If you’ve ever strolled along Carolina Beach, you’ve been just a few miles from one of North Carolina’s oldest ghost towns: Brunswick Town.
Established in 1726, this colonial port thrived on the Cape Fear River but was destroyed during the Revolutionary War.
Today, according to Jim McKee, the site manager for the state historic site, most of Brunswick Town is buried underground. However, some of the colonial ruins are still standing today – including stone footprints and foundations of several homes and shops, and the enormous brick skeleton of St. Phillip’s Anglican Church.
Photo byBy BTFA1726 – Own work
Haunting beauty: What happened to Brunswick Town?
Centuries of damage and fallout from multiple wars can be seen in the idyllic landscape where Brunswick Town once stood.
Stone foundations of colonial homes reveal a glimpse into how the town once looked. Old brick wells peer out from behind ancient trees, draped in Spanish moss that flutters in the wind like ghosts.
Old brick wells dot the landscape of the remnants of the ghost town of Brunswick Town, NC.Photo bywral.com