Ground-breaking ceremony held for Carolina Museum of the Marine

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Veterans, active-duty service members, community leaders and supporters gathered Friday for the start of what will soon be the Carolina Museum of the Marine.

Those with the museum said Friday’s event marks the end of a decades of work to get to today. The groundbreaking marked the start of the museum that will stand for decades to come.

The museum itself is phase two of the project. Phase one was the reflection and celebration park. which officials say saw completion in 2016. The museum is a big project with a big price tag: $30 million for construction, funded by the state of North Carolina along with dollars from Onslow County, Jacksonville and private groups.

“It’s a 24-year dream come true finally,” retired US Marine Maj. Gen. Ray Smith. “Or at least the first half of the dream come true. It’ll be totally true when there’s a line of cars coming in to jacksonville to see it.”

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