Appomattox Courthouse

Our final destination on Lee's Retreat was Appomattox Courthouse.  We toured the American Civil War Museum in Appomattox before heading out to the Appomattox Courthouse National Park.

The park is very well maintained and you feel like you have stepped back over a hundred years.  The buildings were very well taken care of and furnished.  The details from the dirt/gravel paths of streets to the gardens and fields made it seem like it was still an active community from the 1800s.  We traipsed around the grounds reading plaques, looking into buildings and discussing what we remembered from our studies.

I love being able to bring history to life for the kids.  

Sayler's Creek Battlefield

We left Richmond and began to follow Lee's retreat to Appomattox.  The first stop on our adventure was Sayler's Creek Battlefield.

We headed to the visitor/interpreter center at the battlefield and learned more about the conflict that took place on April 6, 1865.

Little Man insisted on using his spending money for a Johnny Reb hat and a musket.  He was ready to re-enact the battle!

We drove along the battlefield and stopped to listen to the story at various overlooks.  We tuned our radio to the station on the signs for the interpretive drive.  Of course, we got out of the car and allowed Little Man to 'join' in the battle.  He had a blast.

The kids enjoyed seeing this piece of history.

American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia

I wanted the children to see real artifacts from the American Civil War that we had studied.  The American Civil War Museum in Richmond, Virginia next door to the Confederate White House was the perfect combination.

We browsed the museum and they pointed out things they recognized from our studies.  Little Man loved looking at the swords, guns, and other military items.  Egee was busy taking it all in.  My mom was enthralled with every aspect.

I love being able to take the kids to see what we have studied.  The connections they make to historical events is worth it. 

(This trip was in the summer of 2013.)