The Occaneechi Replica Village in Hillsborough’s River Park was among the many places in Orange County damaged by Tropical Depression Chantal last month. The tribe and volunteers have begun clearing some debris around the area, but the village will remain closed to the public throughout a months-long rebuilding process ahead.
The palisade that surrounded the village bore the brunt of the flood damage, with about a quarter of the roughly 400 poles being uprooted and scattered around the area, likely because they had become loose and wobbly in their holes over time. The huts within the village fared slightly better, with elements like thatching and cloth being washed away but the frames mainly still in place, albeit bent and twisted in some places.
Occaneechi tribal chairman Tony Hayes said the extent of the damage was completely unprecedented…