Reviews of Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (Tourist Attraction)

Shannon Shanks

Staff is knowledgeable and polite. The bathrooms are clean. Animals are welcome as long as they are leashed. The gift shop is affordable. Care has been taken in organizing and preserving the exhibits. The property is well maintained and very beautiful.

Tammy Gardner

Amazing to be in the spot where the surrender took place

Claude Bedard

There is so much to see. It is incredible to be at such an important historical site.

Joshua Amann

It's definitely a must see if you're in the area but with only a small, modest museum via the old original courthouse and limited activities or ways to engage the public, it's perhaps not worth any significant travel.

Amber Bower

Very interesting. Several live presentations. We learned where the terms "uppercase" and "lowercase" came from.

Charles Hegemeyer

Great place to visit. It has a small museum and there is no charge. Donations are welcome.

Mike Scott

History. Learn it. Don't repeat it.

Amy Phillips

Great history. Park attendants were very knowledgeable, which was extremely unexpected for as young as they were.

Steve Brochu

Absolutely beautiful!! A place where our nation began to heal after Lee surrendered to Grant. It's amazing to stand and be in the same place it happened at McClean House. When you're there it's like you're living back in the 19th century. There's a little store all.set up as it would have been in its day. There is a little house where the local attorney was. The rangers there are very informative as they explained that Appomattox court house was the original town until the railroads came in and the NEW Town of Appomattox moved to be closer to the railroads and the OLD Appomattox Court House was abandoned and slowly decayed and fell to ruins. Just so you know, they had to rebuild most of what you see there today including McClean House, but they did an absolutely beautiful job. Enjoy!!

Pam Bundy

Love the realism and history.

Kim Carson

Very educational, clean and easy to find thanks to great signage. Thank you for preserving this very important place in American history.

Plano Dad

Highly enjoyable walk around tour of about 6 historical houses, including the famous McLean house where the surrender happened. The highlight if our tour was the living history tour. About 4 well versed historically accurate and funny fellows dressed up like a yankee reporter and a Confederate soldier and gave their accounts of what happened at the surrender . Really made history come alive and my daughter wasn't bored because if this ... don't miss this !

Rita Pearson

Really cool place to visit! History is so well preserved here! In case you didn't know the surrender actually took place at the McLean house, not the actual courthouse building. Didn't want to surprise you. LOL... It is really neat to take the tour and learn about everything. It was like stepping back in time.

Sarah Wincovich

Well maintained, beautiful and educational stop. My best friend and I wanted to enjoy the outdoors while staying in Appomattox. We are also both American history fans. It was really cool to be standing on the same ground as Generals Lee and Grant. There are multiple buildings to walk through and learn about some of the individuals that lived in Appomattox Court House during the was and the surrender. The gentlemanly treatment of the Confederate soldiers by Grant and his men should be a model to politicians today.

Jeff Duszak

Clean, well staffed. Lots of interesting points. I'm not a civil war buff, but still enjoyed our visit. My 9yo daughter enjoyed doing the Jr Ranger booklet. We didn't do the guided tour, and there weren't any live interpretations taking place during our visit, however there were many knowledgeable rangers available if we had questions. Both of my kids were able to participate in using a reproduction press to print parole passes.

Margaret Barrett

Very interesting history.

g oChristopher Gessling

We enjoyed the historical buildings and history that have been maintained for the public. So happy we stopped there on our way home!

Bryce Caster

Well-run and maintained park that preserves the spot where the Civil War effectively ended. Expect to spend about 2 hours to see everything. A tour of the McClain House- where Lee's surrender actually occurred- is a must.

patti fedula

We stopped here from visiting another attraction in VA .... this was on my daughter’s bucket list from when she was a young girl. We arrived an hour before closing unfortunately but did see a couple of the buildings that have been rebuilt/restored.. such a great job! I honestly never knew how remote this was.., I always pictured it in a town.,, there are a handful of buildings and it was such a nice country setting! I was very impressed! So full of history and such an asset to our great country!

June Van Thoen

Historical enactor was superb!

Tony Tissot

One of the most authentic civil war sites. It feels as if it’s untouched by the intervening century and a half.

Paula Johnson

Much more than I expected and if I had planned better i would have spent the day. I learned so much more about this surrender also. Thank you for your Service.

