Brunswick attraction recovering from Florence

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site was heavily damaged by the September storm

BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site is now open to visitors, according to a news release from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The historic site of an early Southeastern North Carolina settlement near Wilmington suffered significant damage from Hurricane Florence. Before reopening on Dec. 4, it had been closed since the storm hit in September of last year. The site’s visitors’ center will remain closed until repairs can be completed.

“Once warmer weather arrives, we will resume outdoor programming and events,” site manager Jim McKee said in the release. “There are still lots of things to see at Brunswick Town this time of year.”

Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

Among the sights at the site are ruins of the foundations of colonial buildings of the former port town, along with the shell of the former St. Philip’s Anglican Church. Brunswick Town never recovered after being burned by British troops in 1776 during the Revolutionary War.

During the Civil War, the Confederate Fort Anderson was built on the site to help defend Wilmington from Union forces. Reenactments of Civil War battles are still held on the site.

Contact John Staton at 910-343-2343 or John.Staton@StarNewsOnline.com.