“The impacts of storms, specifically flooding events, has had severe impacts on these monuments, putting these resources at risk. The work completed on these monuments preserves their integrity and ensures their sustainability for years to come,” said Moores Creek National Battlefield Superintendent Matthew Woods.
The monuments have endured many years of wear and tear and needed restoration. The Bridge Monument sits on the approximate site of Moores Creek Bridge. This bridge was crossed by Loyalist forces, many of whom were recently emigrated Scots Highlanders, on the morning of February 27, 1776. The Loyalists made several attempts to take a fortified Patriot position on the opposite side of Moores Creek Bridge and were defeated. Due to erosion from flooding, the monument had started to lean, causing stress fractures in the stone and some obstruction of the words on the monument. The project repoured the foundation and stood the monument back in its original place, raising the monument approximately one foot. The monument now stands perfectly straight, and all words are visible.
The Grady Monument commemorates Private John Grady of Duplin County, North Carolina, the first North Carolinian to give his life on a contested battlefield during the American Revolution. The Grady Monument marks one of the first efforts at the preservation of the battlefield and was placed on the Moores Creek Battlefield in 1856. The monument had been weathered over time by natural conditions, as well as by severe weather incidents such as major hurricanes. Much of the mortar between the granite base pieces had exceeded its lifecycle, leaving much of it in disrepair. The project repaired the surface cracks, resealed, and restored the overall appearance of the monument.
Thanks to the funds provided by GAOA, the monuments received important repairs that will help tell the story of Moores Creek Bridge to new generations of park visitors. The work was completed in May by a Maintenance Action Team (MAT) composed of skilled craftspeople from the National Park Service (NPS) Historic Preservation Training Center. Approximately $37 million from GAOA is funding hundreds of MAT activities in national parks throughout the country to address deferred maintenance and repair needs. MAT teams consist of NPS staff who are trained in historic restoration and preservation work and travel to national parks to perform smaller, but critical, maintenance rehabilitation and repair projects on historic structures. MATs enable the NPS to complete projects that require consistent high-quality work from skilled craftspeople at a time when fewer people are practicing traditional trades.
GAOA and other construction funding sources are part of a concerted effort to address the extensive deferred maintenance and repair backlog in national parks. Supported by revenue from energy development, GAOA provides the National Park Service with up to $1.3 billion per year for five years to make significant enhancements in national parks to ensure their preservation and provide opportunities for recreation, education, and enjoyment for current and future visitors.
