News Release
G.P.A. Healy - Courtesy of White House Collection/White House Historical Association
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Contact: Ann Blumenschine, 804-732-3531, ext. 203
PETERSBURG, VA – Petersburg National Battlefield, in partnership with Petersburg Battlefields Foundation, will conduct a series of monthly Civil War related tours titled, “History at Sunset”. The free monthly 60-minute tours will occur the third Saturday of each month beginning in May and ending in August. Each tour will begin at 6:00 pm and will take place at different sites around the Petersburg area.
Schedule:
May 20: President Abraham Lincoln at City Point
Meet the ranger at the General Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield - 1001 Pecan Avenue, Hopewell
Walking tour focuses on President Lincoln’s two week visit to City Point (Hopewell) in late March/early April 1865. Discover how President Lincoln’s actions at City Point would impact the outcome of the war, and how he expressed his ideas for post-war America.
June 17: No Nobler Effort – United States Colored Troops in the Opening Assaults
Meet at the Eastern Front Visitor Center Parking Lot - 5001 Siege Road, Petersburg
Join a ranger as you explore the history of the United States Colored Troops, their role in the Opening Assaults, and the impact that day had on Black soldiers throughout the army.
July 15: Tunneling Under the Enemy
Meet the ranger at the Eastern Front Unit, tour stop 8 parking lot - 5001 Siege Road, Petersburg
During the summer of 1864, Union soldiers undertook a task that had never been accomplished; they began digging a 500-foot military tunnel that would lead under the Confederate defense line to the east of Petersburg. Join a ranger to learn more about how soldiers from Pennsylvania accomplished their task.
August 19: “Stories Within the Story”: The Battle for the Weldon Railroad and Fort Wadsworth
Meet at Fort Wadsworth (Tour Stop 1 of Petersburg National Battlefield’s Western Front Unit) - Intersection of Halifax Road (Rt. 604) and Flank Road, Petersburg
The Battle of Weldon Railroad was one of the most strategically important battles of the 9.5-month Siege of Petersburg. Learn more about this battle by hearing the words of men who were involved in the fight and those who were left to deal with the aftermath.
Tours require a small amount of walking. Drinking water and comfortable shoes are recommended. All programs are subject to change. Changes or cancellations will be announced on Petersburg National Battlefield’s Facebook page. For more information or to determine the status of the programs, please call (804) 732-3531 ext. 200 or e-mail Ranger Ann Blumenschine at Ann_Blumenschine@nps.gov.
Petersburg National Battlefield was created in to commemorate the campaign and siege and defense of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 1865. Park staff is committed to preserving and protecting the historical, cultural, and natural resources within the park in a manner that will provide interpretation, education, and enjoyment for the visitors.
For more information about events at Petersburg National Battlefield, please visit our website at www.nps.gov/pete and check out our Facebook page.
Last updated: May 3, 2023