Jacksonville shares part of its heart and soul with the USMC, and it shows in the dozen markers, memorials, and places of meditation around town. Some are large, others small; some visitors feel the reverence of these places while others feel the staggering weight of grief and longing. Honor the sacrifices made by Marines, their families, and their community at the bubbling Freedom Fountain — a response to the Gulf War and the duties of all service members — the monuments to translators or Corpsmen, or the other moving tributes at Lejeune Memorial Gardens.
A monument to those who died in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings at the Beirut Memorial. photograph by Andrew Craft
On October 23, 1983, a bomb detonated at a barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers who were stationed there as part of a multinational peacekeeping force. This memorial — the largest privately funded military memorial in the U.S. — honors those who died that day in Lebanon and those who died in Grenada in the following days, when Marines and other service members sought to evacuate Americans trapped on the island in the midst of a coup. In all, 273 names are engraved in the stone of this memorial, as well as the words “They came in peace,” signifying the heavy cost of freedom. Each year, a moving tribute marks the anniversary of the Beirut bombing as military and civic leaders, enlisted Marines, veterans, and the public gather to remember the fallen.
A wall with the names of men and women who served in the Vietnam War can be seen at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. photograph by Andrew Craft
The USMC suffered heavy losses during the Vietnam War, and this memorial gives name to all Marines and service members who died during the conflict. It’s the second-largest Vietnam memorial in the nation, and one of a handful to list all of the fallen. This wall of names is reflective at points, transparent at others, giving visitors time for personal introspection and instances where the sacrifices of these service members reveals a larger world. A dome and fountain create a quiet, tranquil space for contemplation and meditation, carving a moment of peace from this long, costly conflict.
The Eagle, Globe & Anchor is as an enduring symbol of the United States Marine Corps, and a huge sculpture of this iconic image stands in a reflecting pool in Jacksonville. Soon, it will serve as a gateway to the Carolina Museum of the Marine, scheduled to open in 2026, but for now, the sculpture serves as a place of reflection and a photo opportunity for veterans, current service members, new enlistees, and their families. Stars on the globe mark routine Marine deployments, and the reaching talons of the eagle speak to their combat-readiness.
Among the monuments at Lejeune Memorial Gardens are tributes to the Montford Point Marines. photograph by VisitNC.com
The Montford Marines were the first Black Marines in the Corps, and they trained here at Camp Lejeune. Under terrible social conditions and discriminatory military rules, they hand-built their own camp and training facilities while simultaneously going through boot camp. Some 20,000 Montford Marines cycled through Camp Lejeune, and in 2012, this group of remarkable servicemen was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. At this memorial, a dynamic sculpture shows a Montford Marine climbing the slope of a Pacific Island, rifle in hand, determined to win the day for his Marine brothers. The sculpture is notable because of the rifle; Montford Marines were assigned to anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition resupply duties. This memorial captures a moment when Black Marines transitioned from support roles to infantrymen and entered the fray. — Jason Frye
Lejeune Memorial Gardens
109 Montford Landing Road
Jacksonville, NC 28540
The Wayne County Museum preserves and shares Air Force history with visitors in Goldsboro. photograph by Charles Harris
In 1942, as the U.S. sent its young men to war in Europe and the Pacific, the Goldsboro Woman’s Club offered up its headquarters to the USO. As many as 12,000 service members passed through the doors of the Jeffersonian Revival-style building on North William Street every month for dances, parties, movies, and more.
It functioned as a USO until it was officially turned back over to the Woman’s Club in January 1947. Today, the building is home to the Wayne County Museum, but echoes of its past remain. The original neon USO sign hangs above a military uniform on the second-floor ballroom, now the museum’s Military Gallery, which showcases local history during conflicts dating back to the Civil War. This year’s fall/winter exhibit will be on the history of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
The building has its own history: At the end of World War I, local women began operating a cafeteria and running a filling station to raise funds to build a Women’s Club HQ. It was completed in 1927 at a cost of $46,000. The Woman’s Club paid off the mortgage at the end of World War II with funds donated by the USO.
Wayne County Museum
116 North William Street
Goldsboro, NC 27530
Born out of Wayne County’s desire to honor residents killed during World War I, the Wayne County Memorial Community Building was officially dedicated in the summer of 1925. For nearly eight decades, it served the community in many ways, including providing office and meeting space for the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Boys and Girls Club, the American Legion, and more.
The building was destroyed by a fire in 2004, but the bronze plaques bearing the names of those who lost their lives at war survived. Out of the ashes rose the Wayne County Veterans Memorial Park, advocated for by veterans and others who wanted the space to stay true to its origins as a “living memorial” to Wayne County’s war heroes.
Today, the park consists of a pavilion, brick walkways, a sculpture, flags, a fountain, and 50 varieties of plants and trees. A Memorial Wall bears the original bronze plaques recovered from the fire. The cornerstone of the original community building — dated 1924 — also remains. — Kristin Davis
Wayne County Veterans Memorial Park
235 East Walnut Street
Goldsboro, NC 27530
Special events and programming happen throughout the year at Newport Historical Museum; follow their social media pages for the latest updates. photograph by Baxter Miller
In Newport, Chatham Street anchors an old community with new life. The Newport Historical Museum — located in the old 1928 Teacherage, built to house single female teachers — is staffed by volunteers like Linda Pollock, who are eager to share the history of the place they call home. Appropriate for a museum in a building centered on education, much of the homegrown exhibits are dedicated to telling the story of the Newport Consolidated School, constructed in 1922 to merge six schools in the surrounding area. “After the base was started,” Pollock says, “the kids that lived in that area at that time were trucked — and that’s the word they used — from the Havelock area to here. Quite a few of them graduated from this high school because there was no high school on that side of Craven County.”
