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.
Living history demonstrations will run from 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Nineteenth-century weapons demonstrations will occur at 11 and 11:30 a.m., 1, 2, and 2:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to interact with ongoing living history demonstrations of Civil War camp life and view interpretive displays throughout the event. Speaker Wade Sokolosky will present "Disaster on the Lower Cape Fear: The Role of Confederate Hospitals through the Fall of Wilmington" at noon.
Site Manager Jim McKee will lead a tour of Fort Anderson at 4 p.m. A full event schedule will be available on Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site’s website and social media channels.
Admission to the living history event is free. Parking is available at the Visitor Center, located at 8884 St. Philip's Rd SE, in Winnabow. Food trucks will be onsite at the Visitor Center from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
The nighttime program, "Plunging Shot and Screaming Shell," starts at 6 p.m. The night sky will come alive with a realistic reenactment of the bombardment and evacuation of the fort. This event will be a rare opportunity to witness a heavy artillery duel after dark. The event will go on in the event of rain, provided there is no thunder and lightning.
Admission for the nighttime event is $10 for ages 16 and up. Children 15 and under are admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at the Friends of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson's website, https://friends-of-brunswick-townfort-anderson.square.site/upcoming-events.
About Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site is a major pre-Revolutionary port on North Carolina's Cape Fear River. Brunswick was abandoned and burned during the American Revolution and never fully recovered. During the Civil War, Fort Anderson was constructed atop the old village site 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. The site is located at 8884 St. Philip's Rd SE, Winnabow, N.C. 28479. For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/brunswick-town-and-fort-anderson/plan-your-visit or call (910) 371-6613.
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.