Object Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Two roof shingles from the McLean House at Appomattox Cout House, Virginia. |
Description |
Two roof shingles from the McLean House in Appomattox Court House, Virginia. 19th century, American. Notes indicate the shingles were given to Carrie Doyle by Mr. and Mrs. Ragland who owned the house. The McLean home in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia, was used on 9 April 1865 for the surrender meeting between General Robert E. Lee, C.S. A., and Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant, U.S.A. The house was also used on 10 April 1865, for the Surrender Commissioners' meeting, and over the next few years as the Headquarters of Major General John Gibbon, U.S.A. The McLeans left Appomattox Court House and returned to Mrs. McLean's Prince William County, Virginia estate in the fall of 1867. When Wilmer McLean defaulted on repayment of loans, the banking house of "Harrison, Goddin, and Apperson" of Richmond, Virginia brought a judgement against him, and the "Surrender House" was sold at public auction on 29 November 1869. In 1872, Nathaniel H. Ragland purchased the property for $1,250.00. On 1 January 1891, the property was sold by the Widow Ragland for the sum of $10.000.00 to Captain Myron Dunlap of Niagra Falls, New York. Myron Dunlap and fellow speculators went through two or three plans intending to capitalize on the notoriety of the property, one idea was to dismantle the home and move it to Chicago, Illinois as an exhibit at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The house was dismantled and packed for shipping, but due to cash flow and legal problems, the plan was never brought to fruition. The home sat dismantled in piles subject to vandals, collectors, and the environment for 50 years. On 10 April 1940, Appomattox Court House National Historical Monument was created by Congress to include approximately 970 acres. Historical data was collected, and architectural plans were drawn up to begin the reconstruction process. On 9 April 1949, 84 years after the historic meeting reuniting the county, the McLean House was opened by the National Park service for the first time to the public. |
Object ID |
1967.46 |
Object Name |
Shingle |
Year Range from |
1800 |
Year Range to |
1899 |
Subjects |
Civil War sites Historical sites History, War Between the States Historic houses National parks & reserves Monuments & memorials Monuments |
Search Terms |
McLean House Appomattox Court House, Virginia Surrender House Prince William County, VA Harrison, Goddin, and Apperson of Richmond, Virginia Niagra Falls, NY World's Columbian Exposition Chicago, Illinois Appomattox Court House National Historical Monument Congress National Park Service Surrender Commissioners |
People |
Doyle, Carrie McLean, Mr. and Mrs. Ragland, Nathaniel H. Lee, Robert E., General Grant, Ulysses S., General Gibbon, John, Major General Dunlap, Myron |
Collection |
History Museum of Western Virginia |
Imagefile |
046\196746.JPG |
Number of images |
2 |