Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier recently welcomed new chicks that will live at Tudor Hall Plantation. The chicks are Golden Sebright Bantams and Dominiques, historic breeds common to the Civil War era. They will join the Gulf Coast sheep at the Park and increase the livestock population at the Plantation.

Read more >

Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier invites history enthusiasts to the 12th Annual Symposium, which will take place at the Park’s Education Center from October 17 to 19, 2008.  The theme for this year’s Symposium is “Blue Water and Brown: Naval and Combined Operations in the Civil War.”

Read more >

Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier will host “A Stitch in Time: A Beginner’s Journey to Quilting” on Saturday, August 23 and Saturday, November 8. Each class will start at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Participants will learn about quilting from different perspectives and actually make a 16-inch quilt block by hand using reproduction Civil War-era fabrics. The cost is $18 per person for Park Members and $20 per person for non-members. Reservations are required for this event.

Read more >

Living historians will be present during two consecutive weekends at the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield:
1) Meet General and Mrs. Julia Grant at the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield
2) Jack Tars at City Point – The Navy Side of the Siege of Petersburg

Read more >

1) See the Stars Up Close at the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield
2) “Hard Liquor and Women” – How Off-Duty Soldiers Amused Themselves During the Siege of Petersburg

Read more >

Come and witness history being unearthed at Historic Battersea in Petersburg, VA! City officials, Battersea Inc. representatives, and Chief Archaeologist Josh Duncan from Cultural Resources Inc. will be on hand to showcase Battersea’s first complete Phase I Archaeological Survey on Wednesday, July 16, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm at Battersea, 1289 Upper Appomattox St., Petersburg, VA 23803. This event is free to the public. For more info, contact Richard Baugham (804)732-9882.

The first in-depth assessment of the site of Battersea, the 1768 estate of Col. John Banister is beginning this week in Petersburg.  Banister was Petersburg’s first Mayor and a prominent figure in colonial Virginia: a businessman, barrister, patriot and Revolutionary War leader. The archaeological investigation of the Battersea villa and it’s 37 acres, owned by the City of Petersburg since 1985, is made possible by a $30,000 grant from the Cameron Foundation, a non-profit devoted to benefit Petersburg and the tri-cities area. Cultural Resources Inc., of Richmond was contracted by Battersea Inc. to conduct the survey.

Read more >

Brain Moore says in this RTD article that the city has identified several potential sites that could be used toward a veterans park in Old Towne, on which would be located a statue of Petersburg native Ret. Lt. Col. Howard Baugh, who was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen.

1) Tours commemorate anniversary of the opening assaults on the City of Petersburg
2) Explore historic cemeteries by caravan tour
3) Celebrate freedom and family during Petersburg’s Juneteenth event

Read more >

Battersea, Inc is seeking a college-level individual interested in archeology to work on a supervised archeology survey in Petersburg, from mid June to early July, 2008.  Previous experience desired but not required.  Pay to be about $10/hour. For more details, read the flyer here.

Read more >

1) Re-release of the movie “Battle of the Old Men and Young Boys” to be held at Petersburg National Battlefield’s New Auditorium
2) Entrance Fees Fund “New” Auditorium
3) Freedom and Family During Petersburg’s Juneteenth Event

Read more >

Beginning June 28, Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier will be open to the public from 9am until 6pm.  The Park will maintain these extended hours until August 10 and then return to the normal hours of 9am until 5pm.

Read more >

Bring your family to Centre Hill Museum on Friday, June 13 for an evening of fun and games. The Museum will be open from 6pm to 10pm. Activity guides will be distributed to children between the ages of six to eleven. The guides feature educational and creative activities related to Centre Hill’€™s rich history. As an added bonus, adults will have one of the last chances to view the current exhibition, Fashionably Dressed at Centre Hill Mansion: Attire from the 1820s to the Early 1900s before the exhibit closes on July 6.

