Brunswick Town, North Carolina facts for kids
Brunswick Town was an important town in North Carolina during the colonial period. It was the first successful European settlement in the Cape Fear area. In the 1700s, it became a major port. Two of North Carolina's governors also lived there.
Brunswick Town lasted for 50 years. In 1776, British forces burned it during the American Revolutionary War. The town was never rebuilt. Many years later, during the American Civil War, a large part of the old town was covered by earthworks. These were built for Fort Anderson.
Today, Brunswick Town is an important historical site. You can see the ruins of 18th-century homes and businesses. St. Philip's Church ruins are also there. You can also explore Fort Anderson and Russellborough, which was a governor's home. The Brunswick Town Historic District and St. Philip's Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Founding Brunswick Town
Before Brunswick Town was built, the Cape Fear Native Americans lived in this area. They helped the colonists fight the Tuscarorans in the Tuscarora War (1711–15). Later, they fought against the colonists in the Yamasee War (1715–1717).
In 1725, a man named Colonel Maurice Moore received 1,500 acres of land. He started Brunswick Town in June 1726. The first piece of land was sold to Cornelius Harnett Sr.
Colonel Maurice Moore's father was Governor James Moore of Carolina. Maurice Moore's son, James Moore, became a general. His other son, Maurice Moore, became a judge. The town was named after Brunswick-Lüneburg, a German territory. This area was ruled by King George I of Great Britain.
Brunswick Town grew quickly. It became a busy port. Ships exported products from longleaf pine trees. These included tar, pitch, and turpentine. These materials were used for the Royal Navy and other ships.
By the 1730s, Brunswick Town was the political center of the Cape Fear region. It became the county seat for New Hanover County. Brunswick Town was important for Wilmington. The Cape Fear River was too shallow closer to Wilmington for large ships. Brunswick Town was the third "capital" of colonial North Carolina. This meant the governor lived there from 1743 to 1770.
Spanish Attack on Brunswick
The Port of Brunswick became the busiest port in North Carolina. It shipped goods to Europe and the British West Indies. England was often at war with Spain and France. The Cape Fear area was a good place for enemies to attack.
From September 3–6, 1748, Brunswick Town was attacked by privateers from Spain. Two Spanish ships, La Fortuna and La Loretta, anchored near the town. The townspeople were scared and ran into the nearby woods.
On September 4, 1748, the Spanish started raiding the town. They looked for valuable items and enslaved people. Since the town was empty, they easily raided the abandoned ships and houses.
On September 5, Captain William Dry III gathered about 67 men. They had muskets and pistols. On September 6, William Dry III, with help from others, began a counterattack. A slave volunteered by George Ronalds also joined them. The Spanish fled from the town. Ten privateers were killed, and thirty were captured. During their escape, La Fortuna exploded, killing most of the men on board. The second ship, La Loretta, surrendered. They were allowed to leave. Only one person defending the town died. The slave volunteered by George Ronalds died when a small cannon exploded.
The abandoned ship, La Fortuna, was still in the river. William Dry III hired sailors to search it for valuable items. They brought ashore guns, anchors, and items stolen from the town. A painting of the Ecce Homo was also found. This painting was given to St. James Church in Wilmington. It is still there today.
The town sold the captured Spanish slaves and goods from the abandoned ship. The money from these sales helped build St. Philip's Church in Brunswick Town and St. James Church in Wilmington.
Russellborough: A Governor's Home
Russellborough was first owned by Captain John Russell. It was a large, two-story house and plantation. Royal Governor Arthur Dobbs bought the land in 1758 before the house was finished. Governor Dobbs made changes and completed it. He called it "Castle Dobbs."
After Governor Dobbs died in 1765, William Tryon became the new governor. Governor Tryon moved into the house in 1765 and called it "Castle Tryon." Later, Governor Tryon moved to his new home in New Bern, known as Tryon Palace.
Governor Tryon sold his Brunswick Town plantation to William Dry III. William Dry III renamed it Bellfont. In 1776, British forces burned the plantation.
When Fort Anderson was built, Russellborough was not touched. Today, you can see the excavated ruins of Russellborough at the Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site. Artifacts found at Russellborough are displayed in the visitor center.
Resisting the Stamp Act
On November 1, 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act. This law made colonists pay a tax on many printed materials. That same month, a British ship arrived at the port with the stamps. However, angry citizens of Brunswick Town met the Captain. They refused to let the stamps off the ship.
Governor Tryon tried to calm the residents. But he was determined to enforce the law. In February 1766, two more ships arrived at Brunswick Town. These ships did not have the required stamp clearance. So, they were not allowed to unload their goods.
On February 20, 1766, Patriot leaders led hundreds of citizens. These leaders included John Ashe, Cornelius Harnett, and James Moore. They went to arrest royal officials in the town. The Patriots also surrounded the governor's home. They protested the Stamp Act of 1765 and placed Governor Tryon under house arrest. This protest was one of the first times colonists violently resisted British rule. It led to the end of stamp tax collection in the Cape Fear region.
Decline and Abandonment
Wilmington continued to grow. Also, Governor Tryon moved to his new palace in New Bern. Because of this, Brunswick Town slowly declined.
By 1775, the few families still living in Brunswick Town left. They feared a British attack during the American Revolutionary War. In July 1775, Patriots attacked Fort Johnston. The following spring, in 1776, a British raiding party attacked Brunswick Town. They burned most of the town's buildings, including Russellborough. They also likely burned St. Philip's Church. Later, British forces burned parts of the town again.
After the war, only a few families returned to Brunswick. The port still operated for a while. But by 1830, the town site was completely abandoned. It was sold to Frederick Jones Hill, who owned Orton Plantation, for $4.25.
In March 1862, engineers from the Confederate States Army surveyed the remains of Brunswick Town. The Confederates built earthworks and trenches over the town site. These covered the remains of several burnt buildings, except for St. Philip's Church. The fort was built to protect Wilmington, which was 10 miles upstream. Wilmington was a vital port during the Civil War. The fort was first called Fort St. Philip. It was renamed Fort Anderson in July 1863.
During the attack on Fort Anderson in February 1865, cannonballs hit the walls of St. Philip's Church. These cannonballs were shot from Union ships in the Cape Fear River. You can still see the marks today.
Discovering the Past: Excavation
In 1899, a new group called the Cape Fear Chapter of the North Carolina Society of The Colonial Dames of America visited Brunswick Town. They wanted to honor those who died in the Revolutionary War. In 1902, they placed a marble plaque inside the roofless ruins of St. Philip's Church. It honored Maurice Moore, the founder of Brunswick Town.
In 1952, Dr. Lawrence Lee Jr. became interested in Brunswick Town. He believed the site should be excavated. In 1958, the State Department of Archives and History hired Dr. Lee. His job was to clear the land and find the town's ruins. Dr. Lee asked archaeologist Stanley South for help.
South began extensive excavations at Brunswick Town in 1958. They found items like bullets, buttons, and a cannonball inside the St. Philip's Church ruins. The remains of Brunswick Town are now a state historic site. Visitors can tour the town's ruins and the earthworks of Fort Anderson.
Brunswick Town in Pop Culture
Brunswick Town was one of the filming locations for the television series Sleepy Hollow.
