Good article, and seeing the model line side by side comparison was really helpful.
I have been to 3 of the sites that you mentioned, and Fort Sumter is definitely my favorite, well worth the ferry ride out and back, but it looks like the Hunley exhibition has had a lot of updates in the 10 years since my last visit so I will be putting that back on the list.
I have to take issue with the statement that Kinston is not really on the way to anywhere though... if you drive through interior NC as much as we do, you would know Kinston is the gateway to Sandy Bottom, NC (car erupts in laughter every time we pass the sign)