Categories: Arts & Culture; History & Heritage; Local Highlights
Overview. One of the earliest battles of the American Revolution in the South was fought beside a bridge over Moores Creek, near Wilmington, on February 27, 1776. More than four months before the colonies formally declared their independence from the British, a thousand "Patriots" clashed with over 1,600 "Loyalists" in the coastal lowlands of southeastern North Carolina. Their decisive victory ended speculation over this colony's sympathies towards the British. Later in the year, at the Continental Congress, North Carolina was first to vote for independence.What to see and do. A diorama at the visitor center and museum depicts the scene as it may have looked on that fateful mid-winter morning. Original weapons from the battle, including a Brown Bess musket and a broadsword, are also on display. The Eastern National organization operates a bookstore in the visitor center. Picnic facilities are available. Two self-guided trails wind through the park. The 0.7-mile History Tour starts at the visitor center and leads to the battle site. Along the way, be sure to see the Patriot Monument, erected in 1857 to the memory of Private John Grady, the battle's sole patriot casualty. The short (0.3-mile) Tar Heel Trail passes by exhibits of naval stores production, the region's main industry at the time of the revolution. The park commemorates the anniversary of the battle annually on the last weekend of February. Events include living history demonstrations, a candlelight tour of the battlefield, and a formal ceremony held on Sunday afternoon. In addition, there are various activities scheduled on summer weekends. Call the visitor center for more information. The visitor center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM year-round. The battlefield is closed on Christmas and New Year's Day. Leashed pets are permitted on the trails but not in the Visitor Center. Handicapped-accessible facilities are available.
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