After more than 30 years in storage, four small hand-crafted dioramas from the famous Blockade Runner Museum have come home to Carolina Beach thanks to a partnership between the Friends of Fort Fisher, Inc., Town of Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher State Historic Site.
Working with the Carolina Beach Town Council and Town Manager the Friends are pleased that these beautiful pieces of local history will once again be available for the public to view and appreciate in the atrium of the Carolina Beach Town Hall on N. Lake Park Boulevard during normal business hours. The dioramas will be unveiled by Council and Friends of Fort Fisher at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 14th, prior to the Town Council meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited.
Carolina Beach Town Hall is on the site of the Blockade Runner Museum, conceived, built and operated by the late John H. Foard beginning in 1967 until his death in 1977. The dioramas were built by master model maker Lionel G. Forrest. The museum collection was acquired by New Hanover County for the Cape Fear Museum in the 1980’s but lack of space and display cases relegated the dioramas to long-term storage. Still pressed for space, in 2015, the Cape Fear Museum offered the dioramas to Fort Fisher State Historic Site. Recognizing the historical significance and superb craftsmanship of the dioramas, the Friends of Fort Fisher raised funds and contracted with Anchor Wood Products in Leland, NC to build 5 new LED lighted museum quality display cases.
The Fort Fisher State Historic Site Visitor Center and Museum also lacked adequate display space for the dioramas but when approached, Carolina Beach Town Council offered to bring the dioramas home to Town Hall. Four of the five dioramas may be viewed at Town Hall. The fifth diorama is on loan to the North Carolina National Guard Training Center at the Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area as part of an ongoing educational display grouping.