NC's Civil War Trail leads to Fort Macon

With me being a Civil War buff, our beach trip had to include a visit to historic Fort Macon, one of the best preserved 19th century forts in the U.S. It was first constructed when the nation saw a critical need to better defend its seaports during time of war. It was strategically located on the tip of the island across the inlet from Beaufort.



In 1861, Confederate forces seized the fort at the outbreak of the Civil War. But Union forces laid seige to the fort and were able to reclaim it before the end of 1862. The fort was given to the state of North Carolina following World War I, but was reactivated as a working fort during World War II. During this time, it was an integral part of our coastal defenses, as German U-boats prowled the Atlantic coast.




The modern visitors' center houses artifacts, a gift shop, and an excellent media presentation of the fort's story.

Then we were off to tour the fort itself. When I saw the sheer drop-off of the inner walls, I steered clear. Judy, having learned from our dear friend Liz, risked life and limb to venture out on this narrow catwalk.

This inner area was actually a moat, and there was a secret means of flooding it with seawater if the need had ever arisen.

One of the fort's points of entry.

Old Glory flies high above Fort Macon and can be seen from afar, both by land and by sea.

The perimeter of the fort's body consists of casements, rooms with specific purposes, such as storage, quarters for the troop, etc.

During battles, cannonballs such as these might keep attacking ships at bay.

A cannon like this could launch the projectiles to a distant target.

Another deadly defensive tool were mortars. Mortars like these could send "hotshot", superheated shells far into the atmosphere, where they would descend with increasing velocity. On impact they would explode, scattering shrapnel in all directions, killing, maiming, and setting fires. Charlestonians had used the hotshot effectively to bring about the surrender of Fort Sumter, as there was a great risk of the fort's gunpowder supply being ignited.

Here you can see the thickness of the fort's brickwork. Our visit was truly a trip back in time.

On the beach adjacent to the fort, we thought the water was bluer and the sand whiter than anywhere else on the island.

Here, you can see see the nearness of Beaufort. A few enterprising folks were picnicking, fishing, strolling the beaches, or birdwatching. We saw no swimmers on this March day.

Just a few more photos will wrap up this tale of our gypsy trip. Here are the fishing boats of Beaufort. While there, we visited a small but very nice maritime museum. There was a heavy emphasis on Blackbeard, the Queen Anne's Revenge, and pirates in general.

A scene from a public access beach we stopped at.

It's hard to imagine some of these quiet, secluded areas once the tourist season gets in full swing.

We were glad to be at the coast when we had ample personal space. An atmosphere of serenity prevailed almost everywhere.

This shrouded path to the beach reminded us of enchanted forests in The Wizard of Oz or The Lord of the Rings. But no talking trees. At least not this day.

On our final morning, we took one last stroll on the beach. As lovely as always.

I guess this row of seagulls were watching to see when we'd leave them in peace.

Judy snapped these next two shots as we approached, then crossed the bridge to Morehead City and the mainland. We were on our way to breakfast at Cox's Family Restaurant. It was as good as our other meals which were at Brandy's Pancake and Waffle House (all you can eat buffet), Dairy Queen (please don't laugh at us), and the Clamdigger Inn. Our only seafood meal was at the Clamdigger, and it was an outstanding flounder special, including homemade tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. Portions were generous, too, and the cost was about two-thirds what other seafood places were advertising.

So a fond farewell to the beach.

But lo and behold-- a fitting finale to this grand getaway. On U.S. 70 as you drive away from Morehead City, a recently opened Harris Teeter store advertised this unbelievable special.

TRIPLE COUPONS EVERY DAY! This would have made it a successful trip for Judy even if the beach had been closed or we had had to sleep in the car. She came out with three bagfuls of groceries for $5.00. Plus a big smile.

We got home late afternoon happy that our long-awaited trip had been such a delightful one. We're already talking about a return visit in 2011.