Appomattox Courthouse – the place where the country reunited. This little village in Virginia is where the Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to United States General Ulysses S. Grant. It’s an important place to visit.
History
Prior to the Civil War, Appomattox Courthouse served as the county seat of Appomattox County and was a stop on the Richmond-Lynchburg stagecoach line. A few homes and government buildings were built, but as trains took over in the mid-19th century, the village declined.
The Civil War raged east of Appomattox from 1861-1865, culminating in Gen. Robert E. Lee’s retreat from Petersburg after the fall of the Confederate lines in April of 1865. As he tried to make his way west, Lee fought what would become the last battle of the war at Appomattox Courthouse on the morning of April 9, 1865. With his soldiers outgunned and outmanned, he recognized the futility of the continued fight and negotiated to meet Union General Grant at a home in Appomattox Courthouse.
The McLean home was the chosen site for the meeting, which was ironic given that Mr. McLean’s previous home in Manassas, Virginia was involved in the first battle of the Civil War in 1861. What a fitting place to have a momentous moment in history!
Gen. Lee arrived at the McLean home first, dressed in an immaculate ceremonial uniform. Gen. Grant arrived in a muddy uniform along with his aides, one of whom was a Native American. As they discussed the terms for surrender, Gen. Grant was generous in that he allowed the Confederate soldiers to keep their horses and sidearms and provided them needed food and care. As the Native American aide, Ely S. Parker, recorded these details, Gen. Lee is said to have commented that it was “good to have one real American here” while Parker replied, “Sir, we are all Americans.”
The war was for all intents and purposes over (there were a few armies in North Carolina and the Deep South that wouldn’t surrender for a number of weeks), and the country celebrated the joyful news that the Union was one again. All taking place at a sleepy little town in Virginia.
Visit
Appomattox Courthouse is located in the middle of central Virginia and an easy historic site to visit, especially if you’re visiting Richmond and driving west. There are two historical sites in town that you’ll want to visit – the American Civil War Museum (ACWM) – Appomattox and the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.
To help with your visit, be sure to download the Civil War Trust App for Appomattox Court House. You can also listen to season 6, episode 5 of the How We Got Here podcast to enhance your visit. You’ll also find the Civil War Trails map of Lee’s retreat handy as you drive to Appomattox. You’ll go right by many of the markers.
Begin your visit at the ACWM to get an overview of the history of this momentous place. You can purchase tickets as you walk in (Virginia K-12 public and homeschool students get in free!). There are two galleries to see along with a reconstructed antebellum cabin outside. This is the sister museum to the ACWM in Richmond, so if you plan to visit both, be sure to get the multi-site pass.
Kids will love the hands-on exhibits that focus on the soldiers and their families.
The museum displays a coat that is said to have been worn by Gen. Lee at the surrender (although pictures show it differently) along with the pen he used to sign the surrender.
Don’t miss the great gift shop before you leave, and then drive just .5 miles to the entrance of the national park.
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
This is the actual site where the surrender happened. Walk from the parking lot and go to the visitor center first. It’s such a beautiful landscape.
At the visitor center housed in the recreated 1846 courthouse, you’ll find helpful park rangers, maps, and a small museum with a 17-minute video about what happened here on April 9, 1865 (you can also view it here before your trip). Be sure to ask the ranger for a Junior Ranger booklet!
Next visit the main attraction – the (reconstructed) McLean house where the historic surrender took place.
The parlor where Lee and Grant met is recreated as it was on that day. The original furniture is in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, DC, so these are reproductions.
The other rooms are preserved as it was when the McLean family lived here.
Outside are enslaved cabins and other outbuildings to see along with exhibits on slavery and emancipation.
There are some other original buildings to see, including the 1819 tavern where you can find a gift shop.
The surrounding countryside also holds several places of historical interest. On the main road are several markers and monuments and just north and south of the NPS site are the generals’ last headquarters. See this map to plan a driving tour or take the NPS’ Appomattox History Trail hike (see on map obtained at visitor’s center). As a native North Carolinian, I was particularly interested in the North Carolina monument.
To plan your visit in conjunction with a visit to Richmond, follow my Last Week of the Civil War tour. Or see my Virginia Road Trip itinerary and make it part of a week-long trip through Virginia history.
Appomattox Courthouse is an important place to visit from history. One of the most momentous events in our nation’s history happened on this ground, and kids will remember their time here.
Helpful hints:
- Cost:
- ACWM-Appomattox: $13/adults; $7/youth; free for public and homeschool students
- NPS site: free
- Recommended: ages 10 and up
- Tour time: 3-4 hours for both sites
- Gift shops located at both sites
- Transportation: Only accessible by car, there is plenty of parking.
- Dining options: The little town of Appomattox is nearby with several restaurants, mostly fast food chains like Dairy Queen and Wendy’s.
- Nearby hotels: Appomattox is an easy day trip from Richmond where I have several recommended hotels. I also recommend the Hotel Weyanoke in Farmville and the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg.
- Nearby attractions include: Farmville, National D-Day Memorial, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest, and Patrick Henry’s Red Hill
Books to Read:
See my shop on Bookshop.org that supports independent bookstores and creators. I have a specific list of Virginia history books and Civil War books. Also check out my post on my favorite Civil War books for kids.
Links below are Amazon affiliate links.
Adult/Young Adult
- Appomattox: Victory, Defeat, and Freedom at the End of the Civil War
- Appomattox: The Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia
- Ends of War: The Unfinished Fight of Lee’s Army after Appomattox
- “No One Wants to be the Last to Die”: The Battles of Appomattox, April 8-9, 1865
- Grant
- The General and Julia
- Robert E. Lee: A Life
Middle Grade
- Marching to Appomattox: The Footrace That Ended the Civil War
- The History of the Civil War
- Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn’t Tell You About the Civil War
- If You Were a Kid During the Civil War
- Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?
- Who Was Robert E. Lee?
Picture Books
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