The North Carolina Museum of History provides this list as a general resource. Hours of operation and admission fees are subject to change. (Admission is free unless otherwise noted.)
Coastal Plain
Averasboro Civil War Battlefield
N.C. 82, Dunn
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00
to 4:00 P.M.
(910) 891-5019
http://www.averasboro.com/
Historic markers and a museum tell the story of the March 1865 battle. Highlights include Chicora Cemetery and Lebanon, the 1825 plantation home used as a Confederate hospital.
Battle of Chicamacomico Races
Civic Center-Route 12, Rodanthe
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=11489
Outdoor monument commemorating the October 1861 battle.
Bellamy Mansion Museum
503 Market Street, Wilmington
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Sunday 1:00
to 5:00 P.M.
(910) 251-3700
Fee: Adults, $10; children 5–12, $4; children under 5, free; group
tours (20 or more people), $8 per person with advanced reservations and
non-refundable $20 deposit
Note: school group tour rates of $3/student. Teachers/bus drivers free.
$20 non-refundable deposit required.
http://www.bellamymansion.org/
The Union used this spectacular plantation home as its military headquarters following the fall of Wilmington in 1865.
Bentonville Battleground State Historic Site
5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks
Hours: April-September: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00
P.M. Call for Sunday hours. October-March: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(910) 594-0789
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bentonvi/bentonvi.htm
The largest battle fought in North Carolina and the last major Confederate offensive of the war took place here. Harper House (on the site) served as a Union field hospital during the battle.
Cape Fear Museum
814 Market Street, Wilmington
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00
to 5:00 P.M.; also open Mondays, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 9:00
A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Adults, $7; seniors and college students, $6; children 3–17, $4;
children under 3, free. Group discounts available.
(910) 341-4350
http://www.capefearmuseum.com/
Established in 1898 as a repository for Confederate relics, the museum presents exhibits that explore the history of Wilmington, blockade running, and the Battle of Fort Fisher.
CSS Neuse State Historic Site
2612 West Vernon Avenue, Kinston
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(252) 522-2091
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/neuse/neuse.htm
Built to retake Union-held New Bern, the ironclad sank after its crew set it on fire to prevent its capture. It is one of only three Civil War ironclads on exhibit anywhere.
Dismal Swamp Canal Visitors Center
2356 U.S. 17 North, South Mills
Hours: (Memorial Day through October) Monday through Sunday, 9:00 A.M.
to 5:00 P.M.; (November through May) Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M.
to 5:00 P.M.
(252) 771-8333 or toll free (877) 771-8333
http://www.dismalswamp.com/
See highlights of the Battle of South Mills, in which Union and Confederate forces fought for control of the Dismal Swamp Canal, a vital transportation link.
First Freedmen’s Colony
U.S. 64/264, Freedmen’s Colony Park, Manteo
Hours: Daily, sunrise to sunset
(252) 473-2138
http://www.roanoke-island.com/freedman.html
Outdoor exhibits explore African American life during the Civil War at the site of the country’s first Freedmen’s Colony.
First Provisional Government of the Civil War
N.C. 12 and Kohler Drive, Hatteras
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(252) 986-2131
The site includes an exhibit commemorating the country’s first reconciliation efforts under Union occupation and a marker relating Hatteras Island’s reaction to the capture of Forts Clark and Hatteras.
Fort Anderson State Historic Site
8884 St. Philip’s Road Southeast, Winnabow
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(910) 371-6613
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/brunswic/brunswic.htm
The fall of Fort Anderson in February 1865 allowed the Union to take Wilmington and cut supply lines to the Confederate army. Visitors can see the nearly 90 percent of the earthen fort that remain today.
Fort Branch
N.C. 1416, Fort Branch Road, Hamilton
Hours: (April through first weekend in November) Saturday and Sunday,
1:30 to 5:30 P.M.; other times by appointment
(800) 776-8566
http://www.fortbranchcivilwarsite.com/
On the banks of the Roanoke River, this earthen fort protected the CSS Albemarle construction site and a railroad bridge. Seven original cannons are on exhibit.
Fort Fisher State Historic Site
1610 Fort Fisher Boulevard, Kure Beach
Hours: Summer hours (April through September): Monday through Saturday,
9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00 P.M. (October through March)
Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
(910) 458-5538
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/fisher/fisher.htm
Fort Fisher, the largest Confederate earthen fort, protected blockade runners bound for Wilmington loaded with goods critical to the South.
