Departments · 101 Articles
Museums & Historic Sites
Museums, national parks, monuments, cemeteries, and exhibitions — what is on view and what has changed.
Featured in Museums & Historic Sites
A Healer’s Hat and Manual Fannie Palmer, Artist
Objects relating to hospital stewards who served either Army during the Civil War are incredibly rare, so the National Museum of Civil War Medicine was pleased when a patron recently arranged a long-term loan of a U.S. Model 1858 Dress Hat…
All Museums & Historic Sites
101 articles · 2016–2026Behind the Lines
Ihave long observed a strict rule: “Never say ‘no’ to the Of course, as with any organization, the NPS has had National Park Service.” For over fifty years, whene…
325.5 Million Visits to National Parks in 2023
Fort Oglethorpe, GA—The National Park Service announced that 400 national parks reported a total of 325.5 million visits in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4%…
A Heartfelt Tribute of Parental Affection
A Heartfelt Tribute of Parental Affection By Joseph Wilson Behind an old iron gate shrouded in overgrown shrubs, a seemingly forgotten and hidden Pittsburgh cemet…
Mary Todd Lincoln House Falls Victim to Attempted Arson
Mary Todd Lincoln House Falls Victim to Attempted Arson LEXINGTON, KY—Mary Todd Lincoln’s teenage home was nearly burned to the ground intentionally by a suspect…
Historical Society Opens New Museum at Gettysburg
Historical Society Opens New Museum at Gettysburg By Leon Reed The redevelopment of Gettysburg, now well underway with a new children’s museum at the Rupp House,…
Saint-Gaudens Medal Awarded to Historian and Author Harold Holzer
Saint-Gaudens Medal Awarded to Historian and Author Harold Holzer The Saint-Gaudens Memorial, a partner of and advocate for the Saint-Gaudens National Historical…
Rest on Arms Reversed
Rest on Arms Reversed Confederate monuments, like war memorials generally, take numerous architectural forms, some common and some rare. Among the less frequently…
Location of Lincoln Speech Identified
by Leon Reed Hundreds of people passing through Gettysburg National Cemetery around 2 p.m. on Remembrance Day (Nov. 19) were curious what a group of 8-10 people w…
Chaos at the High Water Mark
by Carl L. Sell Jr. The chaos, confusion, and carnage at Gettysburg’s July 3, 1863, High Water Mark on Cemetery Hill, was a potential disaster for the Union Army…
A Fresh Look for Old Stories
A Fresh Look for Old Stories Last October a new Civil War Trails sign was installed at the Humphrey’s County, Tenn., Museum. The Museum at 201 Fort Hill Rd., in W…
Happy Birthday Mathew Brady – 200 Years
Happy Birthday Mathew Brady – 200 Years by Cliff Krainik On a bright, beautifully clear Indian summer afternoon about a hundred invited guests attended the unveil…
York Underground RR Museum Dedicates New Casteel Statue
York Underground RR Museum Dedicates New Casteel Statue by Leon Reed Sculptor Gary Casteel, best known for Gettysburg’s James Longstreet statue, watched with prid…
Emerging Civil War — March 2022
During the Sesquicentennial, one major theme the National Park Service touted was “From Civil War to Civil Rights.” It seemed an odd choice at the time, designed…
Robert E. Lee Monument; Vandalism and Removal
Publishers Note: The United States is a civilized country where laws are written to protect and guarantee citizens their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.…
Lee Statue Removed
RICHMOND, Va.— On September 8, 2021, the Robert E. Lee statue, once the centerpiece of Richmond’s National Register of Historic Places, the Monument Avenue comple…
From The Lowcountry — November 2021
The topic of removing Confederate monuments and other symbols of the Confederacy has been a sensitive subject lately. I have received so many comments and letters…
Emerging Civil War — July 2021
From the Editor I first visited Spotsylvania’s Bloody Angle on Memorial Day weekend in 1998. My family had spent the holiday camping on the beach at the Outer Ban…
Ed Bearss’ All Time Favorite Civil War Books
By Dorothy Partridge Special Correspondent to (Originally published in the November 2018 issue of Civil War News.) Edwin Cole Bearss was the Chief Historian Emeri…
Civil War Correspondents Memorial Has Become Writer’s Legacy
Civil War newspaper correspondent George Alfred Townsend’s once pretentious mountain estate is now embraced by Gathland State Park at Crampton’s Gap in the South…
Letters to the Editor — September 2020
TO THE EDITOR: Just wanted to send you a quick note to say “thank you” for your recent editorial in the August CWN. You hit the nail right on the head about monum…