Newport Historical Museum
220 Chatham Street
Newport, NC 28570
facebook.com/newporthistoricalmuseum
Next door to the history museum is a replica of an earthen fort abandoned by the Confederacy shortly after it was built. It was subsequently occupied by the U.S. Army and operated as a supply depot for the federal defense system from New Bern to Morehead City. Today, visitors can stroll along a mulch path through an interpretation of what the encampment would have looked like in 1864, complete with a cannon and cluster of log barracks and support buildings. — Ryan Stancil
Battle of Newport Barracks Civil War Memorial Park
220 Chatham Street
Newport, NC 28570
Since its retirement in 1986, this AV-8A Harrier jet has stood in front of the Havelock Police Station as a tribute to all military and civilian employees of the area. photograph by Baxter Miller
Down the road in Havelock, get up close and personal with an AV-8A, the first aircraft capable of vertical, short takeoff and landings in the U.S. Armed Forces. Dedicated to the military and civilian employees of Cherry Point, the first-of-its-kind aircraft entered service in the Marine Corps in 1971 and was used for air-to-ground military maneuvers. The plane at the monument began service in 1974 and was flown by Marine Attack Squadron 513, known as the “Flying Nightmares,” and 231, the “Ace of Spades.” After almost 3,000 hours of flight, the aircraft was decommissioned in 1986. — Ryan Stancil
Havelock Harrier Monument
2 Governmental Avenue
Havelock, NC 28532
The U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum preserves and celebrates the base’s legacy. photograph by Alex Boerner
This museum boasts more than 80 years of Airborne history, including a rotor of a helicopter that crashed during the battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, in October 1993. The battle claimed the lives of 18 U.S. service members, including Robert Gordon and Randy Shugart, Special Operation Soldiers from the Army Special Operations Command. The pair died after volunteering to protect the pilots and crew at the crash site. The battle was made famous by a book and a movie, Black Hawk Down. The badly damaged helicopter is among the museum’s biggest attractions. — Greg Barnes
U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum
100 Bragg Boulevard
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910) 643-2778
asomf.org
J&S Candies grew their following with their popular Pecan Pie Chips, Hot Cajun Peanuts, and other nutty treats. photograph by Alex Boerner
Carmen and Larry Johnson have a loyal following of customers who visit them at Pate’s Farm Market in Fayetteville and, on Saturdays, stop by their stand at the City Market at the Museum. photograph by Alex Boerner
“I came to get my rations,” veteran Wayne Paterson says as he steps in line. The spice-tinged aroma of Pecan Pie Chips from J&S Candies has lured him back to the City Market at the Museum in Fayetteville for his weekly allotment. Candy makers Carmen and Larry Johnson are happy to oblige.
The crunchy pecan halves with their sugary coating conjure memories, from a grandmother’s Christmas pie to a husband’s deployment. Batches of J&S Candies’ Pecan Pie Chips have traveled the world, tucked into care packages sent to service members from Fort Liberty.
“They pick up a little love and take it with them,” says Carmen, whose palate was trained by her father, a U.S. Navy chef stationed at a base in New Jersey.
Larry greets Paterson with a smile. Reflecting on his service in Vietnam, Paterson recalls how it felt to receive a care package from home filled with goodies like these.
“Knowing that someone cared enough to take a little bit of their time to do something like that,” Paterson says, “meant a great deal to me.” — Wesley Broome
For more information about J&S Candies, visit jandscandies.net.
Elizabeth City visitors can shop at Roots Plant Company, owned by Navy veteran Molly Hoffmann. photograph by Chris Rogers
Massive monstera leaves tower overhead; potted philodendron, ZZ plants, and succulents overflow from tables and stands; and baskets of pothos and ferns hang from the ceiling inside this lush, earthy oasis. Owner Molly Hoffmann served for seven years in the Navy, where she met her husband, Christopher. He now serves in the Coast Guard, which brought their family to Elizabeth City. Hoffmann’s boutique plant shop is a destination, drawing out-of-town clientele who make a day trip out of finding new additions for their plant collections before concluding with a beer around the corner in Pailin’s Alley.
Roots Plant Company
114 North McMorrine Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 621-1236
rootsplantco.com
Explore the northeastern North Carolina’s history at the Museum of the Albemarle. photograph by Chris Rogers
Elizabeth City’s cultural grande dame overlooks Waterfront Park and the Pasquotank River. The museum shares and interprets the history of the counties around the Albemarle Sound, from Northampton to Hyde. Unsurprisingly, part of the museum’s focus is the region’s maritime culture, which is evident as you step into the entrance and see a restored 1904 shad boat suspended from the soaring ceiling. At this free museum, you can explore two floors of exhibits on topics that range from surfing in northeastern North Carolina to boatbuilding traditions and decoy carving. — Hannah Lee Leidy
Museum of the Albemarle
501 South Water Street
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 335-1453
museumofthealbemarle.com
All aboard! This magic-filled train ride through a Montgomery County wonderland includes seasonal sweets, plenty of cheer, and a few extra-special passengers.
Communities across the state celebrate the holiday season with sparkling lights, vibrant displays, and festive events that bring joy to the world.
North Carolina’s celebrated homes and historic districts are never more beautiful than by candlelight at Christmastime.
The thrill of the hunt takes on new fervor during the holidays. Seek and find in Randolph County, where the bounty of antiques can tempt a picker to abandon her list.
