Back in the 1840s, 1850s the south was in need of a system to ship goods and supplies. They found a place in the eastern part of North Carolina that links the Atlantic coast to the mainland of the south. The connection started with a man-made creek called Slocum.
Then a British General lead an epic battle in India. The creek and train depot was renamed, Havelock.
After the train was built the Civil War happened. The North invaded parts of North Carolina coast, including Havelock. They built a fort facing the train tracks.
After the war, the fort disappeared. It's now private property, but you can roam down the tracks to see what it used to be.
The North took advantage of the railroad for the shipment of supplies and soldiers. After the war the south needed to regroup, they relied on the railroad in Havelock to haul supplies and goods.
In 1941, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the government wanted their coast protected from the Germans. They built a Marine Corp. air base known today as Cherry Point.
And yes, they still use this over hundred year track to transport supplies to Cherry Point.
On a side note; yes, slaves built the creek. But, around the same time, there were free men living in the area. Their names were listed in the census, whereas slaves were not.