Civil War Sites in the Fayetteville, North Carolina Area

Most don't think of Fayetteville, North Carolina when the subject of the Civil War comes up. Yet Fayetteville, North Carolina is full of Civil War history. Here's a rundown on the Civil War sites in the Fayetteville, North Carolina area.

The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex

Begin your Civil War History rediscovery at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, which contains an on site museum and Arsenal Park. At the museum, learn about North Carolina's departing from the Union via exhibits and displays. I learned here that most citizens wanted to be a part of the Union and wanted the slavery issue settled. But instead, this state joined the Confederacy after Abraham Lincoln called for state troops to help suppress the rebellion after Fort Sumter was captured in South Carolina. Then Governor John W. Ellis wrote to Lincoln that sending troops was "in violation of the Constitution and a gross usurpation of power" to quell the rebellion.

Read diary excerpts of Malinda Ray, as she wrote about the surrender of the Federal Arsenal to the Confederacy in Fayetteville, as over 1,000 North Carolina militiamen stormed the place held just by 50 Federal troops.

Besides Civil War history, this museum contains two floors worth of Southeastern North Carolina history that goes all the way back to the Paleo Indians (some 10,000 years ago), featuring a couple of their arrowheads. It was the Scottish Highlanders who settled this region in 1732-33, and displays honoring their contributions are here, as well as more artifacts from the 18^th-19^th centuries covering The American Revolution, slavery, the textile industry, steamships, and more on through to a 1920's general store diorama where you can hear old radio shows playing.