A FORT FISHER HERMIT

​Now here was a haunting of another kind at this national historic landmark. There was a fellow back in the 1950s named Robert Edward Harrell. It seems Old Harrell got tired of his ill-treatment at a retirement center and one day bolted for Fort Fisher. The man became self-sufficient by gardening, beach combing, fishing - those kind of things. Some friendly folks fed him on occasion and he earned a bit of money by sometimes bartering.

​During Harrell's sixteen or seventeen years living in a bunker constructed at the site in WW2, a lot of folks grew quite fond of the recluse and the newspapers even wrote positive articles on him. Apparently, a film crew even did an extensive documentary with a lengthy interview. Unfortunately, somedone after many locals suspected foul play. From not long after his passing and up until today, people still hear a distinctive voice that seems to diminish toward the bunker and then cease.

Sometimes cannon firing demonstrations are given to tourists from this spot. The booms are thunderous.

THE VISITOR CENTER AND MUSEUM SIGHTS & FRIGHTS

The Visitor's Center has had its share of unusual encounters too. In 2006 a group of tourists were looking at artifacts and reading material. When they reached the glass doors at the rear of the building, they observed a Rebel soldier standing on the other side of one of the doors. They took for granted it was an employee or reenactor and went back to what they were doing for a second. Interested, the folks