Take an evening, lantern-lit walk through the Hallowed Ground of Battlefield Park. Costumed actors will share moving stories of courage & conviction from the past.

The New Bern Historical Society’s newest storytelling event, the Hallowed Ground Lantern Tour, returns! 

Take a guided walk through the wooded battlefield trails, where costumed reenactors will share their inspiring stories about life in New Bern's Civil War past.

Our 2025 program includes:
   ◦ A New Bern freed slave on a first name basis with the White House
   ◦ The planning behind the surf-boat landing at Slocum Creek
   ◦ Sisters rebelling in the own way against the Union Occupation of New Bern....and more

After your tour, visit with local reenactors to learn about the day in the life of a soldier in a full civil war encampment. 

Not a battlefield tour or a program about the war, these are poignant human stories of the experiences of civilians, soldiers, formerly-enslaved persons, and others. These gripping narratives are largely based on letters, diaries, and contemporaneous accounts.

Plan about 90 minutes for the entire event, which includes time in the encampment after the guided tour. For more details and FAQs, click here. Group sizes are limited. 

Reservations recommended for a specific day and arrival time, but walk-ins will be accommodated. Reservations can be made below or at the New Bern Historical Society, 511 Broad Street, New Bern; phone 252.638.8558.