STATESVILLE –Join North Carolina Provincial soldiers at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site as they celebrate the birthday of His Majesty, King George II, on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14-15. A special Ceremony for the King will be presented each day at noon. Thrill at the pageantry of arms and the roar of muskets during the weekend festivities.
Military drills, musket and cannon firings, camp life demonstrations, and diversions of the soldiers led by interpreters in period clothing will be offered from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., along with and tours of the fort. Special programming will feature a cricket match at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. A Divine Service (as the British called a church service) will be presented at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.
For more information, call (704) 873-5882 or visit www.fortdobbs.org.
“Because King George was supreme commander, his birthday and coronation day were regularly observed by British soldiers in every corner of the empire with cheers, song, gunfire, bonfires and games,” says Site Manager Beth Hill.
The role of Fort Dobbs and North Carolina in the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the first true world war, is an important chapter in the state’s colonial history. Built in 1756, the fort was named for Royal Governor Arthur Dobbs and was garrisoned from 1756-1761, sheltering frontier settlers during the war and serving as the colony’s western company headquarters. The fort was attacked Feb. 27, 1760, when soldiers fought off more than 60 Cherokee.
Fort Dobbs’ mission is to preserve and interpret the history of North Carolina’s only French and Indian War fort. It offers living history programs daily and is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The fort is located just one mile from I-77 and I-40 in Statesville.
Fort Dobbs is one of 27 sites in of the Division of N.C. Historic Sites and Properties within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history and culture. For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.