Welcome to the Nooherooka Monument in Snow Hill, North Carolina, a place that holds a deep and poignant chapter of early American history. As you stand here, you are on the grounds near where Fort Neoheroka once stood, a stronghold built by the Tuscarora tribe during the Tuscarora War from 1711 to 1715. This fortification was constructed in response to increasing tensions with European settlers encroaching on Tuscarora lands.
The Tuscarora people, an Iroquoian-speaking tribe, had lived peacefully with settlers for decades. However, as European colonists pushed westward seeking more fertile lands, conflicts over resources and territory escalated. The war was sparked by these tensions, notably aggravated by John Lawson’s writings which encouraged settlement in Tuscarora territory and by the capture and enslavement of Tuscarora people.
Fort Neoheroka was a significant site during this conflict. In March 1713, it became the focal point of a brutal siege led by Colonel James Moore. His force consisted of 108 European soldiers and 750 Native American allies, including the Cherokee and Yamasee. The siege lasted over three weeks, culminating in a fierce assault from March 20 to March 22. Tragically, hundreds of Tuscarora men, women, and children perished when the fort was set ablaze. Others were killed outside the fort, and many were captured and sold into slavery.
This pivotal event marked the decline of Tuscarora power in the region. Following their defeat, many Tuscarora moved north, joining the Iroquois Confederacy as its sixth nation. Despite the war’s end in 1715, its impacts were long-lasting, reshaping the landscape of colonial North Carolina and altering the dynamics between European settlers and Native American tribes.
In recognition of its historical significance, the Fort Neoheroka Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 17, 2009. Today, this monument serves as a solemn reminder of the struggles faced by the Tuscarora people and their resilience in the face of adversity.
