Carla Edstrom
Jan Morgan-Swegle Ruby Cline Lisa P. Stites
Carla Edstrom
Jan Morgan-Swegle Ruby Cline Lisa P. Stites
Welcome to the Holiday Season! First off, thanks to each and every one of you who pick up this magazine, read it, patronize our advertisers and participate in all the local events we share. Your community works hard to always have things to do for all ages and interests and that is never more true than this season. From Leland In Lights and Belville’s Christmas Market to the 18th Century Christmas activities at Brunswick Town Historic Site, nothing puts a smile on the faces of those who make these things happen like seeing the smiles on YOUR faces when you come out and support your community.
In this issue you’ll meet our newest contributor, Ruby Cline, who takes you for a visit to Leland’s first brewery and cidery (yes, cidery is a word, I looked it up.) We hope you’ll be moved to go see the Holly Jolly Recital at LCAC after reading about what it takes to put this super special holiday performance together. Go shop Belville’s craft market and stick around for the Christmas Tree Lighting and a mov ie that evening. And don’t miss Leland In Lights in Founders Park. This display just keeps getting better every year! Merry Christmas to one and all!
Ihave heard Disney commercials proclaiming that Disneyland is the “happiest place on earth.” Obviously, the Disney marketing team have never been to the Leland Cultural Arts Center (LCAC)— the happiest place I know. No matter what you do there, you will leave with a smile on your face.
I’m sure I’ll leave with a smile on my face after attending the Holly Jolly Re cital at the Center on Wednesday, Dec. 14. The Recital will showcase holiday themed performances in Children’s Dance, Violin, Tap, Piano and Belly Dancing. The program is free to the public and starts at 6 pm at the center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
Kirsti Armstrong, the LCAC Program
Coordinator and Stage Manager, said that this is the second Holly Jolly Hol iday Recital the LCAC instructors have put together. “Just like last year, the children will perform first,” she said. “They’ve been practicing for the past few months and they are really excited to show what they have learned.”
“This is a family-friendly holiday event. You get to enjoy a sense of com
munity celebrating the performing arts. These performers are your friends and neighbors and it means a lot to them to have the support of the community to cheer them on. It’s not easy perform ing in front of people,” she said. In her role as Coordinator and Stage
Manager, Kirs ti organizes everything — from getting the performers on stage at the right time to en suring that the performances appeal to the audience and showcase the holiday spirit.
“That’s the hard part,” she said.
“The fun part is finally getting to the evening of the event and seeing it all come to gether; seeing the kids be so proud of themselves when they come off stage. They are so excited about what they just did and they did it in front of their parents and extended family.”
Working with the children this year in dance is Youth Dance Instructor, Tracie Rabalais.
Tracie has been teaching dance for more than 20 years and has been at LCAC for the past eight years. Her group has been prac ticing since the fall and will be performing ballet and tap routines.
Tracie will have three classes per forming at the Recital in the age 3 to 8 category.
“I really enjoy doing this,” Tra cie said. “It’s chal lenging but fun for me. Seeing the kids perform puts everyone in the holiday spir it. I enjoy seeing the children find their love for dance and have fun working on their art. It’s a joy for me to share
my love of dance with the community. I also enjoy getting to know the stu dents and their families.”
Piano Instructor Larry McLendon has been teaching at LCAC for five years, although he has been teaching piano for the past 35 years in his own studio and at the college level.
Having spent that many years shar ing his skills and knowledge of mu sic and piano, I asked Larry what he enjoys most about teaching. “I enjoy the satisfaction of seeing children and adults learn the lan guage of music; go ing from a beginner and over time, mov ing to the advanced level,” he said.
One of Larry’s stu dents, 10year Adelia Luttmer, will be per
by the old fashioned, “applause meter” during the intermis sion. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place win ners will get to choose a prize from Island Beverage, Good Hops, Bridgewa ter, Flytrap or Wilming ton Brewery.
forming. Her mother, Brooke, said that Adelia “is nervous but excited to be performing. This is her second recital.”
Brooke continued, “I enjoy watching Adelia perform. She does well under pressure and it’s a beautiful thing to watch her and all of the kids try and do their best.” Brooke also had high praise for the center. “I love LCAC. The teach ers are friendly and really know their subjects well. They are great with the kids.”
Adelia grew up listening to the Beat les and likes to tackle the guitar every
once in a while. She actually started studying in 2019, but stopped due to COVID and resumed her lessons in 2021. Her father, Justin, got a digital piano for Christmas a few years ago and intended to teach himself to play. Adelia took an interest in learning the piano, so her parents enrolled her in classes. “She’s a very creative person and as such, we do whatever we can to nurture her curiosity and develop her skills in all manner of art forms,” Justin said. She has taken a number of clay classes and a sewing class at LCAC.”
The Holly Jolly Holiday Recital promises to be a wonderful, family event, full of music, talent and smiles.
I asked Kirsti what is in store for the viewing audience in 2023. “Oh, we have plenty of things in the works,” she said. “Possibly including theatre classes, maybe vocals, anything that is related to the performing arts or art in general. We want to offer what in terests our community.”
We won’t have to wait until 2023 for another LCAC event that is sure to be of interest. The “Ugly Sweater” Par ty on Dec. 9 from 7-9 pm. Kirsti and Zoey LeTendre are co-coordinators of the event. “This is truly for everyone to get out and have a good time,” Kirsti said. “Forget about the stress of the parties or events; let us take care of entertaining you.”
The event will be in the multi-pur pose room at LCAC with Holy Heat performing seasonal music and origi nal rock songs. Winners will be judged
Tickets are $15 at the door or, if you want to get tickets early, you can go online at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/440912429947, or stop in at the LCAC before the event.
If ugly sweaters aren’t your thing, Leland is also offering the Holiday Art Market on Dec. 3 from 10 am to 3 pm as well as the Grand Illumination with Santa on that same date from 6-8 pm at Founders Park, Town Hall Drive in Leland. There will also be a showing of the movie “Polar Express” on Dec. 10, starting at 6 pm, also at Founders Park.
Finally, you can jump on the Leland Express for a train ride at Founders Park on Dec. 3, 9, 10,16, and 17.
