The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

The Fort Fisher Hermit Was Asked to Move

From the September 29th Wilmington Star-News Back Then column.

From the September 22, 1960, Wilmington Star-News. Robert Harrill was told to move from the marsh side of Fort Fisher because no one is permitted to live in the Sunny Point Ammunition Terminal Safety Zone (Blast Zone).

The land he was living on was leased by the federal government to the North Carolina Department of Archives and History for the Fort Fisher Historic Site.

Harrill had been living in a World War II pillbox for six years and gave no indication that he was willing to move. But, he claimed he was actually living in a car.

Harrill continued living in the pillbox until he was found mysteriously murdered in 1972. He is buried at Federal Point Methodist Church off Dow Road at Carolina Beach.

Quite a Character, That Hermit. --Old B-Runner

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