City: Durham, NC

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (919) 383-4345

Address: 4409 Bennett Place Memorial Rd.

Description: As the Civil War ground to a halt in the spring of 1865, Confederate General Joseph Johnston and Union General William T. Sherman met at farmhouse near Durham Station to work out the details of peace. The matter in question was the surrender of 90,000 Confederate soldiers. The generals came to an agreement about the fate of these men, their weapons, and horses at the home of James and Nancy Bennitt. (History mangled the spelling.) The surrender meant that most of North Carolina escaped the destruction that General Sherman’s army had wreaked on Georgia and South Carolina. Today, visitors can see a short historical film; tour the restored farmhouse, kitchen, and smokehouse; and read the story of the Bennitt family and the role the surrender at their farm played in history. Bennett Place stages a historical re-enactment with volunteers in period clothing every year on the last weekend in April to commemorate the surrender. Other, smaller re-enactments are staged throughout the year. The site also has a picnic area and a gift shop. Admission to site is free.