Bennett Place State Historic Site will host its annual anniversary program on Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. The program commemorates the surrender of 89,270 Confederate troops negotiated by Confederate Gen. Joseph Johnston and U.S. Army Major General William T. Sherman. The generals met three times at James and Nancy Bennett’s farmhouse in April 1865, ultimately agreeing to what became the largest surrender of the American Civil War on April 26, 1865. Bennett Place is administered by the Division of State Historic Sites within the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The 161st anniversary program, entitled “Uneasy Peace,” features scheduled talks and vignettes as well as free-flowing interactive stations. Event admission is $5 per adult, $2 for senior citizens, military/veterans, and children ages 3-17. The 12-minute surrender vignette is included in admission cost but requires advanced registration, as space is limited inside the Bennett home. Visitors can reserve a spot via Eventbrite. Limited tickets will remain available on a first-come, first-serve basis the morning of the program.
The schedule of events is as follows:
Scheduled Talks & Vignettes
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 11 a.m. | Patrick Schroeder, Park Historian, Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park |
| 11:30, 11:50 a.m., 12:10, 1:20, 1:40 p.m. | Bennett Place Surrender Vignettes (approx. 12 minutes) |
| 1 p.m. | The Story from the Land — Environmental History Walking Tour with UNC-Chapel Hill doctoral candidate Kalei Porter |
| 2 p.m. | Surrender and Freedom Stories |
| 2:30 p.m. | What Comes Next?: Aftermath of the Civil War |
Free Flowing Stations
These stations will be available for visitors to explore at their leisure throughout the program:
• Civil War Engineers — The pontoon bridges of Sherman’s Army
• Signal Flags — Learn about the wig-wag flag code
• Morse Code — See demonstration of morse code telegraphy
• Civilians on the Homefront — Living history discussions of the civilian experience
• U.S. & C.S. soldiers — interact with historians dressed and equipped as the soldiers of both armies at the close of the war in North Carolina.
About Bennett Place State Historic Site
Once the home of James and Nancy Bennett, this 189-acre farm in the North Carolina Piedmont became the location of the largest surrender of Confederate soldiers in the American Civil War. Over the course of three days in April 1865, General William T. Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston deliberated the terms of surrender and peace. Today, the Bennetts' reconstructed farmhouse, kitchen, and smokehouse recall the lifestyle of an ordinary Southern farmer during the Civil War. Bennett Place State Historic Site is located at 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd., Durham, NC 27705.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. At more than 100 sites across the state, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.