Exploring Central Virginia’s History: Spotlight on Appomattox

A cannon ammo carriage decorates the lawn at Appomattox.

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

This is the second post in a three-part series. Read the introductory post about Lynchburg here and our post on Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest.

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Appomattox, Virginia: An Overview and Activities

AN OVERVIEW OF appomattox, VIRGINIA and the origin of its name

The town of Appomattox, Virginia, is nestled in a county by the same name. They are named for the local Algonquin-speaking Appomattoc tribe that lived in the area and were one of the five original tribes of the so-called Powhatan Confederacy and were one of the tribes that John Smith and early European settlers interacted with upon landing at Jamestown. For more information on the early people of the area, including this tribe, check out this informative site from the National Park Service.

Earlier this year, I learned of a practice in Canada (and other countries) called ‘land acknowledgement’ where there is active acknowledgement in various settings (schools, sporting events, etc.) of the people who lived on the land before European settlers displaced them. The pitfall of course is that words are only words and mantras repeated frequently can ring hollow; the upside is that you have to start somewhere. In the US the record for anything close to actual awareness of the indigenous population is abysmal. Why is that? Why do US schoolchildren spend more time learning about the ancient Egyptians along the Nile than about indigenous people in their own country? And yes, that question is rhetorical. Anyway, in an effort to better educate myself, I wanted to make sure to point out the origin of the place name in this case. For an interesting article on the concept of land acknowledgement and its complexity, check out this article in The New Yorker.

Appomattox Virginia | History | Couple Blogger | To Make Much of Time Travel Blog — It was a wonderful walk through peaceful meadows dotted with trees.

Historic houses can still be found at Appomattox.

An old hammer sits in a window. The rippling of old glass makes the world appear to be an impressionist painting.

The town of Appomattox itself has a population of under 2,000, the county has roughly 16,000 people. By either count, it is a low-populated area! Appomattox is about a 30 minute drive from Lynchburg, making it an easy day trip like we did in this case. An interesting factoid: The geographic center of Virginia is about 20 miles northeast of Appomattox. Virginia is a much larger state than many people first realize!

We had a great walk around Appomattox on one of the hiking trails

Grave stones mark final resting places in a small cemetery.

A QUICK VISIT TO appomattox: WHAT TO DO

The big draw, of course, is Appomattox’s place in Civil War history. In April 1865, the Confederacy’s Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union’s Ulysses S. Grant at the McLean House. Most people are taught and believe that this act officially ended the Civil War, but I suppose real life is more complicated than straightforward hash marks on a timeline.

It took a full 16 months to August 1866 (after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination) for President Andrew Johnson to declare the war formally concluded. Lee, after all, did not command the entirety of the Confederate troops. His surrender was of his Army of Northern Virginia only; other generals continued on their own campaigns. It is however safe the say that Lee’s surrender was the first domino to fall and so triggered the conclusion of the war more broadly.

Here are our recommendations for what to do in the area:

Start in the small town of Appomattox, which is a cute, small town and has historic buildings. A good spot to put into your GPS is the Appomattox Historical Society building. The historical society manages two of its own historic sites - the Old Jail Museum and Library (the building is from 1895) and the Clover Hill Village , a 6-acre living history site with older buildings that were situated there for posterity. The Old Jail Museum is situated as part of the campus with the historical society. Clover Hill Village is about three miles east of town and is best visited after the following sites from a location perspective (see map below).
Visit the American Civil War Museum to learn more about the history of the war. The building that currently houses the museum opened in 2012 after we visited. At the time of our visit, the museum was housed in a smaller building in town, so I can only imagine that it is even better than what we experienced. According to Google, the typical visit time for this newer building is about 90 minutes. Ticket prices as of this writing (October 2020) are $12/adults, $6/children, free for children under 5, and various special populations have access to discounted ticket prices.
Next, head to Appomattox Court House National Historic Park , managed by the national park system. What I particularly liked is the number of buildings that created an overall setting beyond some historic sites with just one stand-alone building. Visiting this site is like stepping back in time and visiting a small town. Of particular note is The McLean House , where the actual surrender occurred. There are some hiking trails, several houses and buildings you can tour, as well as the grounds you can enjoy. You can view a park map here. If you visit on a day with beautiful weather, you can spend a lot of time enjoying the buildings, trails, and just taking the site in.
As mentioned previously, stop by Clover Hill Village on your way out of the area if that location speaks to you!

Re-enactors spending time reliving the Civil War.

This is one of the strangest looking trees.

Tents set up to re-enact an army encampment.

Route as outlined above: Appomattox Historical Society (and Old Jail Museum) to Civil War Museum to Appomattox Court House National Historic Park to Clover Hill Village.