Winter 2014 – Message from the Site Manager

 Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings from the Bennett Farm,

Santa (left) and Site Manager John Guss outside the kitchen on the Bennett Farm.

We have certainly been blessed and fortunate with the tremendous support from you during this third year of the Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the American Civil War. Our new museum exhibit gallery is now well underway, our plans are coming together for the grand finale of the 150th Anniversary (April 17-26, 2015), and we received tremendous support in the recent purchase of some of the Bennett Family’s original farm property that was endanger of being commercially developed. Again, WE THANK YOU. This recent achievement has proven America’s commitment to preserving our most treasured landmarks; the land where our history occurred.

With all of the wonderful success and good fortune this year, we have also experienced much sadness among our Bennett family. Dr. Kent Hinkson, one of our devoted friends and colleagues passed away earlier this year, and more recently, we said farewell to one of our devoted board members of the Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. and past president of the Durham Civil War Roundtable, Jack Schrader. Both men will be deeply missed among our membership, but we know their legacy of the commitment to the preservation of Bennett Place and our nation’s history lives on.

Although we have closed the visitor center for renovations Bennett Place remains open for tours, school programs, and strolls through our Nature Trails. Our staff is on site to assist with any visitor services matters guests may have. Our hours of operation continue regularly, Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm. So please stop by for a visit during the winter months. We hope to have our visitor center operational again for visitors by mid-late March 2015.

As we move forward with the New Year approaching, we ask for your continued support for all of our North Carolina State Historic Sites as this year will be another challenging year. It is indeed unfortunate that budget cuts loom once again with more cuts hitting our historic landmarks across the Old North State especially during one of the most important commemorations in our state’s history, but government officials continue to review and assess what they deem most important to our state’s welfare, and our historic landmarks are not deemed a priority. The financial cuts are becoming entirely too impactful to our historic landmarks for them to endure long-term. Nevertheless, in the immediate, we continue to march onward as a result of the generosity of those individuals and groups who appreciate and value our heritage, and who understand that it is not a resource that can be compromised. Donations can be made to the Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. as we continue to need funds to support our operations at Bennett Place as well as future enhancements to our museum, visitor center, and educational programming. Donations can be made online at: http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/museum-fund/

As we say farewell to 2014, we are very excited about the upcoming events and new museum we will be sharing with you in April 2015. We hope you will be able to join us for the grand finale of one of America’s most significant times in our nation’s history. Please continue to visit our webpage with all of the information on our 150th Anniversary Commemorative activities.

http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/special-events/150th-surrender-anniversary/

Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this national treasure.

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

 Sincerely,
John Guss
, Site Manager

 

    Summer 2014 – Message from the Site Manager

    John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home

    Greetings from the Bennett Farm,

    IT IS UPON US. The final year of this memorable anniversary of the American Civil War, the most defining and significant period in United States history, is now underway. Personally, I have been honored and privileged to have been able to travel with friends, family, and colleagues to many of these historic places during this commemoration to include the State Capitol in Raleigh, where I stood among hundreds of living historians dressed in gray and visitor onlookers, while witnessing the Stars and Bars being hoisted above the old capitol in this 1861 recreation of the beginning of this trying time. From there, my journeys have taken me to the battlefields of Fort Sumter, SC watching the glowing sunrise on April 12, 2011, and to Manassas, VA, where I took part in the hottest reenactment of my 25 plus years of living history. I then lived within the brick casemates of the mighty Fort Pulaski near Savannah, GA, camped and battled on the fields of Sharpsburg, MD, and in Fredericksburg, VA, I crossed the Rappahannock River in an authentic reproduction pontoon boat for the very first time.

    Leading into the 1863 year of the war, I marched with the men of the Old North State to Chancellorsville, VA, had the privilege of cherishing a walk with my father across the fields of Gettysburg, PA, stood on the shores of Charleston, SC where I was among many who honored the men who died in the Battle of Fort Wagner, and finished the year finding where my Northern ancestors charged the hills of Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, TN. The 1864 year was a challenging one with all of the harsh winter weather, which nearly kept me from attending the Battle of Olustee, FL, but did stop me from making it to Andersonville Prison. The spring brought a renewed enthusiasm for all living historians making our focus Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA, and then more recently Resaca, GA and Cold Harbor, VA.

