The Museum of the Cape Fear presents exhibits on southeastern North Carolina, from the Paleo-Indians to the early twentieth century. The complex also features the 1897 Poe House and Arsenal Park. Please visit our website for more information.
Information
- Location:
- Fayetteville, NC, 28305
- Phone:
- (910) 486-1330
- Tues - Sat:
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Sun:
- 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Photos
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1897 Poe HouseCreated about 3 months ago
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Events
6 past eventsSee All
- BREAKING THE SILENCE: N.C. VIE...
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical ...
Sunday, November 15 at 2:00pm - Doghandlers of the Vietnam War
Museum of the Cape Fear
Sunday, November 8 at 1:00pm - Poe House Special Exhibit -- S...
1897 Poe House -- Museum of the Cap...
Tuesday, September 29 at 10:00am - Arsenal Park Living History --...
Museum of the Cape Fear -- Arsenal ...
Sunday, October 25 at 1:00pm - Second Annual North Carolina Q...
Multi-purpose room -- Museum of the...
Thursday, September 24 at 7:00pm - 2009 Festival of Yesteryear
Museum of the Cape Fear/Arsenal Park
Saturday, September 12 at 10:00am
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
Dr. Sharon Raynor will share Vietnam War veterans’ memories of sacrifice, pride, disappointment, honor and recovery in her presentation “Breaking the Silence and Healing the Soul: The Oral Histories of Vietnam War Veterans of North Carolina.” The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex will host Raynor, an N.C. Huma...nities Council Road Scholar, on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. Admission is free.
Raynor’s interest in Vietnam veterans stems from her father’s war experiences, depicted in photographs and journal entries during his tour of duty. She has collected oral histories from veterans who were previously silenced by their memories of war.
This program focuses on the stories of those veterans, once bound by a strict code of unbreakable silence, who have formed a brotherhood to heal their wounded souls. Raynor will discuss the process she used to gain their trust in order to record their wartime experiences. Several Vietnam veterans will accompany Raynor to share their stories and answer questions.
The program is the final event supporting A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans, an exhibit created and curated by Martin Tucker of Winston-Salem. Her appearance is made possible by a grant from the N.C. Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information, call the Museum of the Cape Fear at 910/486-1330.
Time:2:00PM Sunday, November 15th
Location:Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
During the Vietnam War, dog handlers served with their dogs in more than 88,000 missions. The dogs saved the lives of more than 10,000 American soldiers. On Sunday, Nov. 8, Jeff Bonemeyer, a living-history presenter, and his German shepherd, Heidi, will give a demonstration of a U.S. Army dog team at the Museum of the ...Cape Fear. From 1 to 4 p.m., visitors can interact with Bonemeyer and Heidi, and learn about the uniforms, weapons and K-9 equipment used in the war between 1968 and 1969. Learn about the dogs, or four-legged soldiers, and those who trained, loved and cared for them.
Although he stresses that re-enacting could never simulate what real combat was like for soldiers, he hopes that it serves as a reminder for everyone to be thankful for the sacrifices made by all who served, including the war dogs.
“While re-enacting, I gain a feel for what it was like to be a soldier in another era,” Bonemeyer says. “Living-history events are incredibly rewarding for me. They allow me to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for history with others.”
Bonemeyer saved Heidi from Lake Norman Animal Rescue more than three years ago. He always wanted a German shepherd, and Heidi was the perfect companion in his plan to re-enact a U.S. Army dog team. He became interested in the Vietnam War as a child because the father of a friend had served.
This program is presented in conjunction with A Thousand Words: Photographs by Vietnam Veterans, an exhibit that serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women of the armed forces. The exhibit was created and curated by Martin Tucker of Winston-Salem.
Time:1:00PM Sunday, November 8th
Location:Museum of the Cape Fear
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
Though the Fayetteville Arsenal was originally constructed and used by the federal government for the storage of arms and equipment, at the outbreak of the Civil War it was taken over by North Carolina troops in 1861. The Confederate government then began an ambitious project to convert the arsenal into a massive indu...strial site, producing arms, ammunition and equipment for the fledgling Confederate Army. During the course of the war, skilled artisans produced over 10,000 “Fayetteville” rifles, as well as bayonets and gun carriages. Due to the wartime shortage of manpower, the arsenal also employed local women and children, who produced over a million rounds of small arms and artillery ammunition.
Join us as living historians recreate these trades and skills, demonstrating some of the period techniques and tools used in the production of 19th century rifles and cartridges. Highlights of the program will include gunsmithing, blacksmithing, cartridge making and bullet casting. Guided tours of the arsenal grounds led by a Civil War reenactor will be conducted on the hour, between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m., culminating in a musket firing demonstration and Question & Answer session at the end of each tour. For more information contact Chris Woodson at 910-486-1330.