So, “all aboard, Leland,” and have a great holiday season.
Tired of having to trek over the bridge for a microbrewery ex perience? Finally, you don’t have to anymore. Perhaps you’re someone who doesn’t like beer at all though. Maybe, instead, you have a hankering for cider. Or not. We can all at least agree that everyone loves good food — maybe even with a side of live entertainment — right? Well, if any of the above sounds like you, make sure to check out the recently opened Brunswick Beer and Cider in Leland.
Broadening the scope of offerings in the incessantly booming areas up and down U.S. 17 in Leland, Brunswick Beer and Cider is a welcome addition to The Villages Town Center, located at the en trance of Brunswick Forest. It’s the first brewery in northern Brunswick County, boasts an expansive 13,000 square feet
with seating for more than 200, and has an open and airy feel. Think high ceilings with drop lighting, exposed ductwork, sealed concrete floors and the coolest eye-catching floor-to-ceiling trees. The unique and multidimensional designs are made of scrap wood from the bar’s construction, wood from the owner’s
dad’s workshop, as well as wood from its sister brewery’s bar construction at Wrightsville Beach Brewery.
The dining room and bar areas offer up beautiful water views, easily visible through the sprawling windows that make up most of the exterior walls.
Those sights and expansive windows ex tend to the private event space that can accommodate up to 80, located at the front of the building, which is already booking up with holiday parties. To top it all off, they didn’t forget to include a spacious area for outdoor seating.
Now that the nip is finally in the air, outdoor seating might not appeal to you at the moment. Although, dog own ers will rejoice in the fact that their furry friends are welcome there. Future additions to the outdoor space include a type of semi-enclosure to bridge the half walls and ceil ing as well as having heat lamps brought in, so it’s not just usable during the warmer months.
Although, when the warmer months do arrive, the operators at Brunswick Beer and Cider have a few plans up their sleeve that are sure to entice the neighbor hood, as well as help fill an ap parent void in the area. “We’re going to have professional bocce ball courts built, and we’re plan ning on starting a league,” Gen eral Manager Ian Phillips said. “There’s been a big need for it in the area, but there’s nowhere to play. We’re currently in the pro cess of getting bids to build the court.” Also on the docket for fair weather fun — plans to build an
outdoor stage. They plan to have live music and host festivals and fundraisers, just as the Wrightsville Beach Brewery location does.
Owner Jud Watkins, founder of Wrightsville Beach Brewery, and his lifelong friend Will Cameron, laid the groundwork as the first brewery in Le land, though more are sure to follow. With Leland quickly becoming one of
the fastest growing areas in the coastal Carolina region, it makes perfect sense to open up shop here. Though the pan demic delayed Watkins’ plans by a cou ple years, there’s no doubt the brewery will quickly make up for lost time.
While Brunswick Beer and Cider will have a similar feel and offerings as its
sister location, Watkins plans for the menu to be tailored to suit its customers’ par ticular palettes, allowing Leland’s patrons to influ ence the trade mark dishes. Handling all the discerning tastes with harmony will be Chef Paul Bosell, who will head the culinary direction of the food selections in order to offer the customers an array of unique menu items. All that said, look for possible menu tweaks in the near future that reflect what residents are inspiring Bosell to create. The most popular items on the menu right now include the much-loved pizzas, which they carried over from their Wrightsville location and which are also available in a gluten-free option. Next to the pizzas,
Phillips added that the current best sell ers are the Cuban sandwich and the Bar Smashburger.
Now that we’ve got the food covered, heading up the beer brewing side of things is Dustin Wilson, who was former ly with Catawba Brewing. He currently has three of his beers on tap, alongside
some of the Wrightsville Beach Brew ery’s favorites they brought over. Look for Wilson to release additional variet ies in the near future as they complete the fermentation process. Neil Blake, previously lead brewer for Mad Mole Brewing, will be heading the creative direction for the cider brewing side of things, giving the restaurant a unique
feature all its own.
General Manager Phillips was excited about the ribbon cutting ceremony the week of Thanksgiving announcing that they have two ciders ready to sell. Bruns wick Beer and Cider has the potential to have a total of 32 different offerings on tap. With varieties started at various different times, it will give customers
something to continually look forward to, namely what Wilson and Blake are going to offer up next.
Whether it’s right around the corner or you’ve got to take a drive, it’s definite ly worth a try. Or, in my case, a definite repeat visit. (And likely another Cuban.)
the most wonderful time of the year with family fun for everyone with the Town of Leland! December is packed full of holiday events, headlined by a bigger and brighter Leland in Lights than ever before.
Experience magic and create tradi tions with Leland in Lights! The annu al display features a festive walking tour of Founders Park, 113 Town Hall Drive, as it transforms into a winter wonderland for six weeks. Join us for the Grand Illumination to kick off the dazzling display on Dec. 3 at 6 pm. Help turn the lights on, visit with San ta, take a train ride on our very own Leland Express, and enjoy local food trucks. Leland Fire/Rescue and the Leland Police Department will be ac cepting canned goods to donate to
Brunswick Family Assistance. Leland in Lights is free and starts at dusk every evening through Jan 3. Visit Lelandin Lights.com for more information in cluding parking and dates the Leland Express train will be in service.
Also on Dec 3, don’t miss the popu lar Holiday Art Market from 10 am to 3 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Cen ter (LCAC), located at 1212 Magnolia Village Way. The free event features unique handmade gifts that are sure to please everyone on your shopping list.
Come show off your most festive outfit at the Ugly Sweater Party on Dec. 9 from 7 to 9 pm at the LCAC. Enjoy your favorite holiday tunes and original rock songs with live music from Holy Heat. Adults and kids can enter the ugly sweater competition for a chance to win prizes from local businesses. Tickets are $15 and avail able at the LCAC or online at http:// bit.ly/3GA3IfP.
