City of Fayetteville plans to allocate $6.6 million for Civil War museum

On Monday, the Fayetteville City Council voted 9-0 to authorize the city manager to enter an agreement with the North Carolina History Center Foundation for the proposed North Carolina History Center on the Civil War, Emancipation and Reconstruction.

The city is planning to allocate $6.6 million to the museum, which will be located on Arsenal Avenue near downtown. The city council also authorized city staff to prepare for the appropriation of $3.3 million during the Nov. 14 meeting with the remaining $3.3 million to be appropriated at a later date.

The city’s money will go with a $59.6 million grant from the state, $7.5 million from Cumberland County and about $15 million in private funds from people in North Carolina.

Residents and city councilmembers have expressed concerns about how the proposed center will tell the history of the Civil War.

“There’s a lot of concern and angst about the content,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said.

The North Carolina History Center Foundation has worked since 2012 to develop plans to build, equip, furnish and create content and exhibits on the campus.

“People are right to be skeptical on issues of Civil War history because for [more than] 150 years, we’ve been getting it wrong,” District 3 councilmember Mario Benavente said. “We’ve been elevating myths.”

Colvin said it’s a requirement for City Manager Doug Hewett to outline the process working with the foundation on an agreement. It’s something the city council is expected to consider at a later date.