Time:1:00PM Sunday, October 25th
Location:Museum of the Cape Fear -- Arsenal Park
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
Did you know that mourning practices once included “dressing” a house to announce a death to the community? This custom was common in the late-19th century and early-20th century.
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex in Fayetteville will be transforming the 1897 Poe House for mourning as part its presentatio...n Sorrow Is Sacred. From Tuesday, Sept. 29, through Nov. 8, visitors can tour the home to learn about the values, beliefs and behaviors associated with loss and grief in the late-19th and early-20th century. Displays throughout the Poe House will focus on three aspects of mourning customs: dressing the house, personal expressions of grief, and home funerals. Tours will take place on the hour Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Upon the death of a family member, the bereaved immediately dressed the house in mourning to inform the community. They drew the blinds and muffled the doorbell to prevent the family from being disturbed. Some followed other customs, such as draping mirrors with black fabric and stopping all clocks, which were based upon superstition. Discover the reasons behind these beliefs during the tour of the Poe House.
The bereaved communicated their loss by donning mourning attire. This custom identified the mourner to others, showed respect for the deceased, and generated community empathy. Women completely changed their wardrobes; many wore black for two and a half years. Men wore a black arm band over their shirt sleeve. Mourning etiquette was very structured and even required aunts, uncles and cousins to wear these outward marks of grief for a specific time. Visitors to the Poe House will see a variety of women’s mourning apparel, including a dress, fan, parasol, handbag and jewelry.
Home funerals were common in the early 1900s, since a home was the center of family life. For many people, your home was where you were born, married, and laid out for your funeral. In the Poe House parlor, see a late-19th-century coffin adorned with floral displays typical of the period. Learn about the funeral practices and expressions of respect and courtesy for the family.
When did these customs and practices change? How did we shift from home funerals to the services of professional undertakers? The Poe House tour includes documents pertaining to early-20th-century funeral parlors that help outline the development of the profession and the slow progression to today’s customs and rituals.
Come see how mourning practices have changed in our society. Join a Poe House tour of Sorrow is Sacred. For more information, call Heidi Bleazey at (910) 486-1330.
Learn about the Mourning Customs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Time:10:00AM Tuesday, September 29th
Location:1897 Poe House -- Museum of the Cape Fear
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex Learn about life in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by touring the home of an affluent Fayetteville businessman and his family. Guided tours are offered on the hour. FREE to the public!
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
Have you ever wanted to be a contestant on a quiz show like “Jeopardy?” Well, the Museum of the Cape Fear will give you a similar opportunity at the second annual North Carolina Quiz Bowl on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. Sign up as a contestant to show off your knowledge of the Tar Heel State, or come and watch the com...petition. The event is FREE to contestants and spectators.
The North Carolina Quiz Bowl is patterned after the museum’s popular Civil War Quiz Bowl. The Sept. 24 event is limited to 20 participants, and contestants can preregister by calling (910) 486-1330. Registration will be available at the door and will continue until all 20 slots are filled. Contestants of all ages are welcome. There are two age divisions: 17 and over and 16 and under. Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each age division!
The North Carolina Quiz Bowl is a great way for participants and spectators to learn about the state. Categories for the Sept. 24 competition include the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, sports, and the 20th century. The Quiz Bowl promises a family-friendly, educational evening of North Carolina history. The event also gives new residents a fun way to discover more about their new state. For further information or to register, call or email Jim Brisson.
Enjoy an Evening of North Carolina History
Time:7:00PM Thursday, September 24th
Location:Multi-purpose room -- Museum of the Cape Fear
Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex
In these tough economic times, the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex offers a day of free family fun. Consider the upcoming Festival of Yesteryear a cultural stimulus package! This event on Sat., Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be an amazing historical experience for all ages.
Family and child-friendly a...ctivities will include an interactive toy and game section and a doll-making project. In Apprentice Alley, kids can make a tricorn hat, work rebus puzzles, and much more. Professional storytellers will regale both young and old with exciting tales of colonial North Carolina.
Watch military re-enactors interpret the life of 18th-century soldiers, such as Highland Scots, hessians, Patriot militia, and British dragoons. The re-enactors will also present several small-arms firing demonstrations throughout the day.
For more information, call Jim Brisson at (910) 437-2603, or email him at jim.brisson@ncdcr.gov.
Experience North Carolina's Rich Colonial Heritage
Time:10:00AM Saturday, September 12th
Location:Museum of the Cape Fear/Arsenal Park
