Discover the myriad of sites across The Liberty Trail where significant cultural and Revolutionary history unfolded. From military ruins to meticulously restored mansions, immerse yourself in the footsteps of our nation’s history-makers.
The site of a former colonial port that thrived throughout the mid-18th century, most of the town was reportedly burned down by the British in 1776
Home to a Loyalist sympathizer, the Burgwin-Wright House stands as one of the oldest structures in Wilmington. In 1781, the likes of Cornwallis and...
Built in 1767, the Chowan County Courthouse is one of the oldest operating courthouses in the country and still serves the North Carolina Supreme...
Built in 1792 by Revolutionary War officer William Lenoir, Fort Defiance preserves the homestead that rose near the site of an earlier frontier fort...
North Carolina's first official town and port of entry, Bath served as an early hub of trade and development during the Colonial period.
Once a thriving commercial hub, Bethabara was home to a Moravian settlement in Winston-Salem that witnessed the French and Indian War, the Regulator...
Explore colonial Halifax at a preserved Revolutionary-era town where historic homes, public spaces, and hands-on exhibits reveal how North Carolinians...
Also known as the Alston House, the House in the Horseshoe served as a Patriot outpost where a four hour skirmish took place on July 29, 1781.
Soon after Greene took command of the southern theater, the tide of war began to turn in favor of the Patriots. Greene and his men turned south to reconquer the South Carolina backcountry. Throughout 1781, Greene steadily drove the British back to Charleston, which they abandoned the following December.
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko, a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and revolutionary, played a pivotal role as a military engineer in the American Revolution and later led a failed uprising to liberate Poland from Russian and Prussian control, leaving a legacy of unwavering commitment to the ideals of liberty across multiple nations.
Son of prominent leader John Baptista Ashe, John Ashe emerged as a leading Patriot in North Carolina, turning from crown loyalist to Revolutionary commander after colonial unrest and rising to brigadier general by 1776. Though defeated at Brier Creek and later captured when British forces overran Wilmington, Ashe died a prisoner of war in 1781 after contracting smallpox.
Born in England in 1723 and trained as a physician in London, John Pyle brought his family to Alamance County, North Carolina, where he later emerged as a steadfast Loyalist colonel. In 1781, his misidentification of Patriot troops as British escorts led to the brutal clash known as Pyle’s Defeat, leaving him wounded and maimed—yet ultimately tending to the very Patriot soldiers who had struck down his force.
Patriot forces under Andrew Pickens and "Light Horse Harry" successfully rout British forces in Alamance County following Cornwallis' failed attempt to catch Nathanael Greene during the "Race to the Dan"
Built in 1792 by Revolutionary War officer William Lenoir, Fort Defiance preserves the homestead that rose near the site of an earlier frontier fort and reflects the legacy of one family for nearly two centuries.
North Carolina's first official town and port of entry, Bath served as an early hub of trade and development during the Colonial period.
The site of a former colonial port that thrived throughout the mid-18th century, most of the town was reportedly burned down by the British in 1776
Also known as the Alston House, the House in the Horseshoe served as a Patriot outpost where a four hour skirmish took place on July 29, 1781.
Now the site of one of the last Scottish broadsword charges in history, nearly 1,000 North Carolina Patriots faced off against well-trained Highlanders in the first significant victory for the Patriots in the Revolution
Once a thriving commercial hub, Bethabara was home to a Moravian settlement in Winston-Salem that witnessed the French and Indian War, the Regulator War, and the American Revolution.
In an attempt to stall Cornwallis force, a contingent of Patriots initiated a delaying action which led to the death of General William Davidson
Explore colonial Halifax at a preserved Revolutionary-era town where historic homes, public spaces, and hands-on exhibits reveal how North Carolinians lived, worked, and governed in the 1700s. From influential leaders’ residences to springs, markets, and river landings, the site brings everyday life in a pivotal American community into sharp focus.
Located an hour away from Charlotte, the Ramsour's Mill battleground marks the site of the first Patriot victory in the south following the fall of Charleston.
The Battle of Alamance site marks the 1771 clash between royal militia and Regulator rebels, often called the last battle of the colonial period. Visitors can explore monuments and exhibits interpreting this early struggle over authority in the Carolina backcountry.
