Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will host its annual Christmas Open House, “A Civil War Christmas,” on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visitors will have the chance to see the Harper House as never before. The house will be furnished as the residence of the Harper family in December 1865 instead of its normal set up as a field hospital. During the day reenactors will show how Civil War soldiers would have marked the holiday season. Everyone will be welcome to decorate and take home their own holiday ornament.
In the evening, the Harper House will reopen for lamplit tours. Reenactors and period musicians will create a festive atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy cider and cookies by a campfire, listen to holiday music, and take a ride on the Bentonville Christmas wagon. The evening portion of the event runs from 5-8 p.m. Tickets are only required for the evening open house. The cost is $5 for adults while children 10 and under will be admitted at no charge.
Activities are subject to change without notice. For more information about activities, check the site’s social media channels (@bentonvilleshs) or contact Chad Jefferds at 910-594-0789, extension 204.
The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the largest battle ever fought in North Carolina and one of the last major battles in the Civil War. Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site interprets the battle and the Harper House, a farmhouse used as a field hospital where surgeons treated nearly 600 men wounded in the battle.
The site is located at 5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524, 3 miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville. For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield or call (910) 594-0789.
Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site is part of the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, three science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 41 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C. Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, and the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.