Chesapeake Monument Commemorates Jackson Greys
In the old Pleasant Grove Baptist Churchyard on St. Brides Road West, a rough granite obelisk commemorates formation of the Jackson Greys on July 11, 1861. The Gr…
USS Monitor’s Dahlgren Guns Continue Undergoing Conservation at Monitor Center
Continue Undergoing Conservation at Monitor Center by Bob Ruegsegger The USS Monitor’s two XIinch Dahlgren shell guns continue to undergo conservation at the Batt…
Gettysburg Tourism: 50% Open
Gettysburg Tourism: 50% Open by Leon Reed The reopening of Gettysburg will be a welcome change for merchants, unemployed workers, and people wanting to visit, but…
Reenactors Raise Funds for Old Bedford Village
Sixty Civil War-era reenactors brought Old Bedford Village, in south-central Pennsylvania, to life on the weekend of August 30-Sept. 1, 2019, in an effort to rais…
Charleston’s First Memorial Day: Forgotten No More
Charleston’s First Memorial Day: Forgotten No More By Stephen Davis Special to Civil War News History, if you’ll pardon a digression, can be like a rock ‘n’ roll…
Kristina Heister acting superintendent at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site
GETTYSBURG, Penn.— Kristina Heister has arrived as the acting superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. She will…
Fort Monroe National Monument Hosts Garrison Life Living History Event
Fort Monroe National Monument Hosts Garrison Life Living History Event By Bob Ruegsegger Scores of living historians and reenactors from New York to Georgia, asse…
Redesignation of Fort Sumter National Monument
CHARLESTON, S.C.—The National Park Service announces the redesignation of Fort Sumter National Monument to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park.…
National Civil War Memorial Gains Local Support
Sculptor Gary Casteel has been advocating development of a National Civil War Memorial for two decades. He feels he may be closer to the project’s go-ahead than e…
Correction
In the March issue we neglected to give credit for four photographs published with the “This and That” column. The photos were provided by the Stone Mountain Memo…
Events Section — March 2019
Col. W.P. Rogers, SCV Camp #321 will be held at the Crossroads Museum. Located at 2800 S. Harper Road exit on Hwy 45, just 1 mile south of Hwy 72 in Corinth, Miss…
Let Them Rest
In the summer of 2017 a friend sent me an email with a link to an NBC news show in which Confederate monuments were discussed. A journalist, Joy Reid, stated that…
Ed Wenschhof Jr. Acting Superintendent at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site
Ed Wenschhof Jr. Acting Superintendent at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site GETTYSBURG, Penn.—Ed Wenschhof Jr. has arrived a…
2018 Ends on a High Note
The Williamson County Ag Expo Park is a great venue for the show, featuring 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. (Jack Melton) RICHMOND, Va. and FRANKL…
Civil War Events — December 2018
Come celebrate the Christmas of yesteryear amid period decorations, seasonal histories, and holiday discounts in the museum’s gift shop. Regular tour admission pr…
Ed Bearss Chooses His Favorite Civil War Books
By Dorothy Partridge Special Corespondent to Edwin Cole Bearss is the Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service. He has remarked on his favorite Civil…
Silver Linings: The Beauregard Monument Time Capsule
I suppose if there could said to have been anything positive regarding the recent removal of the Beauregard monument just outside New Orleans City Park (May 2018)…
A Civil War Show is Born
“Wow!” “Outstanding!” “You’ve hit a home run with this one!” “I love the show hall!” “I love this show!” All the above were actual comments from exhibitors and vi…
Tourism to Fort Sumter National Monument and Charles Pinckney National Historic Site creates over $54 Million in Economic Benefits
SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C.—A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 950,700 visitors to Fort Sumter National Monument and Charles Pinckney National Histor…
Grant Presidential Library News
STARKVILLE, Miss.—At the recent annual meeting of the Mississippi Historical Society in Jackson, a curator of an outstanding Civil War museum, a leader in the liv…
Former POWs Shared Their Experiences
“As the wounded died, we stacked them in a corner” Former POWs shared their experiences during events at Andersonville National Historic Site. ANDERSONVILLE, Ga.—…
National Park Service names Tracy Stakely as Fort Sumter National Monument Superintendent
