425:, New York. Dunlap and some other investors who participated devised a few plans intending to capitalize on the historical significance of the property. One scheme they came up with was to move the disassembled house to Washington, D.C., to become a permanent display as a Civil War museum. There they would charge entrance fees to view the "surrender house" that ended the Civil War. They hired architects to measure drawings including elevations. They also hired contractors for materials specifications lists. The house was disassembled piece by piece and packed for shipping. At this point the investors involved ran out of money and legal problems came about. This scheme was never brought to fruition. The house became just a heaping piles of boards and bricks and sat prey to vandals, collectors, and the environment for fifty years.
339:(First Battle of Manassas). Soon after that battle the McLeans, seeking to avoid the war, moved to the village of Clover Hill, Virginia (the name of which was changed to "Appomattox Court House," having just become the county seat). Because of the name of the village, many mistakenly think the surrender was signed in the courthouse building. (In years past, the county seats of many rural counties, especially in Virginia, had names that were simply the name of the county plus "Court House"; some of these remain today.) The courthouse is about 3 miles (5 km) from the
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359:. He was too old to enlist at the outbreak of the Civil War and decided to move to get away from the Civil War. After the war, he would say of himself that he moved because he loved peace, but he made a small fortune running sugar through the Union blockade. He was also a slave owner, and there are slave quarters next to McLean's house. Nonetheless, in the morning of
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nor their private horses or baggage" to be surrendered; and, as many privates in the
Confederate Army owned horses and mules, all horses and mules claimed by men in the Confederate Army to be left in their possession. The table and chairs used by Lee and Grant when negotiating the surrender are now part of the collections of the
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At midday on April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee rode into this yard, dismounted, and disappeared into the McLean House. Grant, surrounded by generals and staff officers, soon followed. Dozens of officers, horses, and onlookers waited outside. After 90 minutes, Lee and Grant emerged. To the silent
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The farmhouse represents the historical style of construction in
Piedmont Virginia of the mid-nineteenth century. The current building is a reconstructed form of the original using the original materials. It was carefully deconstructed in the 1890s for shipment and display in Washington, D.C., but
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The home that hosted the surrender meeting was one of the best in
Appomattox. Built in 1848, it had since 1862 been owned by businessman Wilmer McLean. The house became a sensation after the surrender. Union officers took some mementos; and in 1893 it was dismantled for display in Washington, D.C.
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on May 11, 1933, stated: "the two flags of truce, one made of a white towel and the other' of a white handkerchief, which were used on the occasion of the surrender of
General Lee at Appomattox, and also a table on which the surrender of General Lee to General Grant was written." The will further
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The terms of surrender were: "The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms against the government of the United States until properly exchanged, and each company or regimental commander to sign a like parole for the men of their commands,"... neither "side arms of the officers
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Because the First Battle of Bull Run, fought on July 21, 1861, took place on Wilmer McLean's farm about 120 miles (190 km) to the north in
Virginia, it can be said that the Civil War started in McLean's backyard in 1861 and ended in his parlor in 1865 (although neither event marked the true
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The McLean House has meaningful value because of its association with the site of
General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. It also preserves the distinctive characteristics embodying the style and method of construction typical in Piedmont Virginia in the
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The project came to an abrupt stop on
December 7, 1941, with the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japanese forces. The United States entered into World War II. Bids for the reconstruction of the McLean House were reopened on November 25, 1947, and work continued. Eighty-four years after the historic
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work began at the site in 1941 amongst overgrown brushes and honeysuckle. One of the first steps was to collect historical data so architectural plans could be drawn up to work from. From the original materials salvable the project included some five thousand original bricks.
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and was reconstructed on its original foundation, opening to the public in 1949. It was recorded in the
National Register of Historic Places in 1966 and in the National Park Service's database of Official Structures in 1989.
