Historic Bethabara Park

Spencer West

Last Sunday, two of my buddies and I, who are quite interested in the history of North Carolina and how it relates to the grander history of the United States, visited the Historic Bethabara Park. As we arrived, I was stunned to see how well preserved many of the sites and buildings seemed to be. Our first stop was the Distiller's House, which was the site of the first know commercial brewery and distillery in North Carolina, according to the park. An interesting fact I learned about the Distiller's House is the current building is the third edition, as the original house was relocated and the second distillery burned down in a fire in 1802. The current distillery was completed in 1803 and still stands today. After learning about how the people of Bethabara consumed a monthly average of 270 gallons of brandy, we continued to explore the rich archaeological history of the park. We visited the Gemeinhaus, The Medicinal Garden, The Palisade Fort (which was reconstructed in 2012), and several locations which are now merely ruins such as the Tailor's House and the Congregation Store Addition. I also found it fascinating being able to observe how people lived nearly 300 years ago compared to how we live today. I would highly recommend visiting this historical site, regardless of if you are from North Carolina or not, as it provides fantastic relics of the past to see for free!

Kerry Riley

Great educational experience

John Latimer

It was a warm vibrant Sunday afternoon. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was the perfect day to analyze experimental archaeological processes. In order to investigate, a couple of pals and I called up Shakurra and endeavored towards this beacon of civilization. Upon arriving at the site, I was absolutely stunned by my surroundings. The buildings were in great shape, but that wasn’t the most surprising feature of the park, rather the remains of buildings that were. Stone outlines lay spread amongst the grounds, formally used as bedrooms, kitchens, workshops, and wells. Other parts of the settlement have been recreated or maintained, like the fort walls towering over the stone remains, their purpose remaining apparent. The contrasts between what has been preserved and what has been recovered is super interesting to see. Buildings like the distillery have been preserved while buildings like the wells have been lost, showing the importance of alcohol to this settlement. An interesting fact I learned is that the distillery held up to 250 gallons of peach brandy, which is crazy to think about but relatable to our modern society. As the day continued and the sweat dripped off my brow, I realized it was time to say goodbye. But what I didn’t realize is that in this short amount of time, Bethabara became home. 10/10

Keegan Walter

My two buddies and I visited the Historic Bethabara Park this weekend and were very satisfied with what we found. Not only did we learn a lot about the early Moravian settlement, but we also formed connections to our Experimental Archeology course. We found it interesting to learn about all of the different buildings that used to be in the area/still are in that area, and how they laid the foundations for some that are no longer. The whole site is really an example of experimental archaeology, as foundations, buildings, wells, and walls have been reconstructed in their original areas as a means of preservation. In one of the photos linked there is a plaque with a description of the Tailors Shop. The description says “Iron needles and pins…gave further evidence of the tailor’s presence”. In our class we have read about the use of experimental archaeology and artifacts, and how artifacts can be analyzed, and this final statement on the Tailor’s Shop description perfectly exemplifies experimental archaeology. Overall, I am really glad that we took this trip. The park was beautiful, and the day complimented it. With great weather, the park was easy to navigate, and it was super interesting to read each description of the buildings and learn a little about the history of this town.