CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. -- Nearly three months after Hurricane Florence, Fort Macon State Park has yet to begin repairing damaged museum exhibit rooms.

  • Ten rooms flooded causing floors to buckle, subfloors to deteriorate, and parts of the walls to crumble.
  • The park does not have a formal assessment of the damages.
  • All other parts of the state park are up and running.

Ten rooms flooded causing floors to buckle, subfloors to deteriorate, and parts of the walls to crumble.

Before the storm, the park was preparing to replace the HVAC system, which runs beneath the floors. Because the HVAC replacement project has not begun, the park cannot begin replacing damaged floors.

The park does not have a formal assessment of the damages; officials assume that process will begin once the HVAC system is installed. There is no date for when that will begin but there is a meeting Monday, December 10 to discuss plans.

In the meantime park officials say it is a matter of patience.

"Timeline is anybody's guess," said Paul Branch, Park Ranger II. "Myself, I'm thinking months to years. We just don't know. We really just don't know at this point."

Branch said he believes all artifacts can be restored with a little cleaning and care.

All other parts of the state park are up and running. Fort Macon State Park is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

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