The veterans group responsible for overseeing the CSS Neuse II launched the Civil War gunboat replica into the Neuse River late Friday night for a short trip to Seven Springs, where it will make its new home, KinstonPress.com learned exclusively today.
A cheering group of veterans lined the river as the boat slipped smoothly into the water for its maiden voyage, with shipbuilder Alton Stapleford at her helm.
“Seven Springs has been begging us to dock the boat there,” Neuse II operator Ted Sampley said. “They’re planning to build a multi-million dollar theme park around her. We asked about building codes and the mayor said, ‘Are you kidding? This is a boat, not a building. Building codes don’t apply to it.’”
The beleaguered boat has been the subject of strife and financial problems almost since construction began. The Seven Springs Chamber of Commerce said the boat will be welcomed there with “joy and barrels of money.”
No one from Kinston City Hall or Pride of Kinston would comment on the boat’s sudden relocation.
A large welcoming party of state and local officials and U.S. Navy Department members will be on hand when the Neuse II reaches its destination. Seven Springs officials have organized a week-long festival to celebrate the boat’s acquisition. Events include a two-mile-long parade, a pig-cooking contest, a street fair and dance and the selection of Miss Neuse II, who will reign at all boat-related events during the coming year.
California entertainment mogul Marc Shield said he was delighted to hear about the move. Shield has been working for two years on a design for a theme park, with the Neuse II at its center.
“This is really great news,” Shield said. “We’re planning to have one of the world’s largest Ferris wheels, a unique merry-go-round, a bumper boat track, car races, a battlefield where re-enactors will stage cavalry battles, an underwater diving experience in a Civil War-era submarine and a lot more in the theme park. We just weren’t sure Kinston would allow us to do everything we want to do. Somebody at City Hall kept talking about building codes.”
The park will have a small building containing a special tribute to Stapleford, Sampley and the builder of the original Neuse.
“These men were geniuses, visionaries,” Shield said. “We must make sure they’re remembered by future generations.”
John Whittington, president of the Seven Springs Chamber of Commerce, expects the boat and theme park will bring millions of tourist dollars to the small town.
“People don’t realize how rich in Civil War history Seven Springs is,” Whittington said. “The original Ram Neuse was built here, you know. It belongs here, not in Kinston. We plan to initiate a new court battle to recover the old boat and we’ll build a museum in the theme park and have the two boats next to each other. That will give people a real perspective on naval history during the war.”
Libba Evans, secretary of the state’s cultural department, said she will join Seven Springs in the lawsuit.
“Kinston has allowed the original boat to deteriorate badly,” Evans said. “We believe Seven Springs has a greater appreciation for its historical significance and will provide the necessary money to preserve it and halt its decay. We at the state enthusiastically endorse Seven Springs’ plan to display the two boats together. The Neuse II is a unique attraction and deserves great respect.”
Seven Springs Mayor Marshall Helms said he has worked for several weeks with The Last Firebase veterans group to facilitate the Neuse II move. The town agreed to pay all expenses connected with the move and provide a dry dock for the boat.
The Neuse II will be open for free tours seven days a week. Shield said his group will provide guides dressed in Civil War-era costumes to take people aboard the boat and explain its features and its history. Shield also will help finance the fabrication of authentic reproduction fittings for the boat.
The chamber has received a $66,000 Golden LEAF grant to establish the Seven Springs Historic Preservation Council and hire an administrator. The council’s goal is to identify sites closely aligned with the Civil War and take any steps necessary to preserve the sites.
“This will help focus tourist attention on our town,” Helms said. “Back in the 1800s we were known for the curative powers of our water. People came from as far away as New York to drink and bathe in our springs. We’ve had researchers working on the old springs for five years and they’ve identified properties in the water that have genuine healing powers. We’re working with the state to bring the springs back to life and that, combined with the Neuse II, will put Seven Springs on the map again.”
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