ATLANTA, Ga.—On Jan. 12, National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Regional Director Stan Austin announced the selection of J. Tracy Stakely as superintendent of Fort…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: Harold Holzer’s oration on the 154th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address (January 2018 CWN issue) was timely and informative. His focus on the up…
Laurel Hill: It’s All About the Past
It was a sunny fall day, cool and crisp. Ambling along an unfamiliar trail, each turn brought interesting changes of scenery, soulful sculptures and monuments bef…
Gary Casteel Opens Sculpture Gallery in Gettysburg
The commercial area along Gettysburg’s Baltimore St. near the national cemetery entrance will soon be graced with the opening of the National Civil War Memorial g…
First Annual Symposium on the War
Saturday, February 3, 2018 During the Dalton Civil War Show NW GA Trade Center, Dalton, Georgia Mike Kent Shows’ popular Dalton Civil War Show draws thousands of…
Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters Evokes Winchester’s Civil War Heritage
From the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum to the Stonewall Confederate Cemetery, Winchester, Va., warmly embraces its Civil War legacy. Local folks tell visitor…
The Memorials of Eastern France: Damage and Destruction
War memorials by their very nature are intended to represent permanence. They are constructed in order that the individuals or events they symbolise should be rem…
Reflections of a Civil War Historian
My fascination with the Civil War began with a monument. Unveiled during the heart of the Great Depression in a small central Pennsylvania village, the granite st…
Richmond’s Monument Avenue Under Threat
RICHMOND, Va.—Monument Avenue has statues memorializing Virginians who fought for the Confederacy. Statues of Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Jefferson Davis, Thoma…
Confederate Monuments are Welcome at Beauvoir
BILOXI, Miss.—Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Home and the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum, is making a public plea for help. We want the public to…
Allaire Village Helps Civil War Living History Come to Life
By Joseph Bordonaro The old iron-making village of Allaire, N.J., (known as the Howell Works in the 19th century) is now an open air living history museum. Costum…
A Monumental Spin
It takes men of worth to recognize worth in men. – Thomas Carlyle Totalitarian movements are mass organizations of atomized, isolated individuals. – Hannah Arendt…
The Personal and the Public, the Importance of Memorials
The Personal and the Public, the Importance of Memorials By Cain Pence Nearly twenty years ago I graduated from Georgetown University. The colors of Georgetown ar…
St. Louis Monument Settlement Agreement
St. Louis Monument Settlement Agreement Whereas, there is now pending the case of the Missouri Civil War Museum v. the City of St. Louis, Cause No. 1722-CCl 0277…
Maker’s Mark found on the USS Monitor’s Turret
Maker’s Mark found on the USS Monitor’s Turret By Joan Wenner, J.D. Newport News, Va.—The Mariners’ Museum and Park is excited to announce the discovery of the ve…
Confederate Monuments – An Objective Discussion
Confederate Monuments – An Objective Discussion PUBLISHER’S NOTE: In the October 2017 issue of Civil War Times is an article titled “Empty Pedestals. What Should…
“Truth: Remarks on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans”
“Truth: Remarks on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans” Publishers Note: This press release is reprinted with permission from Mayor Landrieu’s off…
Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu’s Press Release Published on May 18
Publishers Note: This press release is reprinted with permission from Mayor Landrieu’s office. NEW ORLEANS, La.—City officials will continue the process to remove…
Franklin Group sees Rare Flags
By Gregory L. Wade NASHVILLE, TENN.—The Franklin Civil War Round Table (FCWRT) was recently given a tour of the Tennessee State Museum’s areas rarely seen by the…
Confederate Monuments Editorial Introduction
Confederate Monuments Editorial Introduction The removal of statues portraying Confederate leaders has sparked a great deal of controversy to say the least. Many…
Confederate Monuments An Objective Discussion
The Confederate monument controversy has grown from New Orleans to Baltimore, St. Louis, parts of Florida and other cities across the country. This movement to re…
Beauvoir and the New Orleans Monuments
Beauvoir and the New Orleans Monuments BILOXI, Miss., June 13, 2017— Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Home, has reached out to the City of N…