Join us for a special Movie in the Park showing of “The Polar Express” surrounded by the magic of Leland in Lights on Dec. 10 at 6 pm. Bring a blanket or chairs, family and friends, and a picnic, or purchase food from the First Bite food truck. After the
movie, the Leland Express train will be running from 7:30-8:30 pm. This event is free. Finally, sensory friendly visits with Santa will be offered on Dec. 17 at the LCAC. This gives children with specif ic needs the opportunity to enjoy the time-honored tradition of a visit with Santa in a subdued and calm envi ronment. Space is limited for this free event. Registration is required and available online at https://www.cogni toforms.com/TownOfLeland/Sensory FriendlySantaVisits
More information about each of these events is available on the Town of Leland website.
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and holidays go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s having all our favorite dishes on the table or picking out the perfect tree, we all have things we want to be “just so” for our holidays. Recre ating our favorite holiday memories so we can carry them forward can add undue stress to an already busy season though, and it can be easy to get caught up in what we think we have to do to keep our old traditions alive rather than opening ourselves up for new experiences. If you know me personally, you’re probably shocked that I am advocating for embracing change, but really, I am working on it.
Some of my holiday festivities seem to be set in stone. We have the same Thanksgiving meal every year, because that’s what my fellas want. I do change up the stuffing/dressing/whatever you call it recipe, but otherwise, we make the green bean casserole the same (we make our own sauce, and we start it with pancetta), and we always use thyme and rosemary on the turkey.
Other festive activities have kind of been all over the place.
Oak Island’s Christmas Tree lighting is absolutely one of my favorite holiday traditions. Sometimes we’ve worn longsleeved shirts, and sometimes I needed a wool coat. Over the years, we have seen all sorts of entertainment – from the early years when just a few local horn players gathered to play tradition al Christmas carols while a few dozen people sang along, to the more recent years when the high school chorus led the crowd in song. There have been dancers, solo singers and lots of general holiday merriment. Santa Claus always makes an appearance too, sometimes on a boat or a fire truck, sometimes from a helicopter. You just never know what Santa has planned! There are always re freshments, and plenty of picture-taking opportunities for families, which really warms my heart.
The parade the next day is one of my favorites too. I have only been in it once (this year may be my second time!), but I always go watch it. When our son John was a baby, Jeffrey was the driver for the parade marshal and John slept in his carseat as I watched the parade from the car. It was snowing and sleet ing and cold, and I only got out to wave at Jeffrey as he drove by. Once John
was in Scouts, he and Jeffrey rode with that group, and then when John was in marching band, Jeffrey finally got to start watching the parade instead of always being in it in some fashion. We switch up our viewing spot, and even watched in front of Town Hall one time in full Victorian outfits before heading over to that year’s Dickens Festival in Southport.
We usually take cookies and either lemonade or hot chocolate for our pa rade watching, depending on the tem perature that day. Sometimes we watch with a group of friends, and sometimes it’s just the two of us. Usually we have a pot of chili waiting for us at home, and now, Jeffrey takes lots of pictures of all the floats and groups marching along the parade route. The details may change from year to year, but we al ways have fun.
The thing that can be tough about traditions is that because they’re the things we’ve always done, as life changes, we strug gle to let the tradi tions change too.
Friends and family members come in and out of our lives, so at some point, things will not be the same. Looking back over the last 30 years or so, I can see how much has
changed in my own family. Our son lives in Greensboro now, and he’ll be able to come home for the holidays, which is really all the gift I need. We’ll have a great time, and though it won’t be the same as when he was a child, what that really means is that we have the oppor tunity to build new traditions. It’s like the tree lighting and the parade. The details change from year to year, but it’s the participating, the getting together with family, friends, and the community that is at the heart of those traditions. Life happens and we can’t stop things from changing. We can open our hearts to new family and friends who come into our lives, though, and we can make new mem ories every chance we get. We can share meals and stories, we can share laughter and love, and we can savor the time we get to spend together. This emp ty-nester thing can be tough, but I have thor oughly en joyed every chapter of motherhood to this point,
and I can’t wait to see what new tra ditions our family creates in the years to come.
P.S. I actually wrote this column quite a bit before deadline, and then I had the nicest surprise and had to write this post script. In 2009, I did a story for The State Port Pilot about Barry and Joyce Morris, who until recently, celebrated Christmas with a beautiful tradition of their own. As newlyweds in 1971, they made dec orations for their first tree together. They started decorating eggshells, and their tradition was born. Fami ly, friends, their builder when they moved to St. James — everyone was asked to add to the collection over the decades. I was invited to make an egg too, and I did my best to make it festive. The time has come for the Morrises to put this tradition behind them as they now put fewer decora tions out and travel for the holidays. But instead of just boxing up the eggs or getting rid of them, the cou ple are tracking down the egg con tributors and giving them back their eggs. I was surprised and delighted that they went to the trouble of find ing me. It seems that as some tradi tions change, other, more important traditions carry on, such as spreading joy and glad tidings, giving from the heart, and making others feel special.
Best wishes to all of you for a won derful holiday season filled with joy, happiness, and traditions — old and new!
learning new skills leads to finding your where your talents lie. For Marilyn Gore, learning to sew and quilt when she was just 14 started her on a path that included a Master’s degree and a 31-year career with the Cooperative Extension. This month, she’ll speak at the Southport Historical Society’s quilt show, and she’ll share stories of being an African American quilter.
Marilyn will be presenting “Talking Threads: My Journey as an Afri can American Quilter and My Family Quilt History” at the Southport Historical Soci ety’s Community Quilt Show on Saturday, Dec 10 at 3 pm in the Southport Commu nity Building. The event is free and open to all, no reservations required. The Quilt Show will run from noon to 5 pm.
Marilyn Gore has been sewing and quilting since the age of 14. For Marilyn, being born and raised in the rural farming community of Bolivia meant that sewing and quilting were necessities. Marilyn’s
first sewing experience was helping her mother weave and tie floor rugs with feed sacks and tobacco twine. Marilyn’s mother, Mattie Pearl, also taught her how to embroider and decorate homemade pillowcases.
Home Economics was a required part of Marilyn’s high school education and it was there that she learned to construct garments. Under the tutelage of Lizzie Mae Mitchell, Home Economics teacher at Southport – Brunswick County High School, Marilyn constructed her first gar ment. Scraps from this garment were
used to make an eight-pointed star quilt. With the help of her mother, Marilyn made her second quilt, a lone star from scraps of polyester fabrics.
