No, not the aquarium or the pristine beach you love to drive on or the wide, free beach for swimming…but across the street, is a fantastic exhibit that will take your family back in time to one of the turnkey and brutal battles in the American Civil War. It is definitely worth the trip with the kids!
The Fort Fisher State Historic Site is a fabulous opportunity to quietly take in defining Civil War history that happened right here in the Cape Fear area.
Perhaps not so surprising, most families flock to the other options provided by the Fort Fisher Recreation Area. But the Historic Site is a
Taking in the area will not take too long, but it will be easy to do. A self-guided walk through the battlegrounds will impress upon you what was at stake, and how many lives were sacrificed, all with the background of a beautifully rough sea and islands out on the horizon.
Inside, the exhibits are meant to showcase what life at Fort Fisher was like for a soldier as well as explain the intricate dance of war that happened.
Many in the area are familiar with the blockade runners Wilmington is now famous for (indeed, we are quite proud of our rebel, can-do legacy). But, of course, they were quite dangerous and controversial at the time. The blockade runners kept the Confederate Army going; and Fort Fisher kept the blockade runners going.
In January of 1865, the Fort fell in a bloody battle. Attacked by land and sea, the soldiers in the earthworks truly didn’t stand a chance. Most historians agree that the fall of Fort Fisher was the last piece needed for the Union Army to win the war.
It can be hard to comprehend exactly what was at stake and the importance of the fort (indeed, of the entire Cape Fear area) to history. If this battle had ended differently, what then? But the Historic Site does a wonderful job of making it all somehow real.
As your family moves onward to the gorgeous beach or friendly aquarium, you will have a new awareness of what happened under your feet and how important the area was.
Learn more about the Fort Fisher Historic Site:
www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher/
1610 Fort Fisher Blvd, South
Kure Beach, NC
910-251-7340
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