appomatox court house national historic park

See the Mclean house where General Lee surrendered to General Grant. The old roads are still there where the soldiers laid down their arms on the surrender day, A great piece of America's history.

Very nice place to visit. Did the short walk to the North Carolina Monument where the last shots of the war were fired. This is one of the first turnouts as soon as you enter park. It is just a large granite marker with several interesting facts on it. We then visited the small Cemetery. From there you can get the first glimpse of the actual village. It is pretty cool to think this was the same view General Grant had as he rode in on his horse to meet Lee for the surrender. Once we got to the village we first went to the courthouse. Here you pay the small entrance fee or just show your NPS annual pass. They have a small but very nice museum upstairs. There are several other interesting buildings to visit but of course the main draw is the McLean House. They keep it locked so you have to wait for one of the scheduled times when a guide will be inside. We only had to wait a few minutes. Was very interesting to learn the vases and leather sofa were actual original to the home when the surrender was signed. This is a very important place to visit for anyone with a remote interest in history. It is beautiful and peaceful here and has a solemn dignity that is hard to describe. In my opinion this is a must see if you are anywhere within a couple hours of here.

Once again, the National Park Service has done a nice job of preserving an important piece of history. Start with the short film at the Court House and be sure to take a guided tour of the McLean house. Then, at your leisure, you can visit many of the refurbished buildings that once made up the thriving village of Appomattox Court House. To clarify, the McLean house is the original house where the surrender was signed. However, in the late 1800's, it was dismantled by speculators that were going to ship it elsewhere for display. Before that happened, the depression of the 1890s ended that project. Later, the parks service rebuilt the brick structure using the original bricks and design on the original location.

As a person who learns from visual vs. reading, this was great. Our tour guide (Aaron) was very knowledgeable and even knew things my husband (a lover of this period) did not know *the McClean house was rebuilt in 1943 but on the original foundation;)* Anyway, this coming April is the 150th Anniversary and the turnout is expected to be huge. Definitely a must see for historical (and anyone else) buffs.***REMINDER: your National Park pass is honored here***

Our homeschool group, of 16 people (6 adults, 10 children aged 7-15) took a field trip to Appomattox Courthouse. It was a beautiful, clear, frigid January day, and except for a couple of people, we had the place to ourselves. Lead Park Ranger, Brandon Chamberlain, worked with me for weeks, to plan and organize our visit. He met us promptly, and gave us a thorough tour. The kids were engaged, and children and adults alike came away with not only a better appreciation for events of April 1865, at Appomattox Court House, but with a clearer context for events surrounding Lee's surrender as well. This tour was informative and very well done. We can not speak highly enough about our experience here. If you homeschool and you're planning on doing a curriculum-based field trip to the park, contact the National Park Service at AC, to find out how to get a fee waiver for your group. Also, they will mail you a dvd to watch and discuss prior to your visit.I also found out that active duty military can get a free pass to visit all the National Parks. I was able to get our card at AC during our field trip.While in the area, the Museum of the Confederacy (which you will almost certainly pass as you make your way to AC) might be worth visiting. It has the uniform Lee was wearing when he surrendered, which is pretty cool. However, the cost of admission is a little high.After our visit to AC, our group ventured into downtown Appomattox, where we had lunch at Granny Bee's, where they major on from-scratch, and coffee at Baines (about two doors down from Granny Bee's). It was a perfect day.

Appomattox village as preserved and recreated provides context for understanding the events that lead to Lee's surrender. The grounds are flat and walking is easy. The interpretive center provides ample details and helpful staff. Best to avoid rainy days as there is little cover if you are not inside one of the buildings.This is an absolute must-see for Civil War buffs and historians.

Well worth a visit. Some fascinating displays and a good orientation for visiting this area.. From here, you must move to nearby Apppomatox national Park, where you will spend a couple of hours wandering through historic buildings. Lots of photo opportunities.( do not miss the tiny Confederate Cemetary near by.There are no eating or drinking facilities here, but if you then drive a couple of miles to Appomattox, lovely coffee/bookshop opposite Tourist Office.

My husband and I were very impressed with the Park. Beautiful setting, well maintained, and staffed with friendly park workers who know their history. Entrance fee was $5 per car. We arrived late in the day, so the Park was closing an hour after we arrived, and daylight was fading. Look forward to visiting again when we have more time next time we get to VA.

Was driving past Appomattox and figured I would stop at the park. Beautiful site and very informative. They did a great job restoring/preserving the site.

As a history nerd, when given a chance to visit a place where 'history happened,' I will go out of my way. Well, my family and I finally got the chance! And we were not disappointed.Appomattox Court House is a village and not just the Courthouse. The surrender terms were agreed upon, not at the courthouse, but at the McLean house. There are several places in the village of which to visit and and get an idea of what transpired on April 9th, 1865 and the days prior and the days after well known date.Our kids partook in an excellent Junior Ranger program. The work required to complete the program was not simple and they learned an awful lot about the Civil War, in general, in additon to the specific events that happened at Appomattox.There was a wonderful volunteer who gave a lengthy presentation while walking around the village. He did a magnificent job of bringing the events to life me and the rest of the family. This historic site is highly recommended for anyone - young and old!

My daughters and I have been to most all of the East Coast Civil War battle sites, but never to the surrender location. We went in early November and some of the other local attractions were closed, but enjoyed touring the restored town. Spend some extra time in the Old Jail if you enjoy searching for spirits.

I had wanted to visit Appomattox all my life and I was not disappointed. What I did not expect was an entire village that has been lovingly preserved to give you the feeling that you have actually walked back into time. Coupled with all the amazing history that is here and this is truly a not to be missed experience. Seeing the home where Lee surrendered to Grant was wonderful. Even though the house is a replica, seeing the room where the surrender occurred was quite moving. Further down the street was the home where the last cannon was shot from, at the Confederates as they made a last ditch effort to try to escape the Federal blockade. Down this long road came the defeated Confederates to lay down their arms and battle flags after the surrender was signed. So easy to just close your eyes and almost see this sad and poignant event. One of the other homes was where the thousands of parole passes were actually printed so that each Confederate soldier could go home in peace. Also there is a wonderful museum with many artifacts of the surrender and irreplaceable documents and papers. The Park Service always does such an amazing job. Appomattox is one of the best!

When you go inside the buildings on the grounds you really get a feel for what life was like back in the 1800's.

By far the best part was the talk given by the historical re-enactor who talked about the battle, why Lee was in Appomattox, why the McClean house was chosen for the surrender and the events immediately following Lee's surrender. A superb job while keeping in the character of a 1865 Confederate soldier whose family farm was an actual part of the battlefield. The park itself is well laid out and easily accessible. Park rangers/historians were in some of the various buildings (espc the McClean house) to lend further insight and answer questions. One of the best Civil War battlefields I have visited. It was especially beautiful at the time of our visit and not crowded ( but I can see where it will during other months). Much better than expected.

We had a wonderful visit to this site. The NPS staff were all excellent. The young lady doing the first person interpretation was superb in her portrayal of her character. The site is well maintained and easy to get around. We were delighted with our experience.