Fort Macon State Park
East Fort Macon Road, Atlantic Beach
Hours: 9:00 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. Closed Christmas Day.
(252) 726-3775
http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/foma/main.php
Union troops captured this casemated fort in April 1862 after a land and sea bombardment. Visitors can view restored rooms and explore a museum.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
1401 National Park Drive, Manteo
Hours: Daily, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
The Lost Colony outdoor symphonic drama runs nightly (except Sundays)
from early June to late August.
(252) 473-5772
http://www.nps.gov/fora/index.htm
This pre-Colonial site contains exhibits on the Civil War and the Freedmen’s Colony.
The History Place
1008 Arendell Street, Morehead City
Hours: Tuesday through Friday and the first Saturday of every month, 10:00 to 4:00 P.M.
(252) 247-7533
http://www.thehistoryplace.org
This museum, operated by the Carteret County Historical Society, features a Civil War exhibit and a research library containing sources for genealogical and Civil War research.
Liberty Hall Plantation
409 South Main Street, Kenansville
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
(910) 296-2175
Fee: Adults, $5.00; children 5-11, $2.50; children under 5, free
http://www.libertyhallnc.org/
Tour the nineteenth-century home of the Kenan family and view exhibits and a video presentation highlighting plantation life during the Civil War. The nearby Cowan Museum (free admission) has an extensive collection of rural artifacts.
Museum of the Albemarle
1116 U.S. 17 South, Elizabeth City
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
(252) 335-1453
http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/
Part of the North Carolina Museum of History Division, this museum features an overview of the Civil War in the Albemarle region and offers exhibits on slavery and antebellum plantation life.
Museum of the Cape Fear
801 Arsenal Avenue, Fayetteville
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00
to 5:00 P.M.
(910) 486-1330
http://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/
This museum, part of the North Carolina Museum of History Division, features Civil War exhibits and the remains of an arsenal used to supply weapons and ammunition to the South.
New Bern Academy Museum
Corner of Hancock and New Streets, New Bern
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 1:00 to 4:30 P.M.
(800) 767-1560
Fee: Adults, $15; students, $6 (admission to Tryon Palace Historic Sites
and Gardens); several cheaper school group rates available
http://newbern.insiderinfo.us/attractions/things-to-see-do/33022/1158/2/New-Bern-Academy-Museum/
One gallery in this museum, part of Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens, focuses on the Civil War in New Bern and associated African American history.
Poplar Grove Plantation
10200 U.S. 17 North, Wilmington
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, noon to
5:00 P.M.
(910) 686-9518
Fee: Adults, $10; seniors and military, $9; students 6-15, $5; children
under 6, free; group rates available (15 or more)
http://www.poplargrove.com/
Costumed interpreters lead visitors through this antebellum plantation and demonstrate nineteenth-century crafts.
Port-o-Plymouth Museum
302 East Water Street, U.S. 64, Plymouth
(252) 793-1377
http://www.livinghistoryweekend.com/port_o.htm
This museum interprets the Battle of Plymouth, the CSS Albemarle, and Union occupation of the town.
Somerset Place State Historic Site
2572 Lake Shore Road, Creswell
Hours: (April through October) Monday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00
P.M.; (November through March) Tuesday through
Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
(252) 797-4560
http://www.somersetplace.nchistoricsites.org
This historic site examines the people who lived and worked at one of North Carolina’s largest plantations and the Civil War’s impact on plantation life.
Wayne County Museum
116 North William Street, Goldsboro
Hours: Tuesday, 11:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.; Wednesday through Friday, 11:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.; and Saturday noon to 4:00 P.M.
(919) 734-5023
http://www.waynecountyhistoricalnc.org
This museum presents an exhibit about Union general William T. Sherman’s march through Wayne County on his way to Raleigh.
Wyse Fork Battlefield
U.S. 70, Kinston
Hours: Daily
(252) 522-0540
http://www.historicalpreservationgroup.org/projects_wf_battlefield.html
Explore the battlefield where Confederate troops tried to halt Major General John Schofield’s march on Goldsboro.
Piedmont
Alexander Dickson House
150 East King Street, Hillsborough
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Saturday, 10:00
A.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.
(919) 732-7741
http://www.visithillsboroughnc.com/content/alexander-dickson-house-0
Confederate general Wade Hampton used this historic house, built in 1790, as his headquarters. Also at this site, General Joseph E. Johnston prepared documents used to surrender to General William T. Sherman in 1865.
Bennett Place State Historic Site
4409 Bennett Memorial Road, Durham
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(919) 383-4345
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bennett/bennett.htm
Walk the grounds where the largest Confederate troop surrender occurred.
