The CSS Neuse II is a full-scale, fully built replica of the Confederate ironclad CSS Neuse, the original of which sits in the interpretive centre on the riverbank a few blocks away. Built over more than two decades by local volunteers, it is the only full-scale walk-aboard replica of a Confederate ironclad in existence.
Visitors can climb on deck, look into the casemate where the gun crews would have worked, and inspect the armoured pilothouse. The ship sits on land in downtown Kinston, not in the water, but the proportions and detail of construction give a much better sense of the original vessel than the charred hull alone. Open weekends with volunteer-led tours.