Marilyn’s parents did not have college educations, but they had ambitions for their children. They encouraged them to get an education and build a life beyond their farming community. Marilyn attend ed Bennett College where she obtained
a degree in Home Economics, Clothing and Textiles. With the encouragement of Professor Louise G. Streat, she con tinued her studies at Howard Universi ty, Washington, DC. Marilyn’s Masters thesis centered on a historical study of North Carolina quilt making.
After a 31-year career as a Consumer Science Area Agent with the Coopera tive Extension Service, in both DC and
North Carolina, Marilyn re tired. She founded her own quilting business, Stitching and Stirring. Her business is dedicated to the preserva tion of quilts and the art of quilting with special empha sis on quilts that represent the African American culture and history. Her business al lows her to follow her pas sion for quilting and to ex plore her creativity.
“Clothing construction and quilting have always been a part of my life,” Mar ilyn said. “They provide me with a creative outlet and are a part of my rest, relax ation, and reflection pro cess. When I need to think and find answers to life’s questions, my sewing room is a natural retreat space for me.
“It is my belief that all artists should have time for exploring their creativity. Unfortunately, real life and the need to survive get in the way.”
Asanother year ends and the weather turns a bit colder, I sit cozy at my computer, writing and reflecting on our incredi ble creative community and how much it has grown since I made Southport my home in 2005. The mixture of creative people com bined with the immense influence of Mother Earth means we are all weaved together in a fabric of forces and creativity. How lucky we all are to share this together at this moment in time.
Most artists agree that our breathtak ing local landscape greatly influences their work. Artist Joanne Q. Geisel is no exception and believes everyone’s cre ativity enormously impacts this world. “I believe that everyone’s creative efforts make a huge difference in the world,” she said. “Whether it is writing, music, ceramics, creating a business, making delicious dinners or desserts, or mak ing furniture, through creative work, we connect with the Whole, uplifting the
entire planet. Believing this inspires me to paint and inspires me to teach others the enjoyment of painting.”
A lifelong artist with a bachelor’s de gree in art, Geisel is enjoying her time here on the coast, focusing much of her painting on Carolina landscapes. “I am especially captivated by the ocean, marshes, and magnificent skies. Paint ing outdoors en plein air enables me to immerse myself in nature and hone my
knowledge and understanding of its endless colors, shapes, and textures. Studio painting gives my painting an other perspective. I can take more time to experiment with color, form, compo sition, and subject matter.”
Geisel moved to Leland 18 years ago from Warwick, NY, a rural village near the New Jersey and Pennsylvania bor ders. Originally from Poughkeepsie, NY, she and her husband relocated to the coast to retire. “I left my job in the Adult
Division
College
the same time,” said Geisel. “I was eager to begin a career as an art ist and teacher, which was some thing I had wanted to do for a very long time. I also feel that I am very creative with my teaching. Because I felt that I had to learn so much on my own, when it came time for me to teach, I want ed my students to learn the var ious things I had not been taught. I pulled ideas from a number of different sources in order to accomplish this.”
Using our landscape as her muse, Geisel has recently focussed on our lo cal native indigenous plant, the Venus Flytrap, in her work. “I see myself as a traditional artist, focusing primarily on landscapes of our beautiful coast,” she said. “However, I am also looking for new ways to paint. So I recently created a new abstracted series on Venus Fly traps and Pitcher Plants,” she said. “Most recently I painted a large number of large landscapes that focus on skies. At the same time I created a series of 18 pitcher plant abstracts ranging in size from 16x20 to 24x30. I also painted a delight ful commission of a family and a slushy stand at the beach. It was a lot of work in just six months,” she said. “Right now I am pausing to find new ways to integrate the landscape and the
abstracted direction that I have enjoyed. I am enthusiastic that new paintings will be as fresh and vibrant.”
Geisel has taken many painting class es since arriving in North Carolina and credits those artists she learned a lot from. “I also learned a great deal from a
variety of authors. The artists who most inspired me were the impressionists because of their sense of color and the way they saw color as light. Many of their works spar kled with inner luminosity,” she said. “My other creative endeavor is related to alter native and complementary healthcare. I have studied therapies that help people heal illnesses and injuries for 40 years. My studies make me think outside the box,” she said. “As I continue to ex plore the different methodol ogies, I am constantly learn ing and finding new ways to heal this beautiful planet.”
You can find Geisel’s work at Lanta na’s Gallery and Gifts on Howe Street, Southport; All About Art, Bald Head Is land; Room Service, Bald Head Island; City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC and Art in Bloom, Mayfaire, Wilmington, NC.
Weoften think of the surrender at Appomattox as the end of the Civil War as a critical chapter in the country’s history. It was. But it also marked the beginning of the Reconstruction period that would continue tensions and uncertainty for both the North and the South on the return to unification. This intriguing dilemma is the subject of the presentation entitled “The Legacy of Appomattox,” by Beth Parnicza, Chief of Education and Visitor Services at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park at the Dec. 6 meeting of the Brunswick Civil War Round Table. The meeting will be held at Hatch Auditorium on Caswell Beach. Everyone is welcome. Registration begins at 6:15 pm and the program starts at 7 pm. The visitor fee is $10, which can be applied toward the $25 annual membership dues.
So how did the surrender set the terms for the nation to come back together? Where did the expectations of peace fall short? And how would Appomattox help shape the future of America? The meeting of Grant and Lee at Appomat tox clearly established a common ex pectation; i.e., hope for the future, and above all, reunification. Lee could have gone rogue and continued the conflict as a guerrilla war which would take the country years to recover. Of course, that didn’t happen. Grant put it more simply by telling his men, “the war is over; the rebels are our countrymen again.”