Caleb Turner

A must-visit if you are close to Appomattox. History literally comes to life at one of the most pivotal places in our nation's history.

elizabeth headley

Well kept park and preservation of history.

Dinata Misovec

This is an excellent Park preserving a historic spot. It is Well curated. There were also Union and Confederate soldiers telling stories about their experiences. I would recommend spending half a day there at least.

Scott Welliver

Reenactors made the whole experience awesome. It was great to visit such an iconic place

Drew Keller

Very clean and beautifully displayed historical markers and buildings.

Allen Keller

This is one of the best national historic parks I have visited. What a beautiful and peaceful place this is. I enjoyed seeing all of the buildings, especially the McClean house. I enjoyed the actor who portrayed a Union soldier. He was very interesting and knew his history very much. I tried very hard to get him out of character, but no matter what I did or said, he remained in character. This was a very interesting and informative experience, and I hope that I will be able to return sometime in the near future. History really came alive here.

jarred price

Beautiful place and great history of my home town Appomattox. A lot of bad tjings happened in our long history here in Appomattox but some great tjings and turning points in American History happened right here in our town. The civil war ended here well it was the start the news had to be taken long distances before it all stopped but they signed the paperwork out the Appomattox Court House. A ton of artifacts and homes have been restored and kept in great shape for many to see.

Patti Dunning

The volunteer curators are absolutely fantastic! The gentleman who was there the day we visited made the past really come alive for us. His knowledge was astounding told us all about the buildings as well as the people who inhabited them. All of the staff and volunteers were great at answering questions and making history real. Even the young people were engaged to the point of asking questions and being involved in the stories. Highly recommended.

William C

Go see and enjoy back in time

Patrick Smith

Loved it! Really helpful staff! I learned alot

Yossi Gilbert

The Appomattox Court House is a National Historical Park of original and reconstructed 19th century buildings in Appomattox County, Virginia.[5] The village is famous as the site of the Battle of Appomattox Court House and containing the house of Wilmer McLean, where the surrender of the Confederate armyunder Robert E. Lee to Union commander Ulysses S. Grant took place on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the American Civil War.[6]The McLean House was the site of the surrender conference, but the village itself is named for the presence nearby of what is now preserved as the Old Appomattox Court House.

Ross Keiser

Nice place, informative. Free. Don't bother with the narrated tour, they just say what you can read.

Bron Tharpe

Nice place for a historical outing. Lots to do and see. The volunteers and rangers were super fun and knowledgeable. It is a good but of walking so wear comfortable shoes.

Gail Merrill

This historic Civil War landmark is a must see for history buffs. Well preserved buildings bring you back in time with historical notes to enhance your visit. Guides also provide fascinating background information that is both educational and entertaining. A nice gift shop is also on the property as well as some picnic tables. Public restrooms are available. This is a well maintained park with free parking and there is no admission fee to any of the buildings.

Nancy Sain

Outstanding American historical site. A must-see.

Steffen Harre

Lots of history in a few beautiful classical country houses. The park is on a hill and offers great views of the surrounding country side.

Kevin McKamey

An aura of silence can be felt on these grounds.

tolsti1

I know it’s far away from everything, but this living exhibit is well worth the time. The guides are very well versed in their history, and they do a great job in doing what our history teachers and professors couldn’t - they give context to history! Our historical past is much more than names and dates. It is the lives, economy, choices, morals, and society of people not very different than ourselves. And the drive is beautiful. We are very glad we spent about 3 hours here.

John McFarland

The Appomattox Court House is the location of Lee's surrender to Grant. The McClain house is the site of the surrender. Excellent film at the Visitor Center. The total site is a very good display of a 1860 commercial business. Store, blacksmith, slave quarters court/jail. Good parking. Good gift shop. Highly recommended for all who want to look at our history.

Kathy Miller

A beautiful national park. Be sure and watch the 15 minute film in the welcome Center.

caroline nelson

It was very well done with lots of information. I loved the film they showed on the history of Appomattox. Seeing the jail house was interesting,general store, the houses around and the stories with them. The main house and the furniture was so beautiful. I definitely would recommend going .

Coal3obustion Gaming

Free place to learn some important history. A little movie and walk in houses to show a blast from the past.

Everett Nelson

Enjoyed going here and learned alor of history

James Blount

Warm today. Didn't see any farm animals. The 2 guys in period costumes (they don't break character) were interesting, especially the local guy.