    Everywhere I have walked and camped out for the night on hallowed ground, I have spent much time reflecting on the remarkable challenges, sacrifices, and the astounding loss of life of so many, and so young. The more than 700,000 Americans, mostly young men and women not much more than teenagers who perished, is still so unfathomable by we who live in this present day. Perhaps it is why working at Bennett Place, the silent unassuming place of peace, is so humbling yet rewarding. It has such a powerful story in the ending of this magnificent sad war between Americans.

    However, in all my travels and daily duties of my job, observing these 150th Anniversary commemorative events compared to my in depth experiences with the 125th Anniversary of the American Civil War, I have noticed a drastic difference in the level of interest and support, which is becoming more and more disconcerting in the remembrance of these men and women. With all of the hustle and bustle and distracting technology in today’s society, and the agonizing longevity of recent wars, I am not sure our present and future generations will ever truly take the time to appreciate the sacrifice our ancestors made from 1861-1865. We can only hope for a time of enlightenment.

    Many of us, especially those who work professionally at Civil War landmarks and who are passionate of this time period, wish the American public had invested more time in studying, remembering, and visiting our nation’s Civil War landmarks during this more recent anniversary. This time period of America’s past will always be an important cornerstone in our nation’s foundation. So it is worthy of each generation passing on the torch of knowledge, respect, and remembrance of these Americans.

    In conclusion of this moment of brief reflection, we now move forward into the summer season which already brings me back to 2011 to the 108+ degree temperatures that more than 8,000 living historians and some 50,000 visitors endured on the fields of Manassas, Virginia. We can only hope the summer will not continue in the same fashion. Fortunately, we have no major anniversary reenactments to direct our attention.

    However, the Fall will jump start us into much more interest as we look to Georgia with the infamous March to the Sea by Major General Sherman’s Armies, and the embattled Confederacy in Virginia with Grant’s final push toward Richmond and Petersburg. We will be busy here on the homefront with our Tar Heel Harvest Fair & Farmer’s Market  in September, which will once again have many fun filled activities for children and adults to include the Pumpkin Carving Contest, the Pie Tasting Contest, and the field games of sack races, the Egg Race, and the three legged race. Livestock and wagon rides will be part of this wonderful autumn atmosphere, and artisans and vendors will demonstrate their craftsmanship as well as sell their wares.

    Deeper into Fall we will have our full attention devoted to the design and construction of the exhibits for the new museum gallery, which will open in April 2015, just in time for the magnificent ending of the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War.

    So, we hope you have a cool and enjoyable summer, while taking time to visit a Civil War landmark along your travels. Please stop by the Bennett Farm if you are in the area, so you can take one last peak at our 31 year old museum exhibits, as they will soon become a memory.

    GET READY FOR 2015!! The final chapter of the American Civil War in North Carolina is going to be exciting and unforgettable!!

    Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this National Treasure.

    Sincerely,

    John Guss, Site Manager

    Please consider making a donation to the Bennett Place Museum Fund.

      Spring 2014 – Message from the Site Manager

      John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home.

      Greetings from the Bennett Farm,

      We have made it through a challenging, but enjoyable winter with a few blankets of snow, which has allowed us to snap some marvelous picturesque photos of the Bennett Farm and the Unity monument covered in snow. As spring approaches we are gearing up for an exciting series of special events, not to mention, our preparations for the grand finale of the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War Commemoration. We hope you will attend some if not all of our fun filled educational events as well as venturing out to our other Civil War sites, which will also be hosting special events.

      We begin with a living history focus on perhaps the most intriguing storyline and what had the most impact on the American Civil War; casualties and medicine. Civil War living historians will join us at the end of March to demonstrate the life of a field hospital and the recuperation of soldiers on the homefront.

      In April, we commemorate the 149th Anniversary of the largest surrender of the war at Bennett Place with a series of presentations entitled, The Many Roads to Surrender. Historians and authors to include National Park Rangers Patrick Schroeder and Bert Dunkerly will present the two most significant surrenders. We will also have some unique presentations by Eric Richardson, John Hairr, and Bennett Place Historic Interpreter, Ryan Reed, on the other surrenders which finally put an end to this war of brother against brother. Later on Saturday evening, April 26th we will host our first Grand Blue & Gray Ball. This is a major fundraising event for our new museum gallery, but we have wanted to offer our supporters and Civil War enthusiasts an exclusive evening atmosphere of a Civil War dance. Please join us with your significant other as this will certainly be one of our premiere events of the year.

      We move into May sharing a grand stage of numerous 150th Anniversary Civil War commemorative events to include the Battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse and The Wilderness in Virginia, the Battles of Resaca and Pickett’s Mill, Georgia, and the bloody Battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia. We will host our annual Memorial Day Remembrance in which we honor all American soldiers with a fascinating military timeline of living historians ranging from the American Revolution to the War in Iraq.

      Following the series of these superb events we will put our noses to the grindstone over the summer and begin the first stages of redesigning and rebuilding our museum exhibit gallery, which has been with us since the Visitor Center was constructed in 1983. This new museum gallery will have so many new artifacts to share and many more firsthand accounts of the soldiers and civilians who were involved in putting an end to this horrific war. We greatly appreciate any contributions you may be willing to offer in support of this new museum gallery as it is being built primarily through voluntary donations given the lack of funding available from the state government. To make a donation please visit our Donation Page.

      As we progress with this major endeavor, we will also be planning for the conclusion of this Sesquicentennial commemoration, which will be held April 17-26, 2015, the exact dates of the original surrender negotiations.

      So, we have a tremendous amount of activity going on at the Bennett Farm this year, perhaps more than ever before in the history of this state historic site. Please join us by bringing family and friends out to Bennett Place to walk this hallowed ground where one of the most important historic events of the American Civil War occurred, that helped begin the reunification of our nation.

       

      Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this national treasure.

      Sincerely,

      John Guss,
      Site Manager

        Winter 2013 – Message from the Site Manager

        Season’s Greetings & Merry Christmas from Bennett Place!

        Winter has finally arrived and now we are approaching the chill in the air and hopes for perhaps some snow in the upcoming months. In September we enjoyed the success of our first time Tar Heel Harvest Fair and Farmer’s Market with a surprising visitation of more than 800 visitors. Children and adults enjoyed the activities especially the sack races, egg and spoon races, and above all, the pumpkin carving contest. Our newsletter contains more of the details in pictures.

        Sadly, earlier this Fall we lost one of our dear friends and contributors, Mr. Charles Thissen. Charles will be forever known as the generous man who gave us more than 1,000 Civil War books and reference materials, which enabled us to build a research library, which now bears his name. You can read more about our friend Charles in the latest Bennett Place Courier.

        Our Museum Fundraising campaign is moving along quite successfully with us getting closer to our goal of $50,000. These funds will be invaluable to the enhanced interpretation of one of the most significant events of the American Civil War. We encourage you to be a part of this important endeavor by making a financial contribution. If you would like to make a contribution you can click on the link at the bottom of this post, mail in a gift, or stop by Bennett Place and dropping money into the museum donation box. We also have two magnificently handcrafted items made in North Carolina, one a pistol box and the other a scrimshawed powder horn, which will be raffled over the next two years, and the proceeds will go toward the museum renovations as well.

        With the pleasing increase of visitation we are preparing ourselves for the 150th Anniversary of the Surrender activities in April 2015. We will have a week-long commemoration from April 17-26, 2015 with a variety of special presentations and lectures, book signings, special tours, dignitaries, as well as the surrender reenactment. However, there are plenty of wonderful events yet to be enjoyed before it is our time in the spotlight. This year the Battles of Chancellorsville, Virginia, Fort Wagner, South Carolina, and of course Gettysburg, Pennsylvania generated much additional interest in the East, but the Western theater took center stage this Fall with a large scale reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia.

        In 2014, much of the focus will be in the state of Georgia with the battles before and around Atlanta, Georgia where Sherman and Johnston squared off until Johnston’s temporary removal as commander of The Army of Tennessee. Commemorative events will continue with Sherman’s March to the Sea, while in Virginia, we will witness the historical events of a new general, Ulysses S. Grant, who will take command of the Army of the Potomac giving Robert E. Lee all he can handle. The year of 2015 will mark the final year of the war with Virginia and now North Carolina sharing the historical events of the last hard fought battles and the two more prominent places of its conclusion, Appomattox Court House and Bennett Place.

        In closing, I want to thank everyone for your continued to support of our cause in preserving not just North Carolina’s heritage, but our nation’s heritage. With continued government and community cutbacks, we all need to band together to support our historic landmarks across this great nation. They are an important cornerstone of who we are as a nation and as individuals.

        Come walk this Hallowed Ground.
        John Guss, Site Manager

          Summer 2013 – Message from the Site Manager – Revised

          John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home

          Greetings from Bennett Place!

          Summer is just about over and it has been wonderfully mild compared to the two previous 100+ degree scorchers. While we have had an overabundance of rain, visitation to the park has increased perhaps due to a milder climate for being outside to sightsee, but we also believe Bennett Place is coming into its own more and more as one of the more popular tourist stops among fellow North Carolina historic sites and museums. It is one of the few historic sites in the Old North State that has more national significance than just local history.

          With the pleasing increase of visitation we are preparing ourselves for the 150th Anniversary of the Surrender activities in April 2015. We will have a week-long commemoration from April 17-26, 2015 with a variety of special presentations and lectures, book signings, special tours, as well as the surrender reenactment. However, there are plenty of wonderful events yet to be enjoyed before it is our time in the spotlight. Recently the Battles of Chancellorsville, Virginia, Fort Wagner, South Carolina, and of course Gettysburg, Pennsylvania generated much additional interest in the East, but the Western theater is about to take center stage this Fall with a large scale reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia on September 20-22.

          In 2014, much of the focus will be in the state of Georgia with the battles before and around Atlanta, Georgia where Sherman and Johnston squared off until Johnston’s temporary removal as commander of The Army of Tennessee. Commemorative events will continue with Sherman’s March to the Sea, while in Virginia, we will witness the historical events of a new general, Ulysses S. Grant, who will take command of the Army of the Potomac giving Robert E. Lee all he can handle. The year of 2015 will mark the final year of the war with Virginia and now North Carolina sharing the historical events of the last hard fought battles and the two more prominent places of its conclusion, Appomattox Court House and Bennett Place.

          Until then, we still have plenty of splendid educational and family fun activities at Bennett Place, first with our Tar Heel Fair and Farmer’s Market September 28-29, and the Christmas in the Carolinas December 14-15. Please check our Calendar of Events on our website or on our Bennett Place Facebook page for additional upcoming events and activities.

          Fundraising for the new museum gallery exhibits, which will open in April 2015, continues to increase with us getting closer to our goal of $50,000. If you would like to make a contribution there are numerous ways either online http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/museum-fund/ , by mailing in a gift, or stopping by Bennett Place and dropping money into the museum donation box.

          In closing, I want to thank everyone for your continued to support of our cause in preserving not just North Carolina’s heritage, but our nation’s heritage. With continued government and community cutbacks, we all need to band together to support our historic landmarks across this great nation. They are an important cornerstone of who we are as a nation and as individuals.

          Come walk this Hallowed Ground.

          John Guss, Site Manager

            Spring 2013 – Message from the Site Manager

            John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home

            Greetings from Bennett Place!

            Springtime is finally upon us after a very long cold winter. While we did not receive the mounds of snow like our northern friends we certainly got our share of chilly and rainy weather. But now it is time to start thinking about getting outside and enjoying the great outdoors at our parks and historic sites. We have already begun our special event season with a splendid living history and lecture series commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation in February. The Trail To Freedom Tour received tremendous accolades.You can enjoy this educational video filmed and sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources on YouTube by clicking on this link.

            In March, North Carolina became 350 years old and we commemorated this grand celebration with Tar Heel soldiers encamped at the Bennett Farm. The 6th North Carolina Infantry, Cedar Fork Rifles Company encamped around the Bennett Farm with three wonderful lectures by authors of North Carolina to include one of our favorites, Michael Hardy, and newly published authors Martha Brown, and David Reavis. We have a variety of other superb events planned for the year, which you will not want to miss. The 148th Anniversary of the Largest Surrender of the American Civil War entitled, War and Surrender Through Photography, Art, and Journalism will be a unique perspective of how the war has been depicted throughout history. This event will be held on April 20-21, 2013, followed by what has become a popular military timeline living history honoring our American soldiers with our Memorial Day Remembrance program on May 25-26. Second Saturdays are back again with a variety of history and cultural related activities in June, July, and August as well followed by Fall and Christmas events.

            Please check out the remainder of our calendar of events on our website or on our Bennett Place Facebook page. We will continue to add to our calendar of events with lectures of interesting Civil War related topics, living history programs on the farm, and other commemorative and anniversary events.

