04/04/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/04/2025 10:43
Bennett Place State Historic Site will commemorate the 160th anniversary of its Civil War surrender with two public programs on April 25-26. These programs mark the end of the 160th-anniversary commemorations of the American Civil War in North Carolina by North Carolina State Historic Sites.
On Friday, April 25 from 7-9:30 p.m., the site hosts "The Promise of Peace: Slavery's End in North Carolina," which explores how Civil War surrenders helped ensure the end of slavery. Visitors learn more about the Bennett Place surrender negotiations and the experiences of enslaved women, men, and children who experienced freedom with the close of the Civil War. The historic site will be decorated with 1,324 luminaries, each representing 250 enslaved people, to visualize the 331,059 enslaved North Carolinians during the Civil War. Musician Shana Tucker will perform background music to help visitors reflect on the Civil War as the end of slavery in our state and nation. The April 25 program is free to the public.
On Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., visitors are invited to attend "Uneasy Peace: Bennett Place Surrenders 160th Anniversary." This living history program features historic interpreters dressed as Civil War soldiers and civilians. Visitors can learn more about the negotiations between U.S. General William T. Sherman and Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston at the Bennett farmhouse in April 1865. Visitors can also explore how the surrender and its aftermath impacted soldiers and civilians alike. The April 26 program costs $5 for adults and $2 for children, senior citizens, and military personnel. Tickets must be purchased on the day of the event. Cash is preferred, but cards are accepted. No refunds will be issued.
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.