Dana Hackett

This was my 1st trip since I was a school girl. I will go back. Had a wonderful time

Robert Mavis

Excellent in everything! What a peaceful place! Everyone was helpful and knowledgeable. Swift and Dumminger were great.

John Dobiac

The park rangers, video and bldgs were very interesting.

Dan Marrs

Very interesting educational experience.

Robert Brown

Beautiful outdoor park with plenty to see and area to go. You can go inside many of the buildings and all have detailed stories to give you the sense of a different time. Plenty of places to picnic but no food sold here.

Kati Wylie

Enjoyed learning more about the history of this place. It is worth the trip out of the way!

Russ Rock

The tour was great. The volunteer who spoke did a great job presenting the facts leading up to the surrender.

BobandGeri Riley

Great park narrators made the history come alive

Donna Davis

Educational experience! A male reenactor gave a 30 minute talk about his life as a young man and soldier. He was so inspired as he talked. There are some buildings you can't enter but most are available. It was goosebumps when I stood where the surrender was signed...and where the last shot was fired. A great place and it was free.

Thomas Barnes

Nice and quiet. Small but effective reminder of the folks that died for freedom that is states rights rather than big government. Seems they had the right idea but for the wrong reasons.

virginia jackson

Wonderful banjo festival celebrating Joel Sweeney and his music

Terry Angel

Amazing. History of the Civil War is so interesting. And to live in this area, truly blessed

Dennis Franson

Wonderful place to spend a few hours in a very historic setting

Gary Fleshman

Nice sunny day started out this adventure. The park was very clean, friendly staff and well maintained buildings.

Mike Boardley

The amount of history here is mind blowing. Just been on the land and seeing the buildings and fences takes you back. It brings home the reality of this great battle. This is living history.

William Stathis

This is a place where history was made. The buildings and lands are partly original and partly reconstructed, but they and the guides ably tell the story. Every American who is able to do so should visit.

Chris Benton

When we visited the Rangers were really great. While the structures are mostly reconstructions, the park helps to understand the actual meeting between Grant and Lee. One of our family favorites of the NPS.

Debra Smith

Beautiful. Great park rangers there to answer questions.

Chris Dillman

Crazy cool place that is incredibly himbling. Our current leaders could learn a bit from Lee.and Grant.

Jean Brown

Love this place. Could use some more funding to mow the grass and maybe set up some little scenes of what was there and happening at the time. Like some wagons, tents, campfire places, medic stations things that could be in the weather and not have to be taken down until the fall or end of season. Can't wait to go back again.

Patrick Doyle

Really a neat historical place surrounded by nature, like it was in 1865. The buildings and the grounds are well kept and makes for a good time for the whole family, even if they're not into history!

Gameboi107

This place is amazing and has great historical artifacts and tours

Jerry Rogers

Very great historical and educational.

Luis Alvarez

nice to walk the same ground as the generals and soldiers did at the end of the civil war. standing in the house where the agreement was made to end the war was another great experience

Ken Aull

We had the best guide of our lives. We could literally hear the drums of war beating...

Katherine Rao

We were traveling to Richmond and made a point of stopping. What a beautiful place. The buildings were in beautiful shape. We were welcomed with so much information. Somewhat surreal but amazing to believe having been physically in the same place as our forefathers.

Sandi Dykstra

We had the most wonderful experience ever. Everyone (rangers) were informative and the signs and grounds were well kept and so educational. This is truly an incredible place to see. God bless our country

Walter Mansur

Very interesting. They have done a great job here. Great staff and well maintained grounds. Learned a lot about what happened here. Well worth a visit.

John Hormel

History all around. Nice museum film

Donna Wittmann

I really enjoyed visiting this historical place. I would recommend it.

George Schnabl

A nice piece of history.

Stacey Howeth

I wish we could have stayed and seen more when we visited. But they have historical interpreters that roam around. Some who tell stories.

Darlene Bergeron

Such a sad time in our history. Park ranger took us in his golf cart to help me get around easier. He was young, but had a wonderful knowledge of the history! BTW, the surrender of Lee to Grant did not occur in the courthouse but in the private residence next door..

Garret Rain

Excellent place to visit. Gives you a great view of the civil wars ending. Many people whose tell stories

John Dougherty

Very informative and beautiful.

Denise Bell

Excellent interactive park. Our docent was very knowledgeable. Enjoyed getting to be up close with the artifacts. The video is very informative.

