FAYETTEVILLE — From April 2-5, 1 to 4 p.m. daily, the Museum of the Cape Fear will host Civil War Days. While Cumberland County School students are on spring break, the museum is providing several hands-on activities about the life of the common Civil War soldier. Activities will be arranged sequentially, taking students from the enlistment process to their parole, which for most North Carolinians took place in Greensboro after Johnston’s surrender to Sherman at Bennett Place. Other activities include making a paper haversack (no sewing required), writing letters using quill pens, trying on clothes for a soldier or a lady, learning a few drills from the manual of arms, taking a scavenger hunt and sending and receiving messages using signal flags like they did in the Civil War.
“No reason to be bored over spring break,” remarked Leisa Greathouse, Curator of Education. “Civil War Days promises to be fun. Last year we sponsored Pirate Fun Week in conjunction with a special exhibit about Blackbeard’s flag ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge. This year, we re-developed and added artifacts to our Civil War exhibit, which include objects recovered from the ship wreck, Modern Greece.”
The charm of museum programs allow learning to take place under the guise of having a good time. Activities are hands-on to provide an emersion experience so that students learn by doing. For more information call the museum at (910) 486-1330. The event and all activities are free.
The Museum of the Cape Fear is a unit of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. For more information on North Carolina arts, history and culture, visit Cultural Resources online.