Restored Locomotive Texas Returns to Atlanta
The newly-restored Texas is unveiled to the public on the 1924 turntable at the N.C. Museum of Transportation, April 28, 2017. ATLANTA, GA.—Fresh from a 15-month…
Letters To The Editor
TO THE EDITOR: “Honor the 14” Memorial Day is a time for reflection on those service members who “gave their last full measure of devotion.” One of America’s foun…
Confederate Liberation of Tar Heel Town Commemorated
Hundreds of reenactors assembled on the grounds of the Port O’ Plymouth Museum on East Water Street along the Roanoke River to commemorate the Confederate victory…
Contributions From The American Civil War Museum: “A Tale Of Two Virginians”
Publisher’s note: With this article Civil War News is proud to begin an occasional series, “Contributions from the American Civil War Museum.” The ACWM in Richmon…
Antietam Seeking Information And Support For 150th Anniversary Of The National Cemetery
SHARPSBURG, MD.—September 17, 2017 marks the 150th Anniversary of the dedication of the Antietam National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, Md. Throughout the year, the par…
50th Anniversary Of The Mid-South Show
MEMPHIS, TENN.—The 50th Annual Mid-South Military History & Civil War Show held on March 4-5, was a great success! The Show was larger than ever, both in register…
Update On Baltimore’s Historic Warship — USS Constellation
BALTIMORE, MD.—Five years ago the 250 ft. USS Constellation left her homeport of Baltimore but returned five weeks later to her berth adjacent to the USS Constell…
Iconic Rippavilla Plantation Now Part Of City Of Spring Hill
The City of Spring Hill, Tennessee, and the Rippavilla Plantation have agreed for the historic museum home to become part of the Spring Hill parks system. Spring…
Are Confederate Monuments A Problem?
According to a May 5, 2016 Washington Post article, Confederate monuments are a “problem” that needs to be fixed. Nonetheless, destroying Confederate monuments -…
Louisville Confederate Monument Erected At Brandenburg, Ky.
Louisville Kentucky’s Confederate Monument has been safely dismantled and transported down river to Brandenburg, Ky. The monument arrived in Brandenburg on Nov. 2…
What I’m Working On
Pub. note: With this column by John Coski, Historian of the American Civil War Museum, we are launching a new series of occasional articles, “What I’m Working on.…
Pennsylvania Meetings + Events Magazine Award
Pennsylvania Meetings + Events Magazine Award GETTYSBURG, PA.–Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center was voted the top venue in the state as…
Louisville, Kentucky’s Confederate Monument Sold Down River
Louisville, Kentucky’s Confederate Monument Sold Down River By Charles H. Bogart Louisville Kentucky’s Confederate Memorial Monument, located within the campus of…
Longstreet Society Seminar Held In Gettysburg
Longstreet Society Seminar Held In Gettysburg the group, welcomed them to the seminar and to Gettysburg. This evening proved to be simply awesome as Wayne Motts,…
History Of Memorial Hall — 125th Anniversary
Memorial Hall before the front porch was added. By Joseph A. Ricci One hundred and twenty-five years ago, Memorial Hall opened its doors and invited the world to…
Confederate Memorial Hall Victim Of Fire Bombing
Confederate Memorial Hall Victim Of Fire Bombing By Joseph A. Ricci NEW ORLEANS, LA.—New Orleans hidden gem, Confederate Memorial Hall, was recently the victim of…
Mort Künstler’s Major Painting On Baseball
Mort Künstler’s family and friends questioned whether he would stick to his late 2014 decision to retire from painting major works. After all, while the famed his…
Readmission Day In Tennessee Old Gray Cemetery, Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, TENN.—Tennessee’s readmission to the Union was on July 24 of 1866. The one-hundred-fiftieth anniversary of the event was commemorated in Knoxville, Ten…
Sean S. McGraw Sculpts History At Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—Throughout 2016’s National Park Service Centennial Summer, the National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF), through the generous support of The Gettysbu…
Living History At Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
ELVERSON, Pa.—A hotly contested, divisive election loomed in 1860, much like today, and a living history in National Park Service’s Hopewell Furnace site (in Penn…
Historic Travellers Rest Receives Award Of Merit
NASHVILLE, Tenn.––The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has selected Historic Travellers Rest as the 2016 Award of Merit winner. The Histor…
Confederate Monuments: Remove Or Restore?
