une 22, 2011
We are getting to areas so rich in history that it might be difficult to see all the sights in short order. Wilmington is one of the cities that has roots back well into the 1600s. This city, being well up the Cape Fear River has been a significant port for this nation from the start. At the height of it’s contributions to commerce, it provided goods that are known as Naval Stores. North Carolina was a source for long leaf pine which that provided not only wood for ships but also, turpentine, pitch and related products so necessary for wooden sailing ships. The Royal Navy back in colonial days was the recipient of these goods. The Tea Party, not the current one but the original event, saw the end of collection of stamp taxes thus thrusting this area into high contention for Naval Stores. In the middle of the rumble was a small settlement, Brunswick, North Carolina. This was before Wilmington. Two governors of this colony lived in Brunswick, named after, get this, the King of England, George I who was actually a native of Brunswick, Germany. When the Loyalists could not hang on to the town, they, the British Army, decided to burn it. It had a substantial church, St. Philip Anglican Church that took almost two decades to build. They put the torch to it and what remains today is pretty much the only building on site. Fast forward to the Civil War, otherwise known as the “recent unpleasantness” to some folks in the south, and Brunswick came into play again. By then, Wilmington was a going port and worth defending. The Confederates chose to place two forts guarding Cape Fear River. The Union Soldiers did not like that idea and tried to open a can of whopasse. Fort Fisher fell sort of quickly but Brunswick’s Fort Anderson stood a bit longer. It was built on the original site of Brunswick, After that, folks left the place alone until the mid 20th century when archeologists started to dig. What they found was amazing. Today, the Confederate earthworks and some stone home foundations remain. The walls of St. Philips is the most imposing there. For more on this really great place head over to the link: http://www.nchistoricsites.org/brunswic/main.htm.
We enjoy taking land trips very much. We are heading over to the Beneteau factory in Marion on Friday for a tour and parts acquisition activity. We might just hit a few battlefields on the way.