Did you know that the city of Fayetteville offers historic tours? The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum, which is an educational resource, offers year round customized tours of our city. Tours may include a visit to the Market House, the Fayetteville Light Infantry Museum and Armory, one of a number of historic churches, Liberty Point, Cool Springs Tavern and Cross Creek Cemetery.  This summer three specific tours each with its own historical focus are available. The Downtown Alliance offers horse-drawn carriage tours, too.

Historic Tours by Carriage

Tour historic downtown Fayetteville in a horse-drawn carriage on July 9. The narrated tours include historic sites from Fayetteville’s 250-year history, including many from the Revolutionary War era or earlier. 

“We started developing this back in March and as we were researching and putting this together, we decided to do a test run thinking the tour would only take 45 minutes,” said Downtown Alliance Events Committee member Hank Parfitt. “It ended up taking two and a half hours, so we ended up focusing on the Revolutionary War era because a lot of people don’t realize Fayetteville’s history goes back that far.” 

Parfitt also noted that if the tours do well, the Downtown Alliance would like to add tours that focus on other historical eras as well. “We use S&S Carriage Rides because their horses are so well-trained and their equipment is always clean, which makes the carriage rides that much more fun.” 

The carriage rides take place once a month and run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tours leave hourly from the Downtown Alliance office at 222 Hay Street every hour. Tickets are $25 per person ($20 with military ID, active and retired) and $15 for children between 3 and 12. Purchase tickets at 222 Hay Street or by calling 222-3382. Tickets are also available online at www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com. The rain date is Sunday, July 10. 

Downtown Architecture Walking 

Join staff from the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum at the Headquarters Library on Saturday, July 30 at 9 a.m. and bring your walking shoes. A presentation begins a fascinating look into the arches, gates and gables of some of the most noteworthy buildings in Fayetteville.  Then, travel with us on a guided walking tour in the core Downtown Historic District. Admission is free.

 Cape Fear River Presentation and Boat Tour 

Learn about the history of boats on the Cape Fear River and then hop on board one for an evening boat ride on Aug. 6, at 6 p.m. The presentation will be in the museum annex and then participants will travel to Campbellton Landing for a sunset river tour to the confluence of the river and Rockfish Creek. The boat ride has a fee of $25 per person and pre-registration is required. Contact the museum at  433-1457 for more information or to register.

Lafayette History Bus Tour 

Museum staff will lead you on a fascinating trip through time as you retrace General Lafayette’s footsteps when he was a guest of the city on March 4, 1825. The tour begins at the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum and takes participants to several historic sites via bus. There is a small fee which includes lunch. Pre-registration is required. Contact the museum at 433-1457 for more information or to register. This tour is part of the annual Lafayette Birthday Celebration and takes place on Saturday, Sept. 10. Learn more atwww.lafayettesociety.org.

 The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum is located at 325 Franklin St. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is operated by the Historic Properties Division of Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation, a department of the City of Fayetteville. For more information, visit www.fcpr.us or call (910) 433-1457, 1458 or 1944.