Reconstruction did become a reality. This period lasted from 1865 to 1877 un der three Presidents. It wasn’t welcomed
by Southerners, and there were many complex problems throughout this period. But was it successful? President Lincoln’s original goal in the Civil War was to hold the nation together, making plans for the eventual physical, economic, social, and political rehabilitation of a region marked by four years of war and 200 years of rac ism. Ultimately the war and subsequent Reconstruction succeeded. The Confed eracy was destroyed for good, and every state that had seceded was readmitted to the Union. As historian Shelby Foote was quoted, “before the war it was said ‘the United States are.’” Grammatically, it was spoken as a collection of independent states. After the war it was always ‘the United States is,’ summing up what was ul timately accomplished; i.e., Reconstruction
made us an ‘is.’ The trials and tribulations of Reconstruction can be characterized as being a complex series of successes and failures, in many areas, over many years, and will best be summarized by noted his torian and guest speaker, Beth Parnicza.
Beth’s credentials and knowledge about this period of our history are exem plary. She was a graduate of West Virginia University in 2011, specializing in historic interpretation through social and digital media. She has served as a park ranger and historian at Fredericksburg and Spot sylvania National Parks for nine years be fore joining the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park. In March of this year, Beth became a prestigious member of the Advisory Board at the University of Virginia’s John L. Nau Center for Civil War History.
To learn more about the Brunswick
Civil War Round Table, attending the December 6 meeting, how to apply for membership, or if you wish to volunteer for this non-profit organization with over 1,100 members, please email president John Butler at Brunswickcwrt@gmail. com, or call him at (404) 229-9425. You can also visit their Facebook page or their new website for additional informa tion, news, and updates.
Join Adventure Kayak Company for a special kayak outing on Rice Creek (a black water river kayak tour with huge Bald Cy press trees 300-800 years old) on Monday, Dec. 5 at 1 pm (rain date Wednesday, Dec. 6). Kayakers will meet at the Wildlife Boat Ramp, 797 Gordon Lewis Drive SE in Winnabow.
Bring your kayak and an unwrapped gift/toy valued at $35, or more, for an infant, child, youth or teen and join the fun. All gifts/toys will be donated to the Brunswick County Angel Tree program. A limited number of kayaks will be available to registered partici pants.
Call The Adventure Kayak Company for more kayak tour information and for reservations, 910-454-0607.
For more information about the Brunswick County Angel Tree pro gram please call the Brunswick County Department of Social Services at 910253-2384K.
Brunswick Little Theatre will be holding auditions for “Moon Over Buffalo,” a comedy by Ken Ludwig. The play will be di rected by Rasa Love. Audition dates are Sunday, Dec. 4 from 3-5 pm and Monday, Dec. 5 from 6:30-8 pm, with a potential call back night Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 at Brunswick Little Theatre, 8068 River Road SE, Southport. Sides will be available at the auditions.
The director is looking for actors with comedic background and timing and a great sense of humor who can handle all the shenanigans. Performances will be Feb. 2-12, 2023, Thursday through Sunday.
Synopsis: In the madcap comedy tradition of “Lend Me a Tenor,” the hilari ous “Moon Over Buffalo” centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950s. At the moment, they’re playing “Private Lives” and “Cyrano De
Bergerac” in rep in Buffalo, New York with five actors. On the brink of a disas trous split-up caused by George’s dalli ance with a young ingénue, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom - Frank Capra is com ing to town to see their matinee, and if he likes what he sees, he might cast them in his movie remake of The Scar let Pimpernel. Unfortunately for George and Charlotte, everything that could go wrong does go wrong, abetted by a vis it from their daughter’s clueless fiancé, along with hilarious uncertainty about
which play they’re actually perform ing, caused by Charlotte’s deaf, old stage-manager mother who hates ev ery bone in George’s body.
Characters: George Hay - Male, age range 45-60 Charlotte Hay - Female, age range 4560 Ethel - Fe male, age range 50+ RosalindFemale age range 20-30 Howard - Male age range 20-30 Paul - Male age range 2030 (may be able to push this a little higher) RichardMale, age range 45-60
For more information contact Rasa Love at rasalove@me.com or 910-4481595.
Dr. Angela Zombek will present a program titled “The Duty of the Prisoner to Escape: POWs’ Escape Attempts, Plots, and Ideological Flight” at the Thursday, Dec. 8 meeting of the Cape Fear Civil War Round Table at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wilmington. The doors open at 6:30 pm and the meeting begins at 7 pm.
Civil War prison escapes have rarely been studied in more than individual instances. Union General Order No. 100 (the Lieber Code, 1863) did not consider POW escape attempts to be a crime, but prisoners’ thoughts of escape more often led to psychologi cal comfort than actual freedom from military prisons. This lecture will cover POW escapes in all forms: contem plated, attempted, pulled off, and punished.
Dr. Zombek (PhD Uni versity of Florida) is an historian of the Civil War Era and is Associate Pro fessor of History at the University of North Car olina Wilmington. She is the author of “Peniten tiaries, Punishment, and Military Prisons: Familiar Responses to an Extraor dinary Crisis during the America Civil War” (Kent State University Press). Her current book proj ect, “Stronghold of the Union: Key West Under Martial Law,” is under contract with The University Press of Florida.
Records indicate that the Confed eracy imprisoned 193,743 Union sol diers, and Union prison camps con fined 214,865 Confederate soldiers during the war. Both sides suffered high prison mortality rates: more than 30,000 Union and 26,000 Confeder ate soldiers died in captivity—12 per cent of those in Northern prisons and 15.5 percent in Confederate prisons. In spite of inept administration, ap palling sanitary conditions, cruelty on
the part of guards, men did attempt escapes and sometimes succeeded.
Soon after the start of the Civil War, the federal government undertook preparation to receive prisoners of war. Lieutenant Colonel William Hoff man was appointed commissary-gen eral for prisoners in October 1861. His first assignment was to find a site suit able for a prisoner of war camp. Hoff man chose Johnson’s Island in Lake Erie near Sandusky, Ohio. Johnson’s Island is one-and-a-half miles long and just less than one-half mile wide. Forty or so acres had been cleared, with plentiful wood that could be used as fuel. The Army paid $500 per year to lease half the island, and Hoff man was sure this new prison and one or two forts would be suffi cient to house prison ers throughout the war. In 1861, few people had expected the Civil War to be so prolonged; neither he nor anyone else imagined that tens of thousands of Southern soldiers would be held as prisoners at any one time.
