A quiet evening in Albemarle turned tense Friday when a homeowner in the Long Creek area found what appears to be a Civil War era explosive device. Officers rushed to a house on Hickory Avenue near West Main Street and, out of caution, had fire and public safety crews secure the scene while specialists removed the item. Authorities are keeping a tight lid on specifics and have not publicly identified exactly what the device was.
According to WCCB Charlotte, Albemarle Police said the call came in at about 5:30 p.m. Friday. Police, fire, and other crews then worked together to safely dispose of the item. The station reported that the initial information came from the Albemarle Police Department and that no additional details were released.
How officials handle old munitions
Authorities treat suspect relics as potentially live and call in trained explosive ordnance teams to evaluate and dispose of them, according to the National Park Service. The NPS and military safety materials emphasize the "Recognize, Retreat, Report" rule: identify a suspect object, leave it alone, and notify authorities. Bomb squads or EOD units then secure the area and either transport the item to a safe location or perform a controlled detonation if needed.
Why relics still surface here
North Carolina was the scene of wide-ranging Civil War campaigns and preserved battlefields, which helps explain why old rounds still turn up in yards, ditches, or during construction. As outlined by North Carolina Historic Sites, the state's wartime footprint is extensive and artifacts can emerge decades later. When that happens, public safety agencies treat discoveries first as hazards and only later as historical objects.
If you encounter a suspicious object, do not touch it. Move to a safe distance and call 911. The Albemarle Police Department lists its non-emergency number as (704) 984-9500 for local reports and tips, according to the city's police information page. This story will be updated if officials release more details about the discovery.
