I never heard of Alamance before travelling in North Carolina. This battle preceded the independence war by 4 years, and though it was rooted in the causes that ignited the tea party in Boston a few years later, this one did not. It was all about taxes and injustices by the governor. Why this remained an obscure event - even my B&B hosts in Kittyhawk the night before had no clue about this battle - is baffling. Perhaps because a rural call to arms couldn't have the same effect it had in the bog cities. Perhaps it was too early to spread.The battleground keepers don't speculate. But they give a good tour and explanation of the battle, the stance and the sorry aftermath.It's a pity the grounds weren't preserved, so after the very good video presentation you have to go out and guess at the lines of scrimmage and where the troops stood.But the area is lovely, especially in spring and fall, the state park staff friendly and patient and the peek into pre-independence war dynamics illuminating. Anyone who thinks the revolution was inevitable and unstoppable should stop by and learn about some pretty courageous people who tried valiantly and failed magnificently.
We visited the historic battleground of the Battle of Alamance which took place in 1771. My fourth g. grandfather was one of the Regulators who stood against the corruption and unfair taxation of Governor Tyron. We had a great time and the curators were very helpful. We saw a movie depicting the battle, toured a cabin from the 1800's and took a lot of photos. Burlington, N.C. is a very beautiful area!
This is a Revolutionary War site and really doesn't ofter that much other than being the first battle of the revolution.. The Allen House was moved to the site from Snow Camp but all it does is show you a typical home of that period. However, it was interesting that they used red flags to mark where the British stood and blue flags to show you where we stood to shoot at each other. It's really hard to believe that people stood that close together and fired upon each other considering how long it took to reload the rifles. I'm sure it would be more interesting if you went to see one of the reenactments. If you are in the area it's worth a stop but I wouldn't make a special trip just to see it.
Just happened upon this and learned something new! We love history so this was very interesting to us and located very near.
Alamance Battleground is the site of a pre-Revolutionary battle between the Royal Governor's militia and a group of armed farmers/rebels called the "Regulators". On the site today, there is a small visitor's center that offers a DVD program explaining what led up to the battle, and the battle itself. Also on the site is an 18th century log home complete with a small garden growing period crops. On occasion, the site offers interpretive events, including both military and colonial daily life. The re-enactors are volunteers and very knowledgeable in the history of the time.If you're a Revolutionary War buff, it's a worthwhile stop, although it's a bit off the beaten path.
The battlefield itself is a nice walk on a sunny day, but there isn't that much to see. But the history is interesting, and it's worth learning a bit about this relatively obscure part of American history. Very nice visitor's center staff too. I'd certainly drive 25 miles out of my way for this site, but not much more.
Although it is a small area it was nicely done & gave us new insight to the history of the local area
I graduated from Elon University and explored many sites around Alamance County
Looking for a rainy day activity for my family and visiting sister and brother-in-law, we decided to visit Alamance Battleground State Historic Site. We went expecting to learn about a minor Revolutionary War battle. After 20 years in North Carolina, you would think I knew more about our history. The Battle of Alamance occurred in 1771 between militia loyal to the Governor and the Regulators. Some argue it was the first true battle of the Revolution (I'll let historians debate that one).The park is small, only about 40 acres, but accounts for the entire battlefield. The small visitor center houses a few displays, a small gift shop and a theater that allows visitors to learn about the events leading up to and the battle. The film was made by PBS and is well done. The site also includes a country cabin/house from 1780 that was relocated to the site in the 1960's. The staff opened the house for our visit and allowed us to see the kitchen garden growing out side. There is also a self guided tour with signage to explain the locations.The best part of our visit was the staff. They were friendly and knowledgeable. They took the time to answer all our questions and to explain the historical significance of the site. We truly enjoyed our visit and appreciate that these sites remain free for visitors.
The battleground and museum were a very pleasant surprise. Sitting on a country road, some 4 miles outside of Burlington, I anticipated a civil war site with some form of memorial. Much to my surprise, the battleground precedes the revolutionary war and is famous for the "Battle of the Regulators". The grounds are well maintained and the small museum had an excellent video program depicting the significance of the sit and battle. It was well worth the stop and time.