The Union Quartermaster Depart ment was not prepared for the first mass surrender of Confederates in February 1862 at Fort Donelson, Ten nessee. It urgently needed to house 15,000 officers and troops. The pris oners were taken at Fort Donelson among Camp Morton, Camp Douglas, Camp Chase, Camp Butler, and the old Illinois State Penitentiary at Alton, Illinois, which had been used as a mil itary prison since Feb. 9, 1862. Some officers went to Fort Warren in Boston
Harbor and others were sent to John son’s Island.
A cartel—an official agreement to guide the exchange of prisoners— was worked out between the U.S. government and the Confederate States of America. The exchange was one-for-one of prisoners of equal rank. A sliding scale was developed for the exchange of high-ranking of ficers for enlisted men; for instance, a commanding general or admiral could be exchanged for 60 privates or seamen. The agreement went into effect on July 22, 1862.
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered the cartel suspended on April 17, 1864, citing as the rationale that the Con federacy had not maintained the pa roles granted to their soldiers cap tured at Vicksburg and Port Hudson, as well as their refusal to exchange African-American soldiers equally for white soldiers. Grant opposed the exchange of prisoners based on the perception that exchanged Con federate prisoners would be in good shape at the exchange and be able to rejoin the Confederate army while Union prisoners would be in poor physical health and unable to imme diately rejoin their regiments.
Finally, as the war wound down in early 1865, a new cartel was adopt ed and thousands of Union prisoners from Andersonville, Florence, SC, and Salisbury, NC, streamed toward Wilmington for exchange. Confeder ate Gen. Robert Hoke commanded the southern troops who evacuated the city and attempted to retard the advance of Union forces and was also instructed to simply release the Union prisoners to the advancing northern
forces. The prisoners were re leased at the Northeast Sta tion of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad in modern day Castle Hayne, where the railroad crossed the North east Cape Fear River. In his masterful history, “The Wilm ington Campaign: Last Rays of Departing Hope,” Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr., quoted a Union soldier writing about the released prisoners: “If spooks or specters could be seen, I could imagine them to be the truest represen tatives of the many of the returning prisoners. They were human ghosts.” Some 7,692 enlisted men and 992 commissioned officers were released by March 4, 1865, and more than 1,000 were taken in along the Bruns wick River. In spite of efforts to care for the men, “several hundred” died in Wilmington and were ultimately buried at Wilmington National Cem etery, most as “unknowns.”
Civil War prisons and prisoners are among the most understudied aspects of the Civil War. They re ceived little academic interest until well into the twentieth century, and only recently have been thoroughly studied by professional historians. Prison escapes are rarely discussed in any depth in the literature, and Dr. Zombek’s research is a major addi tion to prison studies.
The Dec. 8 meeting of the round ta ble will be held at Elebash Hall at the rear of St. John’s Episcopal church at 1219 Forest Hills Drive. The church parking lot and the entrance to our meeting room is easily accessed via Park Avenue off of Independence Boulevard. For more information about membership in the Cape Fear Civil War Round table, go to http:// www.cfcwrt.org and click on “Join/ Rejoin.”
Png 1 caption: Deadline – Ander sonville Prison, Americus, Georgia (provided by Dr. Zombek) Anderson ville/Camp Sumter (Georgia). In the 14 months of its existence, 45,000 prisoners were received at Ander sonville prison, and of these nearly 13,000 died.
DecemberWe’ve included events here that were scheduled at press time, but please remember that all events, dates and times are subject to change. For programs offered through the Town of Leland, visit https://apm.activecom munities.com/townofleland/ to register online or call 910-385-9891.
Celebrate the season with a festival in Belville’s Riverwalk Park, 10 am to 3 pm. The event features music from the Brunswick Bass Band and performanc es by the Coastal Dance Academy, with the tree lighting scheduled for 5 pm. Stay after and see a holiday movie in the park, starting at 6:30 pm.
Shop local! Area artisans will offer unique items for sale, just in time for holiday shopping. The market is 10 am to 3 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
Joint the Town for the official lighting of the Christmas lights and holiday dis plays. There will also be rides for kids on the Polar Express train, all held in Founders Park, Town Hall Drive, 6-8 pm.
The Sea Notes present “Waiting for Christmas” at Odell Williamson Audi torium, on the campus of Brunswick Community College (50 College Road, Bolivia). The concert is free, though tickets are encouraged to ensure seat ing. See the story elsewhere in this is sue for more details, including where to acquire tickets.
Brunswick Little Theatre presents “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” on Thurs day, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-3, and 8-10 at 7:30 p.m, and Sunday, Dec. 4 and 11 at 3 p.m. The play takes place
in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 1939. “Gone with the Wind” is making its world premiere, and Hitler is invading Poland, but Atlanta’s German Jews are much more concerned with who is go ing to Ballyhoo, the social event of the season. Tickets are available online at https:// www.brunswicklittletheatre. com or purchase in person at Ricky Evans Gallery, 211 North Howe St. in Southport; the theatre is located at 8068 River Road SE, Southport.
Bring an unwrapped gift or toy (val ued at $35) for an infant to teen and meet at the Rice Creek boat ramp, 797 Gordon Lewis Drive in Winnabow. The paddle starts at 1 pm.
Children ages 10 and younger can enjoy cookies and listen to stories from Mrs. Claus. The program is 6:30-8 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way, and the cost is $5 per child.
Brunswick Civil War Round Table — “The Legacy of Appomattox”
Appomattox signaled the end of the war and the beginning of Reconstruc tion in Virginia. So how did the sur render set the terms for the nation to come back together? Guest presenter
Beth Parnicza is the Chief of Education and Visitor Services at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. Meetings are held at Hatch Auditorium at Fort Caswell on Caswell Beach Road. Registration opens at 6:15 pm, and the program begins at 7 pm. The visitor fee is $10 for any meeting, and that fee can be applied toward the $25 annual membership dues. For more informa tion, visit the group’s Facebook page, or email Brunswickcwrt@gmail.com.
