Pay tribute to North Carolina’s first governor at the Gov. Richard Caswell Memorial, Saturday, Nov. 19. . To highlight Caswell’s long service as a political and military leader of both the British colony and the fledgling State of North Carolina, a living history event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members of the Dobbs County Militia reenactment group will portray camp life and present musket and cannon firing demonstrations of the Revolutionary War period.  

“The contributions that Gov. Richard Caswell made to the state of North Carolina are many. We hope to honor the memory of the first Governor of the State of North Carolina,” said site operations manager Morris Bass. 

The Governor Caswell Memorial pays tribute to North Carolina’s first state governor. The Memorial houses artifacts from the Revolutionary War, including reproductions of items that portray the life and times of Governor Richard Caswell. The exhibits also tell about his life before and after being a governor including his family, his town, military career and business life. The location of the memorial was once part of the “Red House” Plantation that was owned by the Caswell family. The only thing that remains from the original plantation is the family cemetery that is owned by the Mosely-Bright Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and administered by the State Historic Site. 

The Governor Richard Caswell Memorial is located at 2612 West Vernon Avenue, Kinston, N.C., and open Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: Free 

For additional information, please call the site at (252) 526-9600 x221. The CSS Neuse Center and the Richard Caswell Memorial are within the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development. 

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.