina to honor the African American struggle for freedom, an experience that represents universal themes of freedom, perseverance and equality.

Prepare to have a patriotic Fourth of July celebration through an encounter with history or an adventure with nature at N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) attractions this year.

In October 1772, Philip Alston purchased 4,000 acres of land on the bend of the Deep River. Not long after the purchase, he had a large two-story wood frame house built on a rise in the land overlooking the river. This house would become the site of an iconic battle, of which you can still see evidence today. Alston’s house became known as the House in the Horseshoe and will be commemorating 250 years of historic legacy March 25, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Historic Halifax State Historic Site will host the annual Halifax Resolves Day event on Wednesday, April 12 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., to commemorate the 247th anniversary of the adoption of the Halifax Resolves. The day’s activities are free and open to the public.

Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will offer a glimpse of the Anglo-Cherokee War on Saturday, Feb. 25.



The Cherokee and British had been allies when the French and Indian War started, but tensions quickly spiraled into hostilities. On Feb. 27, 1760, North Carolina soldiers and Cherokee clashed at Fort Dobbs.

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site will commemorate the 158th anniversary of the fall of Fort Anderson Saturday, Feb. 18. Free activities from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., will include infantry demonstrations, medical and embalming interpretations, and more.



Several presenters during the day will explain and demonstrate what life was like for soldiers and civilians during the American Civil War.



From 6-7:30 p.m., visitors can witness a reenactment of the final hours of Fort Anderson during the “Plunging Shot and Screaming Shells” program.

By December of 1756, Fort Dobbs was complete. Its garrison of 50 North Carolina soldiers prepared to spend the first of many winters in the building as they guarded the western edge of settlement in the British colony during the French and Indian War.

Fort Dobbs State Historic Site will honor North Carolina’s military history with a “Military Timeline” Nov. 12-13. Visitors will learn about the experiences of soldiers and support personnel from the past 450 years.



“It’s important for us to remember the men and women who have sacrificed to make us who we are today as a country,” says Site Manager Scott Douglas.



The educational program will offer a sample of soldier life through history.

Discover records of enslavement from across North Carolina through the People Not Property project. The virtual presentation will be held Monday, Nov. 7, 1-2 p.m., as part of the Friends of the Archives annual meeting.

Take a ride on a wagon around the historic Harper House at Bentonville Battlefield’s annual fall festival on Nov. 5. The program will run from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and will feature demonstrations by costumed interpreters and a festival atmosphere with carnival games, an inflatable, vintage baseball, and more!