Explore the ruins of St. Philips Church at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site, decorated in peri od style with candlelight and greenery. There is no admission fee, and the gift shop will remain open for some holiday shopping. The evening program is from 4-7 pm at the site, St. Phillips Road in Winnabow (off N.C. 133).
Drag out your tackiest, ugliest sweat er for this holiday party at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way. Live music from Holy Heat, wine from Noni Bacca Winery, and, of course, an ugly sweater contest. The party is 7-9 pm, and tickets are $15. Get tickets online or at the center.
Bring the family and meet up with friends to enjoy the holiday classic “Polar Express,” shown at Leland’s Founders Park on Town Hall Drive. Brink chairs and blankets and snacks. The movie starts at 6, and children can ride the Polar Express train too!
This Christmas parade is held along Old Ocean Highway in Bolivia, starting at 11 am. There will be hot dogs at the Bolivia Volunteer Fire Department after the parade, and a raffle for a riding lawnmower, with proceeds to benefit the department.
Decorated boats float along the Southport waterfront, from the American Fish Co. to Marker 19 near the River Hotel, then back to the Yacht Basin. Boats head out at 7 pm. This event is sponsored by the City of Southport, the Cape Fear Yacht Club, and Downtown Southport Inc.
The Brunswick Bands present this holiday concert at Hatch Auditorium on the campus of Ft. Caswell, Cas well Beach Road on Oak Island. The concert is at 3 pm and is free, but do nations are encouraged. The Bruns wick Bands support music programs for youth in Brunswick County.
The Brunswick Town/Fort Ander son State Historic Site plays host for an 18th Century Christmas, with pe riod costumed interpreters, guided tours of the St. Philips church, and crafts, games and refreshments. The program is $5 per person, 1-5:30 p.m at the site, St. Phillips Road in Winnabow (off N.C. 133). The even culminates with a candlelight Christ mas service, 5-5:30 p.m.
Students from the Leland Cultural Arts Center’s theater, music and dance programs will perform in this holi day showcase. The program is free at LCAC, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
The Brunswick Town Chapter NS DAR will meet at 10 am in person and via Zoom, with a catered lunch to fol low. The December meeting features the choral group Coastal Harmonizers. Guests are welcome to attend. For full details on the meeting, lunch and more information on the organization, con tact Regent Martha Koletar at mkole tar@aol.com or Registrar Jane John son at jjatbhi@bellsouth.net. Chapter information is on the blog: https://dar brunswicktownchapter.blogspot.com/. Daughters of the American Revolution is a service organization founded in 1890 for women who can prove direct, blood lineage from a Revolutionary War Patriot. The organization pro motes patriotism, education, and his toric preservation. DAR is a nonprofit, nonpolitical volunteer organization with more than 185,000 members in 3000 chapters across the world. The Brunswick Town Chapter has more than 180 members, several of whom descend from Patriots who lived in Brunswick County while fighting for our country’s independence.
BSL Neighbors Market — next to The Office in Boiling Spring Lakes
Local vendors sell the products, along with produce and baked goods, all next door to The Office Coffee and Wine Bar. Upcoming market dates are Dec 3 and Dec 17, 9 am to 1 pm. .
Town of Leland/Parks & Recreation
Check out http://bit.ly/lelandevents for more information on classes and programs, including painting, pottery, jewelry-making, acting, dance and more.
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site
8884 St. Philip’s Rd. SE, Winnabow
There is plenty to do and see, with historic ruins, great information on the site’s history, and some of the most beautiful riverfront property in the County. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Tues day through Saturday.
NC Maritime Museums - Southport, 204 E. Moore Street
Hours are 10 am to 4 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Sensory Saturdays (low light and quiet time in the muse um) are the first Saturday of the month, 10 am to noon. Visit www.ncmariti memuseum.com.
City Ballet
Dec 6 — Nochebuena; A Christmas Spectacular, part of the new Wonder Series
Dec 10 — A Charlie Brown Christ mas, performed by Cape Fear Com munity College theatre students and featuring live musicians
Dec 11 — Holiday Pops from the North Carolina Symphony
Dec 14 — Songs of the Season by the Wilmington Choral Society
Dec 15 — A Magical Cirque Christ mas
Dec 17 — The Great Wilmington Nutcracker by the Wilmington Ballet Company
Jan 12 — Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances
Jan 26 — Benny Hill Quartet Schol arship Concert
Jan 28-29 — Annie, by the Broad way touring company
Visit https://wilsoncentertickets. com for more information.
Local’s Tavern
1107 New Pointe Blvd., Leland Music Bingo on Wednesdays, start ing at 7 pm. Specials are posted on Facebook.
Bridgewater Wines
1132 New Pointe Blvd., Leland
Tuesday Trivia is at at 6:30 pm (res ervations required). Checkout the great food menu, and Sunday brunch spe cials; call 910-408-1900 to order takeout.
Blossoms Restaurant (Magnolia Greens)
1800 Tommy Jacobs Dr.
Reservations are encouraged; call 910-383-0998. Check Facebook for drink and food deals and special events.
Brunswick Beer Xchange Co. 113 Village Road, Leland
Check Facebook for live music, food truck appearances, trivia nights and wine tastings.
Thursdays 2-5 pm, Fridays 11 am - 5 pm; Saturdays 10 am - 5 pm; and Sun days 10-4 pm; Produce and fresh sea food, seasonings and all things related to seafood, with the beautiful back drop of the Brunswick River.
Check out http://bit.ly/lelandevents for more information on classes and programs, including painting, pottery, jewelry-making, acting, dance and more.
Art
The group welcomes artists of all kinds and meets monthly (except in summer months) 4-6 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
Odell Williamson Auditorium at Bruns wick Community College 150 College Road NW, Bolivia
Dec 9 — What A Wonderful World-Celebration of Christmas with Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald tribute performers
Jan 20 — Face 2 Face: Elton John/ Billy Joel tribute performers Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College
701 N. Third Street in Wilmington
Dec 3-4 — The Nutcracker, by the
The Joyce 1174 Turlington Ave. Dec 3 — Sky Parlor
BEER AND WINE Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar 1175 Turlington Ave, Suite 101, Le land
Full menu available for dine-in or takeout — also hosting live music, ka raoke and trivia.
