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February 11, 2013

Appomattox Court House

Appomattox County Courthouse sits in the middle of the village. It was built in 1846, but after a fire consumed it in 1892, it had to be completely reconstructed.	Cole walked up the stairs to oversee the whole village from the courthouse on Feb. 9, 2013.	Today, you can visit the McLean House where Gen. Robert E. Lee and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant met to discuss and eventually have the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia surrender.
Even though this is the site where Lee sat, the house, table and everything else aren't too original anymore. Only a handful of the original bricks make up the house and the couch frame is original.	In the home of McLean and his family, Grant sat here in the parlor to discuss and write out terms of surrender that Lee would then sign.	Shortly after Lee and Grant left, so did all the belongings of the McLean house. Soliders wanted a souvenir from the event, so they pieced apart the house and took it with them.
The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park had the house rebuilt and furnished with pieces from that time period.	On the edge of the village along the road, Lee and Grant met April 10, 1865.	On the edge of the village, you can see the courthouse from where Lee and Grant met.
During the war years, the jail burned, but a new one was in place by 1867.	The last shots and deaths from the war happened here near Peer's home.	George Peer was the clerk of Appomattox County.
Jones Law Office was across the road from Peer's House.	Crawford Jones was a farmer, lawyer and local secessionist leader.	One of a handful of burial ground areas in the village.
The Clover Hill Tavern was turned into the printer to make the passes the Confederates needed to return home. Their paroles were all ready and issued by April 11.	From a nearby hill, you can see the entire village.	The sun fades on Appomattox Court House.
Outside of the village, a memorial stood for a local family.	Appomattox Court House is worth the visit. A piece of history the National Park Service continues to preserve.

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