Nancy Nepage

Excellent place to visit. All of the Park rangers are very knowledgeable and friendly. Great exhibits.

Jaimie Utley

Beautiful and informative historic site. There were many buildings to walk through, and docents to describe each place. The bathrooms were also clean and well maintained lol. Nice little gift shop as well, where you can get your "passport" stamped.

Wayne Martin

Always enjoyed visiting here and imagining what it was like when it was in its prime. I admire their hard but simple way of living.

Joe Bob

Great place to visit. Miles of hiking and biking trails

Fran Martin

The BEST!!! Great history and great tour guide!!! The price was great and the people were so helpful and kind!!!

PS2freak11223

A very beautiful place with nice scenery and great guides.

Kathryn Wurts

A beautiful place that details our nation's history.

Larry Meyer

Outstanding piece of history. So glad we took the time to stop and visit this site. I wish younger folks would stop and learn our history.

Pamela Collins

Well done presentation and learned a lot. The ranger talk was excellent!

Carol Bowman

Such a beautiful park and a history we all need to remember and pray our country will never be torn by war again.

Damon Allison

It's amazing to see the actual place where Lee and Grant met to end the civil war. The buildings are shown in their original state. It's really quick to walk thru the few buildings and read the history of the surrender.

Bill Bounds

Fascinating bit of American history with well-preserved buildings. Visitor center film and ranger activities, particularly the living history presentation, were excellent.

Roberta Pipitone

Well run. Great presentations

David Riddle

Great place to visit. Living historian was very good

K D

Several building to walk through. Watch the movie in the visitor's center to understand what took place here.

Alice Witt

Love that this place in history has been preserved. The tour guide was amazingly knowledgeable. Enjoyed immensely! Plan to return.

JOHN REID

Very moving experience. History comes alive as you tour this place.

lizz hundley

cool if youre into civil war stuff. lots of space for kids to run around. tour was informative also

Laura Fu

I've wanted to visit for years, and I had a great time! The rangers were all incredibly friendly and helpful. There's a small museum in the courthouse and the staff did an excellent job with timing. It worked perfectly to watch the film, tour the museum and attend a Living History program. The Living History Program is a MUST! I attended the Confederate Solider. The young man was in character the whole time, shared fascinating stories and answered several questions on the fly, in character! It was spectacular. The village was wonderfully well-kept, and I toured several of the small buildings that are still standing. There's a small gift store with a great selection of books.

Vann Clem

First visit. Out of the way but well worth the time to go visit

John Goins

I cant overstate the historical importance of this location! Tour guides from the park service are very knowledgable and friendly. I could almost put myself back in the 1800's being there.

Robin Davis

So interesting to see and experience. Truly appreciate the historical significance.

Beth Wetzel

Very well organized, young "Mr. Cullpper" was an amazing feature

Don Schaufus

A large park. Park grounds were neatly kept and maintained the historic period. A nice mix of static displays along with tours. Period actors can be found roaming the ground.

Roy Brown

Great park with friendly park rangers. A great day trip from Richmond.

DJ WARREN

So much history in one small place. I made the effort to visit from England and I'm glad I did.

Donna Criswell

Well worth the visit & historically important for all of us as Americans. Allow about an hour or so to visit.

Nathan Ehrenberger

Well kept grounds and very knowledgeable staff

Mic Platt

Very well preserved and the perspectives here are many. The story of the next hundred years of American history begins here. Please "like" my review if it helped you.

Deana Parry

Beautiful area and worth the visit!

James Tchokogoue

15 minute presentation at visitors center sets up the historical background for the walk to famed McLean House. Very good experience and humbling.

Rickey Lombard

Very friendly and helpful staff

Paul Campbell

Nice place for history. So proud of our great nation.

Tony Eagle

Loved It ! Ranger Peed did a great job with his lecture.

Catherine Morrison

If you love Civil War history and haven't been here you need to visit. It will not disappoint.

Keith Jennie

The rangers and volunteers really care about telling the accurate story. We spent the better part of 5 hours perusing here and there asking with a few presentations and even a musket firing! Highly recommended to learn about the beginnings of the civil war ending.

Matthew Myers

A real hidden gem. Great history and living history museum. Walk the road and stand in the house where the Confederacy surrendered. It is a great place to visit and it is free!