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surrender, reuniting the country, the McLean House was opened by the
National Park Service for the first time to the public on April 9, 1949. In front of a crowd of approximately twenty thousand people a speech was given by
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The renter
Nathaniel H. Ragland then purchased the property for $ 1,250 (~$ 31,792 in 2023) in 1872. After Nathaniel died in 1888, his widow Martha sold the property in 1891 for $ 10,000 to a Captain
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402:, which became worthless with the collapse of the Confederacy, and he was nearly ruined by the end of the war. In the fall of 1867 the McLeans left Appomattox Court House for Mrs. McLean's estate in
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National Register of Historic Places Registration: Appomattox Court House / Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (version from Virginia Department of Historic Resources, including maps)
390:. After the surrender, many Union soldiers purchased some of McLean's furniture; however, some was stolen. McLean sold pictures of his house after the Civil War; however, he failed financially.
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mid-nineteenth century as well as being typical of a county government seat of that time period. It also represents a typical farming community in Virginia of the mid-nineteenth century.
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Appomattox Court House National Historical Park was created by Congress on April 10, 1940. It included approximately 970 acres (390 ha) at the
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and Robert E. Lee IV on April 16, 1950. The McLean House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
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on November 29, 1869, and purchased by John L. Pascoe. Records show he then rented it to the Ragland family of Richmond, Virginia.
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But that display never happened, and the National Park Service reconstructed the building on its original site in the 1940s.
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The McLean House was originally constructed by Charles Raine in 1848. Eliza D. Raine's estate sold the house to
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those plans fell through, and the materials remained on site. In the 1940s, it ended up in the hands of the
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explained that these items were at the Memorial Hall of the War Department Building in Washington, D.C.
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Replicas of the tables used by Lee and Grant in the McLean house for the surrender documents.
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salutes of Union officers, Lee rode back through the village – to his defeated army.
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Although he had made a considerable fortune smuggling sugar, McLean's money was in
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Appomattox Court House: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Virginia
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A McLean house marker is at the front gate to the house. The inscription reads:
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in 1863. It had formerly been a tavern (not to be confused with the nearby
460:. A ribbon was cut by the guests of honor at the dedication ceremony by
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279:, the house served as the location of the surrender conference for the
327:, which Raine had previously owned). One of the first battles of the
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Jon B. Montgomery; Reed Engle & Clifford Tobias (May 8, 1989).
406:, Virginia. The banking house of Harrison, Goddin, and Apperson of
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Panoramic image of the reconstructed parlor of the McLean House.
483:'s will of November 18, 1926, presented to the Probate court of
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Accompanying 12 photos, undated (version from Federal website)
832:. Baltimore, Maryland. May 12, 1933. p. 7 – via
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beginning or ending of hostilities). McLean was a retired
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once known as Clover Hill. The meticulous reconstruction
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April 9, 1865, the war came back to McLean when General
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Historic district contributing properties in Virginia
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The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects
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525:sat at a simple wooden table on the right, while
558:"Visitation By State and by Park for Year: 2019"
1256:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
1111:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
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435:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
429:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
331:took place on the farm of Wilmer McLean at the
261:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
213:Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
1276:Slave cabins and quarters in the United States
908:. Vol. 2. Houghton, Mifflin and Company.
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820:
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775:"The McLean House – The Post War Years"
8:
619:"List of Classified Structures-McLean House"
587:. Virginia Department of Historic Resources
1281:Brick buildings and structures in Virginia
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267:and his wife Virginia near the end of the
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1044:The National Park Architecture Sourcebook
529:sat at a more ornate marble-topped table.
799:. National Park Service. Archived from
716:. National Park Service. Archived from
658:. National Park Service. Archived from
621:. National Park Service. Archived from
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1261:Houses in Appomattox County, Virginia
1025:To Appomattox - Nine April Days, 1865
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315:Lee Surrenders to Grant at Appomattox
7:
679:one photo, undated, at Virginia DHR
384:National Museum of American History
238:Reconstructed McLean house in 2008
14:
1046:. Princeton Architectural Press.
826:"Custer Souvenirs left to Museum"
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1286:1848 establishments in Virginia
905:Old Virginia and Her Neighbours
714:"1961 Park tour guide brochure"
1065:. U.S. Dept. of the Interior.
1061:National Park Service (2002).
