Taking Action in Preserving Our History
TreeFest Event on January 16 and 17
The We Live Here Leland group joined together with the Coastal Land Trust to plant several trees and undertake a clean up of the grounds at the historic Reaves Chapel. This is the first event of 2026 undertaken by the We Live Here group.
History of the Reaves Chapel
Historic Reaves Chapel A.M.E. Church is one of the Cape Fear region’s most culturally and historically significant African American structures. The Chapel is a simple, classical wood frame church with colored glass windows, and it is one of the oldest African American buildings in southeastern North Carolina. People who were formerly enslaved built Reaves Chapel on the bluffs of the Cape Fear River shortly before or just after the Civil War. Around 1911 it was moved inland by the congregation, using logs and a team of oxen to its current location. The land where they placed the chapel was owned by Edward Reaves, a man formerly enslaved at the Cedar Hill Plantation, and for whom the Chapel was named.
History of the Gullah Geechee in Brunswick County
28th Annual TreeFest - January 16 and 17
The 28th annual TreeFest is back at the JCPenney’s atrium on January 16th and 17th from 11 am to 4 pm (or until inventory runs out).
Households are invited to select up to 5 bare-root tree seedlings or native bunch grass plugs and are encouraged to donate $5 to fund the return of TreeFest in 2027.
Donations have funded over 180,000 trees and grasses to rebuild the canopy of New Hanover County and neighboring counties. Join us in creating a healthier and native greenway along our coast!
TreeFest organizers encourage visitors to bring their own bags or buckets to reduce plastic waste, as bare-root seedlings should be planted promptly. Experts will be on hand to assist with plant selection and provide care advice, with considerations for site conditions, space, and utility lines.
The TreeFest committee expects to receive and have the following species available from the NC Forestry Nursery in Goldsboro:
Longleaf Pine
Baldcypress
Chickasaw Plum
Buttonbush
Red Maple - Piedmont
River Birch
Flowering Dogwood
Silky Dogwood
Southern Wax Myrtle
Sugarberry
Eastern R
Crabapple
Coastal White Oak
TreeFest began in 1997 to restore tree populations after hurricanes Bertha and Fran. Since then, over 100,000 tree seedlings have been distributed to local residents. The event is made possible by sponsors and a volunteer planning committee, with plants grown by the NC Forest Service Nursery in Goldsboro.