CSS Neuse II

09/17/2026

✈️ What a Day! Wings Over the Neuse Was a Success! 🇺🇸

We’re still smiling from an incredible Wings Over the Neuse! Thank you to everyone who came out, participated, volunteered, sponsored, and helped make this annual fundraiser such a success.

Because of your support, the CSS Neuse Foundation can continue its mission of education, historic preservation, and sharing the story of the CSS Neuse and the people whose lives were shaped by our region’s history.

A special thank you to our generous sponsors who continue to invest in our mission year after year. Your support makes events like Wings Over the Neuse possible and helps us preserve these important stories for generations to come. We are truly grateful for your partnership and commitment.

And to our volunteers, vendors, participants, staff, and the entire community—thank you! Your time, energy, and enthusiasm helped create a memorable day and demonstrated once again what can happen when a community comes together to support history and education.

We couldn’t do it without you. ❤️

Thank you for helping us keep history alive!

08/10/2026

For several months, The Exchange at Hometowne has opened its doors to local non-profits for Bingo fundraising events. Tonya Adams is the woman behind these Bingo nights. As the owner of The Beauty Box and The Exchange, Tonya is a woman on a mission, working to make Lenoir County a better place.

07/20/2026

Save the date!

06/25/2026

The CSS Neuse was one of the Confederacy's most ambitious naval projects, and it never fired a single shot in combat. Built in Kinston on the banks of the Neuse River between 1862 and 1864, the ironclad gunboat was designed to challenge Union control of the North Carolina coast and protect the vital railroad town of Goldsboro. Workers labored under difficult conditions, with chronic shortages of iron, skilled labor, and almost everything else the Confederate war machine was struggling to provide.

By the time she was completed in the spring of 1864, the Neuse was already in trouble. The river was too low for her to navigate, and she ran aground almost immediately on her first attempt to move. She sat stranded for weeks. When she finally reached open water, the military situation had changed around her, and she never found her moment to strike. In March 1865, with Sherman's forces closing in, her crew burned and sank the Neuse to prevent capture.

The wreck of the CSS Neuse was raised from the river in 1963 and is now preserved at the CSS Neuse State Historic Site in Kinston. She is one of the best-preserved Confederate ironclads in existence, a quiet, rusting monument to Confederate ambition and the brutal limits of what the South could actually produce in those final years of the war.

04/18/2026

What a beautiful day for a meaningful cause! ☀️⚓

Today’s Breakfast on the Boat fundraiser was a wonderful success, bringing our community together in support of the CSS Neuse Foundation and its mission to preserve and share our rich history.

From the delicious breakfast to the scenic views and great company, every moment reminded us how special it is to gather with purpose.

Because of your generosity and support, we’re able to continue advancing educational programs and protecting this piece of our heritage for future generations. That impact is something worth celebrating!

Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, and contributed to making today so memorable. We couldn’t do this without you. 💙

04/14/2026