Park Day Volunteers Needed

History buffs, community leaders and preservationists will aid in the preservation of Civil War sites in North Carolina this spring. Historic Edenton holds its Park Day Saturday, March 30. Three other venues will have Park Day events Saturday, April 6 and one will be held Saturday, April 13. Thousands of volunteers across the country participate in the American Battlefield Trust organized event. 
 
March 30. Historic Edenton. Volunteers may participate in a range of activities including raking and doing yard work, repairing fences, picking up trash, installing signs or painting. Volunteers will receive a free Park Day t-shirt and tour of the James Iredell House. Call (252) 482-2637 or email Andrew.Cole@ncdcr.gov for information and to register. 9 a.m.
 
The Edenton Bell Battery was an artillery unit from Edenton that served in the Civil War. Bells were donated from area churches and were melted down to make cannons for the Confederate Army.
 
April 6. Bennett Place, Durham. Volunteers will help replace and update the split rail fence in the picnic area, landscape the picnic area and clear the family cemetery. This family event is open to all ages and abilities. Please bring rakes, gloves and headgear. The Bennett Support group will provide light snacks. Meet at 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd., Durham, N.C. Call (919) 383-4345 or email bennett@ncdcr.gov, for more information. 10 a.m.
 
Bennett Place is the site of the largest surrender of Confederate forces of the American Civil War, April 26, 1865.
 
April 6. Fort Fisher, Kure Beach. Volunteers will assist with painting artillery guns and carriages, cleaning brush, leaves and debris. Tools and gloves will be provided. Volunteers will receive a free Park Day t-shirt and lunch will be provided by the Friends of Fort Fisher. Call (910) 251-7340 for information and to register. Meet at 1610 Ft. Fisher Blvd. South, Kure Beach, N.C. 8:30 a.m.
 
Fort Fisher was the last open port for the supply line to the Army of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and fell after a massive land and amphibious assault Jan. 15, 1865.
 
April 6. N. C. Maritime Museum/Ft. Johnston, Southport. Volunteers will assist with planting, painting, and wood working. Lunch will be served at noon. Call (910) 477-5150.
 
Ft. Johnston was built to protect the lower Cape Fear River and the town of Brunswick in the mid-1700s. It was part of the Cape Fear Defense System during the Civil War and helped protect the Wilmington port. 
 
April 13. Bentonville Battlefield, Four Oaks. Volunteers will help with general maintenance. Snacks and lunch will be provided.  Call (910) 594-0789 or email amanda.brantley@ncdcr.gov, for information. 9:30 a.m.
 
The Battle of Bentonville, March 19-21, 1865, involved 80,000 troops and was the largest battle fought in North Carolina and the last Confederate offensive against Union Gen. William T. Sherman.
 
The American Battlefield Trust, formerly the Civil War Trust, is a national nonprofit land preservation organization devoted to the protection of America’s hallowed battlegrounds. It saves the battlefields of the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and educates the public about their importance in forging the nation we are today. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
 
The Division of State Historic Sites and State History Museums are within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.