Known as the “Gibraltar of the South”, Fort Fisher protected the Port of Wilmington during the American Civil War until it fell to U.S. Forces in 1865. Colonel Seawall Fremont named the site “Fort Fisher” in memory of his friend, Charles F. Fisher. Fisher was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, and was killed in action at the Battle of Bull Run in 1861. The Fort became North Carolina’s first National Historic Landmark in 1961.
In 2021, the Fort Fisher site welcomed over one million annual visitors. The original Center was functional, but outdated. It could neither accommodate the increasing number of visitors nor offer them the level of educational and interpretive services needed. The updated Fort Fisher Visitor Center provides a more engaging and informative experience for its visitors, and helps them understand the fort’s significance in our nation’s history.
The new, state-of-the-art facility is comprised of a 24,300 SF, two-story Visitor Center and a 6,337 SF Underwater Archaeology Building (U.A.B). It offers improved exhibits, more space for displays and educational programs, and better amenities. The construction of the Visitor Center was a meticulous process that combined historical sensitivity with cutting-edge engineering.
The new Fort Fisher Visitor Center sits just a few hundred yards from the Atlantic shoreline, and is bordered by the Cape Fear River. The building foundation is anchored by 181 auger piles, a critical element that supports the cast-in-place structural concrete frame. This robust foundation ensures stability and longevity – enabling the building to withstand the challenges posed by the coastal environment.
The Fort Fisher Visitor Center received the ABC of the Carolinas Golden Eagle Award for best Historical Renovation/Restoration project ($10M – $25M division) in November 2024.
Bordeaux Construction has consistently demonstrated professionalism, integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the success of this project. I have been incredibly impressed by their work and would highly recommend them for future projects.
Dennis E. Stallings, FAIA
Principal | Design Director, Clark Nexsen
