The North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center will hold a groundbreaking on June 2 for its third phase of construction. The center is expected to cost $80 million and it is being built near downtown Fayetteville. This is the third groundbreaking event for the museum. The earlier ceremonies were organized for other phases of the project.
When the Center was first announced there were concerns that it would be a center for “Confederate Heritage.” According to local news coverage:
“It’s very disconcerting when we hear as we have heard that we are going to develop for example a confederate museum, which we have no intention whatsoever of doing,” said Mary Lynn Bryan of the center’s board of directors.
Bryan said at the beginning of the project, a private donor offered money to build the center if they would put all the confederate statues inside it. The group behind NC Civil War & Reconstruction History Center turned down the offer….
Those who are spearheading the project plan to turn the center over to the state to operate. State lawmakers have already earmarked at least $50 million to build this center.
Both the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County have committed $7.5 million each. Organizers are relying on private donors for the rest of the money.
“No other history center we found in the country is going to focus on this period of reconstruction like we are. Everybody (is) afraid to tell that story… we are not,” said John Mac Healy of the center’s board of directors.
The board says this facility won’t only be a tourist attraction in Fayetteville but also become part of the state’s education curriculum.
“We owe it to the next generation, we are not going to solve problems, but we are going to educate people on why his background is different than her background,” Healy said.
Follow Reconstruction Blog on Social Media:
