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 150^th 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 149^th 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 26^th 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 150^th 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

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