FAYETTEVILLE -- Plans for a Civil War museum in Fayetteville are starting to take shape.

Surveyors have been at the proposed site of the North Carolina Civil War History Center taking measurements. That location is near the old Civil War era US Arsenal that was demolished by the army of Union General William T. Sherman in 1865 near the war's end.

Organizers tell us the museum will focus on individuals instead of battles. They've been collecting Civil War stories from all 100 counties in the state and those stories range from both Union and Confederate soldiers; to women enduring on the home front and from both free and enslaved African Americans.

So far, $27 million has been raised from both public and private donations. The cost of the History Center is expected to be around $65 million.

Major construction will likely begin between 2019 and 2020.

Planners tell us they hope the museum will be open by 2021.