page_title: Bennett Place
section_title: Bennett Place State Historic Site
hierarchical_section_title: Bennett Place / Bennett Place State Historic Site
caption_attribution_description: English: Unity Monument at Bennett Place State Historic Site, Durham, NC This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America. Its reference number is 70000452
context_page_description: Bennett Place, Durham, North Carolina, was the site of the last surrender of a major Confederate army in the American Civil War, when Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to William T. Sherman. The first meeting saw Sherman agreeing to certain political demands by the Confederates, which were promptly rejected by the Union cabinet in Washington. Another meeting had to be held to agree on military terms only, in line with Robert E. Lee’s recent surrender to Ulysses S. Grant. This effectively ended the war.
context_section_description: The home of James and Nancy Bennett, simple yeoman farmers, served as the site of the surrender negotiations between Major General William T. Sherman and General Joseph E. Johnston April 17, 18 and 26, 1865. It was the largest surrender of the American Civil War, officially ending the fighting in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The original house burned in 1921 and was reconstructed as a two-story log structure covered by weatherboards with a gable roof and a shed addition.  Also on the property are a log kitchen and smokehouse.
  In 1923, the Unity Monument was placed on the site to commemorate this historic event. Among the many contributors to the preservation of this historic landmark were the Duke, Everett, and Morgan families.
  Today, Bennett Place State Historic Site belongs to the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and is located in the west end of Durham, near Duke University. The site is open to the public, Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-5pm, with a visitor center, museum, theater presentation, "Dawn of Peace", research library, gift shop, and the reconstruction of the Bennett Farm. Living history programs and the commemoration of the surrender take place throughout the year. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
  On April 15, 2010, the Bennett Place Historic Site unveiled a new painting by renowned Civil War artist Dan Nance, entitled "The First Meeting".  On the same day, the site gave its first William Vatavuk Scholarship, a yearly scholarship for students who wish to major in history in college.  The scholarship honors the late William Vatavuk, who wrote Dawn of Peace, the first guidebook for the historic site.
caption: Unity Monument at Bennett Place
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