The news frequently contains stories about proposals to remove Confederate monuments. Less often do we read that these plans are carried out. Based on my study of…
Celebration Of The Homestead Orphanage’s 150th Anniversary
GETTYSBURG, Pa.—A brief ceremony on Memorial Day celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Homestead Orphanage in Gettysburg. During the ceremony, a plaque was unve…
SMHS Ceremony Recognizes Donors For Stuart Statue Restoration
J.E.B. Stuart Monument. The ceremony was held at St. John’s United Church of Christ on Stuart Circle, with the restored statue sitting just outside its doors. Mr.…
Andersonville Revisited: Encountering Fact And Fiction In Popular Culture
Most travelers have heard of Andersonville, but few seem to understand the full story of the Civil War POW camp. The breadth of knowledge about this historic site…
Lost African American Grave New Discovery
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.—A recent discovery of an African American’s actual headstone at Chattanooga’s Confederate Cemetery is the result of thirty years of research to…
R.E. Lee Camp Hall Revels Its “Mercy Street” Connection
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The City of Alexandria, established in 1749, has within its streets, monuments buildings and cemeteries compelling stories, which vastly enriche…
Events Section — May 2016
“1865: The End of the Civil War & Lincoln Assassination” exhibit at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia. Focus on notable 1865 participants at Laurel Hill. Opening…
Waterloo Will Celebrate Its 150th Memorial Day
Waterloo Will Celebrate Its 150th Memorial Day WATERLOO, N.Y. — The village of Waterloo, the birthplace of Memorial Day, will observe its 150th consecutive Memori…
New NPS Superintendent At Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania
Kirsten Talken-Spaulding, the newly appointed superintendent of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park in Virginia. PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — National Par…
Events Section — April 2016
– Civil War Events Through June – Exhibits Through April, New York. Appomattox
Treasures from the Museum
This rare knapsack is a standard French military pattern. The calfskin was supposed to keep it waterproof. (Jack Melton)
Six NPS Sites Get Centennial Grants
Six NPS Sites Get Centennial Grants WASHINGTON — Six Civil Warrelated National Park Service (NPS) sites are among 63 that received nearly $48 million in Centennia…
Museum Of CW Medicine Names Price New Director
Museum Of CW Medicine Names Price New Director FREDERICK, Md. — David Price, Chief of Operations and Interim Executive Director of the National Museum of Civil Wa…
Gettysburg Parks Begin Study To Improve Trails
Gettysburg Parks Begin Study To Improve Trails GETTYSBURG. Pa. — The National Park Service (NPS) hosted an open house and accepted comments through January on its…
Future Monitor Museum Site Will Not Be Taken
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — It took 12 years, but in December the Greenpoint Monitor Museum learned that New York City will not take the site of its future museum honoring t…
Events Section — March 2016
– Civil War Events Through May – Exhibits