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Contact: Todd Roach, 434-352-8987 Ext. 230
Appomattox, Va. – The historic Mariah Wright House recently received a make-over thanks to the work of the maintenance crew at Appomattox Court House NHP. Pryor Wright built the home in 1823, and his wife Mariah inherited the house upon his death in 1851. Home to seven Wright children, including three who fought in the war, this one-story post and beam building is typical of a farming community in Piedmont Virginia in the nineteenth century. Unlike the typical Virginia farmhouse, the Mariah Wright House holds particular fame because the first Confederate flags of truce signaling surrender came through the battle lines near this house. It stands today as one of many structures that visitors can explore from the exterior on the grounds of Appomattox Court House NHP.
The park received cyclic maintenance project funds to manage the preservation work to the structure performed over the last few months by Adam Harris and Kenny Belcher. Recent work on the structure including replacement of front and rear stairs and handrails, construction of new steps for the side entrance, replacement of lattice work around the front porch, and installation of a new cellar door. The maintenance crew also removed all windows, replaced the glass and glazed before reinstallation. Finally, they replaced approximately 100 linear feet of siding and provided a preservation treatment of 50 / 50 mix of linseed oil and mineral spirits over the entire exterior.
The park manages twenty-seven historic and non-historic structures that are fundamental resources of the cultural landscape associated with the end of the Appomattox Campaign, the Surrender, and its Legacy. Structures like the Mariah Wright House allow park employees to share stories of the people who lived in the village before, during, and after the war. Maintenance of these structures is constant, but the care and craftsmanship of the preservation crew at the park is evident in their work. The team is slated to work on outbuildings of the historic Bocock-Isbell House constructed in 1849 – 1850 in 2022 using cyclic maintenance project funds.
The park welcomes visitors to see the Mariah Wright house and the many other historic structures in the park. When visiting, the public should follow local area health orders and practice Leave No Trace principles.
Find tips for visiting during COVID-19 and the park’s current conditions and offerings at: https://www.nps.gov/apco/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: August 18, 2021