The Joyce 1174 Turlington Ave. Check Facebook for specials and details on music and trivia nights.
2028 Olde Regent Way, Leland (910) 833-1997
Burgers and More!
APPLEBEE’S
1113 New Pointe Blvd, Leland 910-371-6315
Full-service chain bar &grill providing hearty American eats in an informal setting
Magnolia Greens Golf Course 1800 Tommy Jacobs Dr., Leland 910-383-0998
Breakfast- Saturday & Sunday | Lunch –Tuesday – Sunday | Dinner – Wednesday – Saturday
1132 New Pointe Blvd, Leland (910) 408-1900 www.bridgewaterwines.com Free Wine Tastings Thursdays and Fridays 3-6pm, Saturdays 1-5pm and Sundays 12-3pm
103A Village Rd NE, Leland (910) 523-5121
Hot dogs and specialty craft beers
CAPE FEAR SEAFOOD CO Waterford Leland, 910-399-6739
American seafood, signature dishes, hand cut fish, steaks and chicken, freshly made desserts all served in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.
1132 New Pointe Blvd, Leland (910) 3408-1221
Mexican Food & Drink
2013 New Regent Way Ste 200, Leland (910) 782-8498
Steakes, Seafood, Salads, Sandwiches
DUNKIN DONUTS
1132 New Pointe Blvd, Leland www.BlueEarthWorks.com
STEAKHOUSE
910-383-8383
Hand crafted espresso drinks, fresh made all day breakfast sandwiches and delicious donuts.
MR. BAGELMEISTER
1105 New Pointe Blvd, Leland 910-383-8383
FAMILY PIZZA & SUBS
1735 Reed Rd NE, Leland 910-371-2611
FARMHOUSE KITCHEN
1120 E. Cutler Crossing, Leland Southern Style, Breakfast & Brunch (910) 408-1676
2028 Olde regent way, leland (910) 833-1997
Burgers, Shakes and more!
2013 Olde Regent Way, Leland 910-371-3442
Authentic Italian Fare
FIREHOUSE SUBS
3572 Leland Town Center Dr., Leland (910) 408-1007
Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest 1281 Cape Fear National Dr., Leland 910-383-3283
1109 New Pointe Blvd, Ste 4, Leland 910-371-1238
Frozen Yogurt
322 Village Rd, Leland (910) 371-3533
Breakfast and Lunch
1114 New Pointe Blvd, Leland 910-371-2707
Retro-themed chain with 1950’s sodafountain look
ISLAND FRESH-MEX
JADE GARDEN
1735 Reed Rd, Leland 910-383-0880
Chinese
JERSEY MIKE’S
2029 Olde Regent Way, Leland 910-523-5300
Sub sandwiches
JIMMY JOHN’S
503 Old Waterford Way 104-A, Leland 910-399-7007
Sub sandwiches
THE JOYCE IRISH PUB
1174 Turlington Ave, Ste 101, Leland 910-408-1400
Irish Pub, Burgers, Beverage
LELAND SMOKEHOUSE
503 Olde Waterford Way Ste 100, Leland (910)228-5008
BBQ, Wings, Ribs
LOCAL’S TAVERN
1107 New Pointe Blvd, Leland 910- 769-1289
American Bar/Pub, Music
M + K’S KITCHEN
403 Village Rd NE, Leland 910-833-8030
MIYABI JR EXPRESS
1108 New Pointe Blvd #110, Leland (910) 769-2358
Hibachi, Sushi
NEW DAY CAFE
497 Olde Waterford Way Ste 100, Leland (910) 769-9036
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
PANARA BREAD
2024 Olde Regent Way, Leland
Suite 110 (910) 274-0358
PAPI’S CAFE
1108 New Pointe Blvd #140, Leland (910) 408-1662
PIZZETTA’S PIZZERIA
1144 E. Cutlar Crossing, Leland 910-371-6001
Pizza, Italian, Bar
PORT CITY JAVA
511 Olde Waterford Way 1112 E Cutlar Crossing 910-383-1238, Leland
Coffeehouse chain with house-roasted, organic, breakfast items, sandwiches.
P.T.’S OLDE FASHIONED GRILLE
1035 Grandiflora Dr, Leland 910-399-6808
Burgers, sandwiches and fresh-cut fries
SAN FELIPE MEXICAN RESTAURANT
1114 New Point Blvd, #140, Leland 910-371-1188
Mexican Food and Drink
SHIRLEY’S DINER 112 Village Rd. NE, Leland 910-371-2890
SHUCKIN’ SHACK OYSTER BAR - LELAND
1175 Turlington Ave Suite 101 Leland, North Carolina (910) 221-5522
SIX HAPPINESS ASIAN RESTAURANT
1114 New Pointe Blvd, Leland 910-371-0021
Japanese, Sushi, Asian
SMITHFIELD’S CHICKEN ’N BAR-B-Q
2020 Olde Regent Way, Leland
910-371-6900
Counter-serve chain offers fried chicken &Eastern NC BBQ vinegar-based sauce
SUBWAY
103 Village Rd NE & 1012 Grandiflora Dr 910-371-9933 910-383-0211
Subs & Salads
TAQUERIA SANTA CLARA
1389 Lanvale Rd, Leland (910) 769-5598
Take-out Mexican, Burgers, Hot Dogs
TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE
143 Poole Rd, Leland 910- 765-1144
Healthy Choices
WAFFLE HOUSE
111 Village Rd NE, Leland 910-371-3600
Breakfast Restaurant
WOK AND ROLL
2013 Olde Regent Way, Leland 910-371-9025
Chinese
YUMMI YUMMI
112 Village Rd NE, Leland 910-371-0077
Chinese
If you don’t see your establishment in our Dining Guide, please send an email with your restaurant name, address, phone number and a brief description to editor@lelandmag. com
2013 Olde Regent Way, Ste 110, Leland Serving frshly made burritos, quesadillas and more Mexican
Peruvian Charcoal Rotisserie Chicken
PIZZA HUT
112 K Village Rd NE, Leland 910-371-9547