From Kingpin to Curator: The Wild Story of Dale Varnam’s Fort Apache

From Kingpin to Curator: The Wild Story of Dale Varnam’s Fort Apache

In the coastal marshes of Brunswick County, you’ll find Dale Varnam’s odd junkyard kingdom of found objects known as Fort Apache. Long before it became a roadside curiosity, this compound was at the heart of a massive 1980s drug smuggling operation allegedly linked to Pablo Escobar.
Today we’re exploring the unusual history of how Dale Varnam transformed the little fishing village of Varnamtown into a smuggling hub, followed by his downfall, and then his ‘redemption’ through art and community support.
If you’ve heard the viral podcast or seen Dale on American Pickers, you won’t want to miss this look at the real Fort Apache today.
Although the compound is closed now, there is still plenty to see along the road in front of it. And definitely worth a short stop if you’re in the area!

Timeline:
00:00 Intro
01:03 The Fishing Village of Varnamtown
01:25 The Pablo Escobar and Drug Smuggling Era
02:29 Dale Varnam’s Rdemption & Junk Art
03:26 Hurricane Matthew and a New Legacy

#thedeerberryfiles #varnamtown #FortApache #TrueCrime #DaleVarnam