History Buffs

The Port City is set to unveil several major historical and cultural initiatives including the upcoming Cape Fear Museum revamp, efforts to try and bring a submarine museum to the region and a newly-expanded Fort Fisher State Historic Site building. Visitors and residents alike have plenty of existing and new attractions in the Cape Fear region and many to look forward to in the coming years, as well. 

EXPANDING HISTORY 

Fort Fisher, site of the Civil War’s largest amphibious battle located at Kure Beach, boasts a new 20,000-square-foot visitor center complete with event space for private and public occasions, new exhibit galleries and the Friends of Fort Fisher Gift Shop. 

The expanded center opened in November. 

“Around 15 years ago we were realizing that we had a great need for more space, and we were watching visitation numbers go up from about 500,000 to 600,000 in 2007 when I started, and by 2010 that number had risen to nearly 800,000,” said Jim Steele, manager of the Fort Fisher Historic Site.  

Annual visitor numbers have since increased to more than 1 million, he said. 

After nearly two decades of setbacks – finances, construction and the pandemic – and with the help and backing of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the nonprofit organization Friends of Fort Fisher, the project became a reality, and doors opened on Nov. 1. 

“Our new center is three times the size of the old one and has a tremendous activity hall that’s a big open space with a balcony that can be set up for anything from a classroom to a symposium to a wedding reception,” Steele said. “The other wonderful thing is that given all the extra space, we were able to make this visitor center exactly what we wanted it to be: not just a Civil War museum and a tourist attraction but also a community space. We wanted to be able to share this and work with our partners in the community who supported us through all these years.” 

Currently, visitors can check out the “CB100: Bathing Suit Exhibit” – a retrospective of women’s swimwear over the past century – as part of this year’s Carolina Beach Centennial Celebration.  

ON THE HORIZON 

The N.C. Submarine Foundation has big plans for its vision of the future, which involves the idea to build a museum in the Port City. 

Christopher Perrien, executive director of the N.C. Submarine Museum Foundation, said the establishment could feature an above-the-surface facility, rather than a decommissioned or retired submarine, which are featured at most submarine museums.  

A virtual reality component is also being considered for the project, which further progresses the foundation’s vision and mission of its STEM Education and Workforce Innovation Center (SEWIC). Perrien said foundation officials hope the museum would “excite people about what we think is the most sophisticated machine built in the world – the American nuclear-powered submarine.” 

In 2008, the Navy commissioned the USS North Carolina (SSN 777) submarine in Wilmington. Since then, the city has continued to build on its strong maritime legacy, offering several advantages that support the effort to establish a new museum.  

These include its close connection to the ocean and a deep-rooted military and maritime culture, as well as its existing reputation as home to one of North Carolina’s most popular attractions — the Battleship North Carolina. 

“There are 1,500 family members across three submarines that we support,” Perrien said. “These boats go on patrol for seven months at a time underwater, and that puts a lot of strain on the average family.” 

This museum would not only continue to honor and support submarine veterans and their families but also inspire interest in those entering the workforce to pursue careers in math and science and more specifically, submarine technology.  

Perrien predicts a budget of $35 million to $65 million and projects that the museum could be open for business by 2028 if funding and approvals come through – 20 years after the commissioning of the USS North Carolina submarine. 

MUSEUM MOVES 

Project Grace, New Hanover County’s $56 million project in downtown Wilmington, will feature a new facility and mixed-use development, including new spaces for the New Hanover County Main Public Library and the Cape Fear Museum. 

The new area, which will be known as “The Grace District,” is underway with construction on track as of late April of this year with the following projected timeline: 

 • August: The NHC Main Public Library on Chestnut Street will close and reopen in the new facility in October. 

 • November through May: The Cape Fear Museum will temporarily close. 

 • Early 2026 (projected by May): Project Grace opens to the public. 

“I’m excited to see all of the new exhibitions that we have been working on for so long and can’t wait to see the public engage with them,” said Kate Baillon, director at the Cape Fear Museum. “Having a 5,000-square-foot exhibition for temporary exhibitions means that we have more opportunity to bring new, exciting experiences to the community.” 

Once the project wraps and the new museum at Grace Street opens, Cape Fear Museum’s building on Market Street will remain part of the museum complex, housing the main collection and serving as the research and development hub.  

Staff will continue caring for the collection, developing content for new exhibitions and articles, designing and fabricating new exhibitions for the Grace Street location, and repairing and maintaining exhibits at the new facility. 

“As we get closer to opening, we will be beginning our new volunteer program as there will be so many more opportunities for volunteers to engage at the Grace Street location with our new exhibitions and expanded programming,” Baillon said.