Read more >

Petersburg National Battlefield welcomes new recruits to their annual summer camp “Earthworks” beginning July 17 through August 7. The program, for children 6 – 12 years of age, will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00-1:00 p.m. Children will take a step back in time to learn about the life of a Civil War soldier.

Read more >

Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier invites history enthusiasts and families alike to the 12th annual Civil War Weekend on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22.  Performers, demonstrations, crafts, games, and music bring the Civil War era to life for visitors of all ages!  At this year’s event, visitors can experience tactical, artillery, and small arms demonstrations.

Read more >

On Saturday, May 24, visitors to Petersburg National Battlefield’s Eastern Front Unit can observe and participate in 19th century telegraphy. From 9:00am to 4:00pm John Buhrman, an expert in telegraphy, will be discussing and demonstrating one of the most common forms of communication during the Civil War. The program occurs around the Eastern Front Visitor Center which is located off of Route 36 in Petersburg, next to Fort Lee.

Read more >

“When the Bells Tolled on June 9th” is a living history program scheduled to occur on June 7 in Old Towne Petersburg. The event commemorates the 144th anniversary of the Battle of Old Men and Young Boys which was fought in the City of Petersburg on June 9, 1864. Assuming the role of an actual battle participant, visitors will take up “arms”, go through actual drilling procedures, learn about the person they are representing, and discover the fate of their individual.

Read more >

On May 24, Modern Central Park on South Sycamore Street in Petersburg will be the setting for the living history program, “Who Will Defend Us?” which examines the role of the Petersburg Militia during the Civil War. Come ready to drill. No equipment is necessary as “muskets” will be provided.

Read more >

On Saturday, June 7 the Second Presbyterian Church, 419 W. Washington St, will be the site of lectures, music, and living history programs which will take visitors back in time to Civil War era Petersburg. From 10:00am-5:00pm, visitors can witness events that pay tribute to the soldiers and civilians of Petersburg who worked together to fight for the existence of a Confederate States of America.

Read more >

Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier combines learning, camaraderie, and fun at its three-day History Day Camps this summer.  Campers experience first-hand how people lived during the American Civil War, both as soldiers and civilians, and programs instill an appreciation of how teamwork and cooperation contribute to success.

Read more >

Historic Photos of the Siege of Petersburg seeks to show in period photos the time of the 1864-1865 trench warfare known as Siege of Petersburg. The book “recounts this pivotal event in the war through hundreds of historic photographs, [...]. Spotlighted here are many of the soldiers and officers embroiled in the contest, the ingenious fortifications they designed, and the harm they wrought and sustained in their struggle to champion a cause.”

Read more >

Last week, the P-I ran an article noting that People’s Memorial Cemetery - a historic African American cemetery - has been approved to be on the National Register. The registration form is available here.

Read more >

Dinwiddie resident and historian Ronald Seagrave, PhD is currently writing a book to be entitled The Early Artisans & Mechanics of Petersburg Virginia, 1752-1860: Building of a Multicultural Maritime Community. In conducting research on the early Scottish influence on Petersburg’s literary base, he has found that the General Assembly granted Petersburg’s Speculative Society - a library association formed in 1793 - a charter in 1795. Per conversations with folks at the Library of Virginia, this appears to be “the earliest now known” library company in Virginia.

Read more >

Mary D. Doering, a faculty member in the Smithsonian Institution’s Masters Program in the History of Decorative Arts will be giving an illustrated lecture on Saturday May 3 at 2pm at Centre Hill Museum titled, “All in the Family: Dress and Domestic Life, 1825-1915.” The lecture will focus on examples of historical clothing included in Centre Hill’s current exhibition, “Fashionably Dressed at Centre Hill Mansion: Attire from the 1820s to the Early 1900s.”

Read more >

Chris Calkins, National Park Service veteran and renowned Civil War author, will give a talk on May 1 at 7pm on the development and importance of the railroad in Petersburg before and during the Civil War. Maps will be provided.

Read more >