Sheila Lemons

My sister and I visited and I felt like I was walking on sacred ground. I could picture the ground wet with the blood of both confederate and union soldiers. The person stationed there gave us a lot of information in a very understandable way.

Jonathan Frizzelle

Wonderfully maintained historical site. Beautiful! Definitely a must see for every American.

mary hernandez

Great place to bring family for history lessons

Mary Zicaro

What a wonderful place to go to learn about history. Several buildings to go thru. Very informative and staff is exceptional.

Frances White

There was so much more to see than we expected. Everyone was helpful, knowledgeable, and polite. Highly recommended it.

Carl Foraker

Wonderfully preserved historical site. Great interpretation of this historicaly significant event.

DJ-Derek Clark

It's FREE & a great place to learn about what really happened at the end of the Civil War.

David Close

Well maintained and very informative and interesting.

Cynthia P

Historic site that is a must see. Well done reconstruction and restorations. Excellent volunteers at times in period costume.

Troy Dalton

If your a Civil war history buff or just into history, this is a must visit!

kelby barnhill

Well maintained. Nice exhibits.

Mike Boyle

Very important piece of American history.

Terry Smith

History buff this is a must see. Alot of area to cover have fun!!

Sandy Zimmerman

Always love learning about history and boy did we learn here! Kids earned a Junior Ranger badge, we all wslked the area, watched a video about the history of the town and it's importance in the Civil war. There is a bit of a walk from parking but worth it. A gift shop and museum as well.

Matt Parlier

We had a great time here. The park is well kept, and the staff are all very knowledgeable. I really enjoyed the 15 minute film, which was a good review for people not familiar with the end of the war. Our tour guide was excellent - he had several unique stories and didn't only focus on the war. I enjoyed hearing about the town's residents and their stories.

Jake Wactor

Great historic site.

Peg McCarthy

Love to see where history happened!

Neil Westervelt

One of the best cared for battlefield sites I've been to. Nice to see actual buildings, not rebuilds. Rangers were all very helpful.

Les Kafel

Rich in history. Much better experience than I expected.

Carolyn and Garnett Shortt

Loved visiting this beautiful historical place and seeing the last 48 hours of General Lee's surrender to Grant! Supberb!

Kay Feeser

What a well kept historical site with knowledgeable staff and great presentation. A step back in time!!

David Gregory

Great time with my daughter and her class. Highly recommend this if for anything else to learn what truly happened.

Thomas Benson

This is a place that everyone should visit. It was where one of the biggest events in our nation's history took place. The history of the place is presented well.

Evan Burke

Could spend hours here and the surrounding area. So much history that you cant get by simply reading about it.

Steve Nunn

The historical interpretation of the Civil War was awesome. The entire staff was splendid.

Lisa Stone

This place is really great. Lots to see and learn, if you go on a sunny hot day consider bringing an umbrella to shade yourself.

Paul VanWagoner

Always cool to keep history preserved. The roll players were awesome. Stayed in character the whole time we sat with them on the porch.

Adam Michelon

I was fortunate to be there when they had a reenactment going on. Was awesome to see how the soldiers lived in those day. Place is rich with America history.

Joshua Willett

Great place to visit! All the staff are friendly and very knowledgeable!

Bobbie Walker

Excellent tour guide. Patient with answering questions. If you are a student of history, Appomattox is well worth the visit.

Jennifer Sperl

I am a total history lover and was so excited to see this place.

Brian Albrecht

Love it! Great place to get in touch with history. Great job by the staff to portray a Union soldier and tell the story of the end of the war.

Karen Blindt

We love to go to historical sites with our son. He enjoys learning about his history and about our countries history too. He is a junior Ranger too. He loves it.

Bobby G

Great historic preservation...

Dwayne Graham

Was a good place to spend memorial day weekend, to learn from the past and look foward to the future.

annette conery

The park is beautiful and the staff is amazing, they made learning fun for my son. He was so excited that he went back with his dad the following weekend.

Mark Otte

I enjoyed the park... but only the exterior of the Courthouse is restored to Civil War appearance....no recreation of the signing room itself... but everything else is great and the movie is well worth a look.

Tonya Luckadoo

Beautiful.park with lots of history. We enjoyed visiting with our toddler and in-laws.

Sarah Logan

Neat place to walk around and learn more about our history. Rangers were very friendly and helpful.