The role Wilmington and the surrounding area played in the Civil War will be highlighted this month during the 150th anniversary of the end of the war. Local attractions with Civil War history will hold special events and exhibits during this sesquicentennial commemoration.

If visitor numbers from past Civil War reenactments are any indication, Wilmington should expect an increase in the number of people visiting the Port City this winter.

According to John Moseley, Fort Fisher site manager, it is estimated that as many as 10,000 people will attend one of the anniversary’s main events, the reenactment of the Battle of Fort Fisher, which will be held the weekend of Jan. 17-18.

“An event of this magnitude brings visitors to our county during January, a time of year that is typically slower, and will provide a boost to our local businesses such as hotels, shops, restaurants and gas stations,” said Connie Nelson, spokeswoman for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB).

Friends of Fort Fisher and the CVB have been working together for the past 18 months to promote the reenactment and other Civil War Sesquicentennial events to generate visitor interest. One of their marketing efforts included launching a website (WilmingtonCivilWar150.com) designed to assist visitors to the area who wish to learn more about and engage in the sesquicentennial events. State tourism officials have also been promoting the events on a national and international level.

“This not only gives the event added exposure,” Nelson said, “but it also raises awareness of Wilmington and its beaches as a destination that is rich in history.”

Here is a roundup of planned events:

Battle of Fort Fisher
During the Civil War, Fort Fisher was a crucial stronghold for the Confederacy and kept North Carolina’s Port of Wilmington open to blockade runners who supplied necessary goods to the Confederate’s primary military force, the Army of Northern Virginia. By January 1865, the Port of Wilmington was the last major port open to the Confederacy, and, when it fell to Union forces, it marked the beginning of the end for the Confederate Army.

The weekend of Jan. 17-18, as many as 500 Civil War living history actors will reenact the January 1865 Union attack on Fort Fisher with the “Nor Shall Your Glory Be Forgot: 150th Anniversary of the 2nd Battle of Fort Fisher” event.

Reenactments will take place both Saturday and Sunday, and reenactors will be on hand to answer questions about life during the war and display items and customs pertinent to Civil War soldiers. Drills and marches will be conducted, and demonstrations of the historic sites’ Rifled and Banded 32-pound cannon and bronze 12-pound Napoleon cannon will take place both during the day and during the lantern tour of the fort Saturday evening.

A host of speakers plan to give talks during the weekend including a keynote address by renowned historian, author and Civil War battlefield expert Ed Bearss. The Fort Fisher museum will unveil a new temporary exhibit the weekend of the anniversary ceremony detailing the background of the fort and how the war’s history has been preserved. Also that weekend, new informational markers will be dedicated around the fort’s historic walking trail.

Admission to the two-day event is free, but visitors can purchase tickets on a limited basis for tours planned on both days, including the Saturday evening lantern tour.

The Fort Fisher State Historic Site is located at 1610 Fort Fisher Blvd. S., Kure Beach. For more information, call 458-5538 or go to nchistoricsites.org/fisher.

Cameron Art Museum
The museum hosts its 10th annual Civil War Living History Weekend on Feb. 7 and 8 to mark the 150th anniversary of Battle of Forks Road, which is on the museum’s grounds. Activities include reenactments, a lecture on “Civil War to Civil Rights” and more. For more information, go to battleofforksroad.org.

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson
Located in Winnabow, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson features both the historical foundations of a colonial settlement as well as the earthen battlements of what was once the Civil War-era Fort Anderson.

The fort, along with Fort Fisher, served as part of the river defense of Wilmington during the war. There will be a weekend of events and programs Feb. 14-15 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the fall of the fort to Union forces.

Civil War Symposium
Rounding out the Civil War Sesquicentennial, University of North Carolina Wilmington will hold a symposium, “What a Cruel Thing is War-Sacrifices and Legacies of the Civil War” Feb. 27-28. The symposium will include a talk by Civil War historian and author William C. “Jack” Davis and a keynote address by Craig Symonds, professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval Academy. Symonds was a co-recipient of the Lincoln Prize for his book, Lincoln and His Admirals.

Wilmington History App
wihi, formerly Wilmington History Tours, has introduced its Civil War Wilmington tour to its lineup of self-guided walking tours on the wihi app that is available for download on smartphones or tablets.

With 18 stops on the Civil War tour, the app utilizes GPS technology, audio and images to tell the story of Wilmington’s involvement in the Civil War. 

“The technology really allows you to present history in a way that just wasn’t possible a few years ago,” wihi co-founder Beverly Tetterton said in a press release. “There’s something about standing in the actual place where something important happened – and being able to listen to the story, while looking at images of what a place used to be, and seeing the faces of the people involved.

“It helps you to better understand what happened and imagine what it must have been like.”