            We continue to climb toward the mountain peak of our $50,000 goal for a new museum exhibit gallery, which we plan to have opened by April 2014. This will be a much more comprehensive story of the Bennett Family and the surrender negotiations between Major General Sherman and General Johnston at the Bennett Farm. Please visit our museum fundraising webpage at:  www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/museum-fund to find out more information of how you can help us build a new museum that is an important part of our nation’s journey to reunification. We greatly appreciate all donations in helping us reach the goal.

            ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!! Don’t forget to send in your scholarship applications for the William Vatavuk Scholarship!! The college scholarship is $500.00 and will be awarded in April!! Visit our webpage for all the details: www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/education/william-vatavuk-scholarship

            On behalf of the staff and volunteers at Bennett Place State Historic Site THANK YOU again for your continued support in helping us preserve the memory of those American men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from 1861-1865.

            Sincerely,
            John Guss, Site Manager

              Winter 2013 Message from the Site Manager

              John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home

              Greetings & Happy New Year
              from Bennett Place!

              We trust all of you had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season with family and friends, and rang in the New Year of 2013 with many great expectations. We broke an all time visitation record for our Christmas in the Carolinas During the Civil War living history event in December thanks to Santa paying a visit to the Bennett farm, a special guest appearance by General D. H. Hill portrayed by historian and author Doug Batson, the support of our incredible volunteers who continue to help preserve the significant history of this hallowed ground, and you our devoted visitors.

              As I stated in my previous address we began our Museum Fundraising Capital Campaign for the redesign of our museum on October 4th and have continued to raise monies through a variety of ways to generate donations! Thank you to all of you who have made a contribution thus far. Our goal is $50,000 and we hope you can help us reach our objective in 2013 as we are already in the process of designing the museum with a much more comprehensive story of the Bennett Family and the Largest Surrender of the American Civil War. Our grand opening is planned for April 2014! Please visit our fundraising webpage at:  www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/museum-fund or you can mail in a contribution. We greatly appreciate the contribution.

              Our new year begins in February with an exciting 150th Sesquicentennial Anniversary event entitled, “The Emancipation Proclamation: An Exploration” on Saturday, February 23, 2013.  Earl Ijames, historian with the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, will be our keynote speaker in addition to “A Trail to Freedom”, a living history guided tour through the forest of the Bennett Farm to hear stories of struggle and freedom from those who lived it. Other local African American related historic sites and museums will make presentations and have displays in honor of this significant event in American history. March follows with our Tar Heels: Soldiers of the Old North State, a living history of the Confederate soldiers of North Carolina, and in April, the 148th Anniversary of the Surrender will take place with a unique event depicting how the American Civil War has been covered by artists, photographers, journalists, and newspapers throughout history. Many more new impressive programs are being introduced this year, so you don’t want to miss them. So please check out the remainder of our calendar of events and join us for these special lectures, living histories, and commemorative events.

              ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!! Don’t forget to send in your scholarship applications for the William Vatavuk Scholarship!! The college scholarship is $500.00!! Visit our webpage for all the details:

              http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/education/william-vatavuk-scholarship/.

              On behalf of the staff and volunteers at Bennett Place State Historic Site THANK YOU again for your continued support in helping us preserve the memory of those American men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice from 1861-1865.

              Sincerely,

              John Guss, Site Manager

                December 2012 Message from the Site Manager

                Santa and John Guss at Bennett Place in 2011

                Greetings from Bennett Place!

                It has begun!! We kicked off our Museum Fundraising Capital Campaign for the redesign of our museum on October 4th! Our goal is $50,000 and we are on our way. You too can be a part of this worthwhile endeavor by making a contribution to the Museum Campaign. Visit this page in our website or you can mail in a contribution.

                Christmas and the Holiday Season is now upon us and we will have a special visit from Ole Saint Nick on December 15-16, 2012. So make sure to bring the family and friends out to the Bennett Farm. In addition, we will have Confederate General D.H. Hill as portrayed by Mr. Doug Batson, historian and author, who has done extensive study on this famous yet controversial Tar Heel officer. A unique Christmas church service will be held on Sunday, December 16th at 10:30am. Saturday evening, December 15th we invite all of our friends and supporters to join us at the Bennett Place for an evening of Christmas celebration with food and drink and good fellowship. It’s our way of saying thank you for all of your wonderful support.