1:
110:Show map of the United States
18:United States historic place
923:Lee and Grant at Appomattox
797:"The McLean House write-up"
343:where the trains came into
124:Appomattox County, Virginia
1302:
1130:Old Appomattox Court House
1042:Kaiser, Harvey H. (2008).
921:Kantor, MacKinlay (2016).
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290:on April 9, 1865, after a
58:McLean house in April 1865
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993:A Stillness at Appomattox
963:A Place Called Appomattox
263:. The house was owned by
259:, Virginia is within the
180:1,800 acres (728 ha)
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47:
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1271:Houses completed in 1848
961:Marvel, William (2000).
458:Douglas Southall Freeman
337:First Battle of Bull Run
1027:. Eastern Acorn Press.
940:Kurin, Richard (2013).
777:. National Park Service
560:. National Park Service
535:Historical significance
380:Smithsonian Institution
506:
481:Elizabeth Bacon Custer
477:
388:Chicago History Museum
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161:37.377111°N 78.79722°W
37:U.S. Historic district
1237:National Park Service
1192:Charles Sweeney Cabin
1023:Davis, Burke (1992).
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404:Prince William County
314:
300:National Park Service
246:
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41:Contributing property
1196:Sweeney-Conner Cabin
1166:Plunkett-Meeks Store
902:Fiske, John (1902).
803:on November 19, 2008
665:on January 15, 2009.
465:Ulysses S. Grant III
400:Confederate currency
166:37.377111; -78.79722
134:Appomattox, Virginia
85:Show map of Virginia
1205:Bocock-Isbell House
1200:Mariah Wright House
855:"Mclean house sign"
475:McLean House marker
456:-winning historian
157: /
1161:Woodson Law Office
1146:Clover Hill Tavern
925:. Voyageur Press.
478:
369:Lieutenant General
341:Appomattox Station
333:Bull Run tributary
329:American Civil War
325:Clover Hill Tavern
317:
269:American Civil War
249:
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1053:978-1-56898-742-2
953:978-0-14-312815-1
932:978-0-7603-5226-7
879:. Stone Sentinels
830:The Baltimore Sun
741:, pp. 75–88.
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355:in the Virginia
281:Confederate army
277:Ulysses S. Grant
227:October 15, 1966
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288:Robert E. Lee
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265:Wilmer McLean
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1182:McLean House
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881:. Retrieved
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859:. Retrieved
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801:the original
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779:. Retrieved
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722:. Retrieved
718:the original
685:
675:(32 KB)
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627:. Retrieved
623:the original
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562:. Retrieved
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419:Myron Dunlap
416:
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394:Preservation
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349:
347:, Virginia.
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271:. Hosted by
253:McLean House
252:
250:
149:37°22′37.6″N
130:Nearest city
29:McLean House
15:
1187:Peers House
946:. Penguin.
807:January 21,
781:January 21,
739:Kantor 2016
724:January 21,
629:January 21,
606:Marvel 2000
361:Palm Sunday
164: /
140:Coordinates
1250:Categories
1221:Cemeteries
1139:Businesses
896:References
753:, p.
751:Kurin 2013
692:, p.
690:Fiske 1902
386:, and the
345:Appomattox
257:Appomattox
217:ID66000827
201:Visitation
152:78°47′50″W
998:Doubleday
544:Footnotes
193:Architect
990:(1953).
914:03732525
883:June 14,
861:June 14,
591:June 13,
564:June 13,
408:Richmond
275:General
120:Location
1016:53-9982
441:village
357:militia
307:History
285:General
209:Part of
1069:
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950:
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673:
335:, the
1226:Ruins
1214:Other
663:(pdf)
656:(PDF)
585:"DHR"
353:major
273:Union
255:near
185:Built
1067:ISBN
1048:ISBN
1029:ISBN
1012:LCCN
1002:ISBN
967:ISBN
948:ISBN
927:ISBN
910:OCLC
885:2020
863:2020
809:2009
783:2009
726:2009
677:and
667:and
631:2009
593:2020
566:2020
251:The
188:1848
177:Area
755:234
421:of
382:'s
283:of
1252::
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828:.
817:^
762:^
701:^
694:45
639:^
574:^
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1103:e
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