Burwell School Historic Site
319 North Churton Street, Hillsborough
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.; Sunday, 1:00
to 4:00 P.M.; closed mid-December through mid-January
(919) 732-7451
http://www.burwellschool.org/
This site examines antebellum Hillsborough and the impact of the Civil War on the Burwell family, the slaves who lived and worked there, and the students who attended Burwell’s School for Young Ladies.
Greensboro Historical Museum
130 Summit Avenue, Greensboro
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, 2:00
to 5:00 P.M.
(336) 373-2043
http://www.greensborohistory.org/
The site of a Confederate hospital, this museum exhibits rare Civil War weapons, historical prints, paintings, and other artifacts. A cemetery containing the graves of Civil War veterans lies on the museum grounds.
Historic Stagville
5825 Old Oxford Highway, Durham
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
(919) 620-0120
http://www.stagville.org/
Dedicated to historic structure preservation and African American cultural history, this site offers tours of Civil War–era slave quarters, a house, and a barn.
Malcolm Blue Farm
N.C. 5 South (Bethesda Road) and Ives Drive, Aberdeen
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.
(910) 944-7558
http://malcolmbluefarm.com/
Union troops commandeered this farm and nearby Bethesda Church in March 1865. Today an exhibit details the Battle of Monroe’s Cross Roads.
Mendenhall Plantation
603 West Main Street, Jamestown
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.; Saturday, 1:00
to 4:00 P.M.; Sunday, 2:00 to 4:00 P.M.; and by appointment.
(336) 454-3819
Fee: Adults, $2.00; seniors, students, and children, $ 1.00
http://www.mendenhallplantation.org/
Home of Quaker abolitionist Richard Mendenhall, the plantation houses such artifacts as a false-bottomed wagon used in transporting slaves to freedom.
North Carolina Museum of History
5 East Edenton Street, Raleigh
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Sunday, noon
to 5:00 P.M.
(919) 807-7900
http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/
The museum has a large collection of Civil War artifacts, some of which can be seen throughout its exhibitions.
North Carolina State Capitol
1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; Saturday, 10:00
A.M. to 4:00 P.M. (guided tours available Monday
through Saturday, 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.)
(919) 733-4994
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/capitol/stat_cap/default.htm
The Capitol was the official site of the beginning and end of the Civil War in North Carolina. In the House chamber, representatives cast their votes to secede from the Union and join the Confederacy. After Union troops occupied the Capitol grounds in the spring of 1865, a signal message proclaiming the war’s end was dispatched from the Capitol roof.
Orange County Historical Museum
201 North Churton Street, Hillsborough
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 to 4:00
P.M., Sunday, 1:00 to 4:00 P.M.
(919) 732-2201
http://www.orangenchistory.org/plan.htm
This county museum presents the area’s Civil War history, including information about the Orange Guard Company.
Salisbury National Cemetery and Confederate Prison Site
202 Government Road, Salisbury
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (grounds always open)
(704) 636-2661
http://www.salisburync.gov/prison/1.html
The cemetery, adjacent to the site of Salisbury Confederate Prison, contains the graves of 11,700 unknown Union soldiers buried in eighteen trenches marked by head- and footstones.
Mountains
Catawba County Museum of History
30 North College Avenue, Newton
Currently closed for renovations
(828) 465-0383
http://www.catawbahistory.org/catawba_county_museum_of_history.php
This county museum features a permanent Civil War exhibit that includes the Colonel Clinton Cilley collection of Confederate and Union artifacts.
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
U.S. 441 and Drama Road, Cherokee
Hours: Daily, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Adults, $10; children, $6; children 6-13, free; group rates available
(828) 497-3481
http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/
One gallery in this recently renovated museum chronicles Thomas’s Legion, a Confederate regiment composed partly of Cherokee troops.
Zebulon Vance Birthplace State Historic Site
911 Reems Creek Road, Weaverville
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
(828) 645-6706
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/vance/vance.htm
This historic site features the reconstructed 1830s birthplace of North Carolina Civil War governor Zebulon B. Vance.
The North Carolina Division of Tourism Film, and Sports Development has organized historic sites and museums into a system of eight Civil War heritage trails. Four trails follow major highways, and the other four explore specific aspects of the Civil War. For more information on these trails, contact the North Carolina Civil War Tourism Council, P.O. Box 31522, Raleigh, NC 27622 or visit http://www.nccivilwar.com.