                Please continue to check our upcoming calendar of events, which coming up in the new year on February 23, 2013 we have a very special 150th Anniversary event entitled, “The Emancipation Proclamation: An Exploration”. Earl Ijames, historian, will be our keynote speaker in addition to “A Trail to Freedom”, a living history guided tour through the forest of the Bennett Farm to hear stories of struggle and freedom from those who lived it. Also, check out the remainder of our calendar of events and join us for a variety of Civil War and other related educational experiences.

                Finally, high school seniors don’t forget to send in your scholarship applications for the William Vatavuk Scholarship!! The college scholarship is $500.00!! Visit this webpage for all the details.

                On behalf of the staff and volunteers at Bennett Place State Historic Site we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!!

                Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this national treasure.

                Sincerely,

                John Guss, Site Manager

                  August 2012 Message from the Site Manager

                  John Guss, site manager inside the Bennett Home

                  Greetings from the Bennett Farm! In spite of the sweltering heat we have stayed busy on the farm this Summer with more visitors than in recent years, and the herb and vegetable gardens have produced more than ever before! Sweet potatoes, beans, cantaloupes, tomatoes, and squash have all sprung up for the first time since the Bennett family farmed this garden. We even got a legitimate size watermelon from the patch! James and Nancy would be proud of us.

                  Our new museum design continues to develop with a much more diverse and detailed storyline. We are also seeking monetary donations as well as artifacts to help us make this a premiere exhibition that does justice to representing the story of the largest surrender of the war.

                  On July 25th Bennett Place was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Baggage Battles” reality television show. Dan Hopping, volunteer and member of our local Sons of Union Veterans John A. Logan Camp, was featured with his expertise in 19th century weaponry. Here is the link to the episode: http://www.travelchannel.com/video/dads-old-war-stuff

                  Please continue to check our upcoming calendar of events, which in September we have a wonderful 150th anniversary living history program entitled, Life on the Homefront During the Civil War, It is a focus on the civilian life during the second year of the war.

                  Please join us by bringing family and friends out to Bennett Place to walk this hallowed ground where one of the most important historic events of the American Civil War occurred, that helped begin the reunification of our nation.

                  Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this national treasure.

                   Sincerely,
                  John Guss
                  , Site Manager

                    March-April 2012 Message from the Site Manager

                    John Guss, site manager, inside the Bennett Home

                    First and foremost I would like to extend a very special THANK YOU to each of our volunteers who supported this wonderful celebration and helped make it a complete success by performing the essential duties of living history, visitor services, parking logistics, and maintaining the cleanliness of the grounds. Collectively we made our 50th Anniversary of Bennett Place one of the most memorable occasions in recent years.

                    In addition to the reenactment of the surrender and the wonderful lectures by all of our authors and historians, a very special gesture of gratitude should be noted to the North Carolina Society Military Order of the Stars and Bars for their generous contribution of our new historical interpretive wayside, which now stands on the park grounds. I would also like to pay a special thanks to Mayor Bill Bell for bringing greetings from our grand city of Durham, Deputy Director Dale Coats, who provided salutations from the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Mark Bradley, for giving us an enlightening keynote address, and Jim Wise, who presented a splendid lecture on the 50 years of historic preservation of Bennett Place. Above all else, many thanks goes to the men and women of the United States Army 82nd Airborne Ceremonial Band for taking time out of defending our country to provide us with magnificent patriotic music at the Unity Monument Ceremony on Sunday afternoon. That was indeed the highlight for me.

                    Even with our celebration of achievement for the 50 years in preserving Bennett Place, we must now look ahead to new challenges and goals and continuing our mission of historic preservation and education of America’s prosperous heritage. Our new museum design is well underway with a blueprint and enhanced storyline in progress and the observance of the Sesquicentennial is now very much in our presence with more and more interest of this commemoration being recognized. Thus, we progress in to the Spring and Summer with much enthusiasm and a number of outstanding educational living history events to look forward to, which you will note in our special events calendar.

                    Please join us by bringing family and friends out to Bennett Place to walk this hallowed ground where one of the most important historic events of the American Civil War occurred, that helped begin the reunification of our nation.

                    Again, THANK YOU for your continued support of this national treasure.

                    Sincerely,

                    John Guss, Site Manager