Special to Iredell Museums
Iredell Museums has reopened with a new exhibit “We Have A Fort: Archaeological Discovery in Iredell County,” which showcasess the archaeological history of Fort Dobbs that led to its reconstruction.
After Fort Dobbs was abandoned following the end of the French and Indian War, the structure disappeared from the pastoral landscape. Interest in its remembrance and site preservation emerged in the 20th century when the Daughters of the American Revolution acquired the land where the fort once stood, but its exact location and style were a mystery.
Using primary sources from the time the fort was built, contemporary fort designs, and archaeological research, archaeologists and the Iredell community undertook a decades-long journey to uncover one of the most significant and well-known historic sites in Iredell County.
The exhibit at Iredell Museums features a 1/16th replica of Fort Dobbs based on archaeological research, artifact images, sketches from excavations, archaeology reports, newspaper articles, and more to demonstrate the significance of archaeology in understanding our history, and provides hands-on activities for kids to learn about archaeological practices and build their own model fort.
Located at 134 Court Street in Statesville, Iredell Museums is open Thursday-Friday 10 a.m to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for all visitors over age 2 and masks are required for all visitors over age 5. Admission is free for museum members.
LEARN MORE