From left to right, state Rep. Ted Davis, Jr., Cultural Sec. Susan Kluttz, state Sen Thom Goolsby and state Rep. Susi Hamilton at the unveiling of the new Modern Greece highway marker
The New Year started off with a bang as a crowd of more than 5,000 people turned out at Fort Fisher State Historic Site in Kure Beach Saturday for the 148th anniversary of the Civil War battle that took place there. The battle was instrumental in ending the war as it resulted in the closing of Wilmington’s port, which was then called “the Lifeline of the Confederacy” because of its role in supplying the Confederate army. It was prominently featured in Steven Spielberg’s recent film Lincoln. The day’s activities included re-enactors talking with visitors about camp life during the January 1865 campaign, infantry and artillery units conducting drills and firing demonstrations and speakers on an array of Civil War-related topics. The day also included the dedication of a new historical highway marker for the Civil War blockade runner Modern Greece. Research on the Modern Greece led the State of North Carolina to establish one of the nation’s first underwater archaeology programs—now part of the Department of Cultural Resources—and eventually resulted in the recovery of thousands of artifacts. Click here for pictures of the event and here to learn more about the Battle of Fort Fisher.