On March 11, the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center will unveil the final phase of permanent exhibits. Entitled "The Civil War in Eastern North Carolina," these Phase III exhibits will showcase a variety of aspects of the Civil War, including causes, military engagements and personalities, and the involvement of women and African Americans during the conflict.

To help kick off this unveiling, the CSS Neuse Gunboat Association is hosting an Exclusive Exhibit Opening Preview from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. on March 11. Tickets for this event are $50 per person.

Each ticket entitles the ticketholder to a catered dinner, musical entertainment, and one complimentary alcoholic beverage. You can purchase tickets either at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center or through a designated link posted on the Center's Facebook page.

In addition, the evening will also include a raffle drawing and a silent auction. The prize is a 14-foot hand-crafted skiff. Tickets for the raffle are $10 each or 3 for $25.

Sam Rabl drew the plans used for constructing this boat in the 1940s. Rabl copied a boat built by an African American boatwright who lived in the Botkin's Creek area of the Chesapeake Bay. Rabl said this skiff proved one of the easiest pulling boats he had ever rowed. Another builder gave these words of praise:

“Around 1976, I bought Sam's book and built one 14+ feet long of ¾-inch planks, oakum, and caulking cotton, using basic hand tools, the block plane being the most used. I estimated it weighed in, with a coat of marine paint, at 240 pounds. It rows easily, turns on a dime, and is stable.”

The Interpretative Center's skiff features locally sawn timber, old-fashioned cut nails, and pine tar. The builders are assembling the boat inside the museum using the same types of tools used by 19th-century boatbuilders. The skiff can accommodate two adults, fishing tackle, and refreshments needed for a lazy day on a pond or river.

At this writing, 51 items are up for auction. A few of these items include a trip for two to Ireland, a concealed carry class for two, a host of gift cards, and several prints and figurines. If you do not want to bid on an auction item, you can donate. You can access the auction by going to this link: https://one.bidpal.net/cssneuse

The evening of March 11 promises to be a fun and exciting night. Only 100 tickets are available for this event, so secure your ticket early.

The Confederate Navy launched the CSS Neuse to gain control of the lower Neuse River and New Bern. Ultimately, the crew destroyed the vessel to keep it out of Union hands. The CSS Neuse is the only remaining commissioned Confederate ironclad above water. The gunboat was part of a new technology the Confederacy used to combat the superior resources and firepower of the Union Navy.

Learn about this technological advance and warfare in eastern North Carolina at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center, located at 100 N. Queen St., Kinston, N.C. The Center is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: adults $5, senior/active military $4, Students (ages 3-12) $3, ages two and under free.

Please call Rachel Kennedy at (252) 526-9600, ext. 222, for more information. The CSS Neuse Center is within the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier. In addition, the department also features 39 state parks and recreation areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, and the Division of Land and Water Stewardship.

Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.