1 Bennett Place Courier
Editor: Ryan Reed Official Newsletter of the Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. WINTER 2013
Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. Unity Monument: 90 Years Later Board of Directors 2013 Officers By: Diane Smith Karen Edwards: President On the night of October Chandler Vatavuk: Vice President 12, 1921, a fire would destroy Caroline Odom: Treasurer the last visual reminder to trav- Don Scott: Secretary elers of the simple house where Board Members only 56 years earlier two prom- Ernest Dollar inent generals met to negotiate peace. Two years later on the Robinson O. Everett, Jr. 12th of October, 1923, citizens Ann Hedgpeth and veterans gathered on the Brenda McKean grounds to witness the unveil- Rev. Dr. Sam Miglarese ing of the Unity monument. Judith Rembert The monument, simple in design, had a powerful message. It com- Betsy Vatavuk memorated the uniting of the country that had torn itself apart for 4 ______long years. Bennett Place Historic Site Veterans often returned to places where they had fought, suf- John Guss: Site Manager fered and, for some, surrendered. They came to remember what they Diane Smith: Historic Interpreter II did, to remember those who died during the war and to share these Ryan Reed: Historic Interpreter I experiences with their family. This was the case here at Bennett Place. Photographs taken in the 1920’s and 1930’s show old veter- Division of State Historic Sites ans with their reunion ribbons on having their picture taken near the Keith Hardison: Executive Director house. Even after the house and all the buildings were gone, veter- Dale Coats: Assistant Director ans still came to have their picture taken near the only remaining Jeff Bockert: Eastern Regional Supervisor structure, the chimney. This place was important to them.
N.C Dept. of Cultural Resources Many prominent citizens, such as Bennehan Cameron I, D.H. Hill, Jr., Julian S. Carr and R.O. Everett, were some of those in- Susan Kluttz: Secretary volved in rebuilding and commemorating the site which began with Office of Archives and History the Unity Monument. The site has been fully restored and visitors Dr. Kevin Cherry: Deputy Secretary still come to Bennett Place to learn about the significance of this im-
portant story in American history, and the lives of the Bennett family and the men who fought and died during the war. A temporary exhibit displays the highlights of those involved in the design and construction as well as those involved in the con- tinued preservation of this unique monument. The exhibit is on dis- play through mid December.
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Tar Heel Harvest Fair and Farmer’s Market
By: Diane Smith
On September 28-29, we held our first annual Tar Heel Harvest Fair and Farmers Market, which was a big hit! We had a lot of activities, vendors and demon- strations to entertain and engage young and old alike. For the kids, we had some old fashioned games, which included sack rac- es, three legged races and a egg and spoon race. Lots of laughter and squeals were heard as family members cheered on their participants. Candle making was a fun ac- tivity, and was complimented with a pump- kin carving contest. While some submitted their final pumpkins for the judging, others took them home for Halloween. The judg- ing took place on Sunday and proved very difficult for the judges as there were some very creative entries. In the end, we had our winners. Another contest that occurred during the event was a pie con- test. Five judges put their taste buds to the test in determining the best tasting pie. While one pie won the contest, all the pies were delicious and many thanks to those who submitted them. In the main house, beautiful quilts were on display showing the skills women had with the needle and thread. In the cold nights of winter, those quilts will come in handy. The quilts on display were made by our volunteers, Jean Eno and Susan Hall. In addition to the abundance of fun- filled activities, we also had some splendid merchants with handcrafted items that ranged from old fashioned wooden toys to homemade honey, and from 19th century re- production clothing to herbs and fragrances. Demonstrators provided a firsthand look at some of the trades of the past. Kirt Jarret worked his traveling blacksmith forge and showed visitors the hard work it took to make some of the items many farmers and their wives needed such as stakes, andirons and the sim- ple, but important, nail. Chester Bennett caned chairs and wove baskets under the shade of the trees.
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Tar Heel Harvest Fair and Farmer’s Market
Continued…
A farmer’s market would not be complete without a variety of fun loving farm animals. Bull City Farm, a local working farm, Laura Settle, and Mr. Ronald Hudson and his wagon rides provided their animals for some wonderful entertainment for visitors. Sheep, cows, chickens, a goat, a donkey, miniature horses and two very large mules were part of the farm atmosphere. Fresh eggs used in the Egg and Spoon race were courtesy of Bull City Farm. Mr. Hudson provid- ed leisurely wagon rides for everyone and the folks who brought the miniature horses provided the young kids with enjoyable horseback rides. The First Bennett Place Pie Tasting Contest was a premiere event with Dan Hopping as the “Mayor” of the local community and others coming out to taste the delicious apple, pumpkin, and sweet potato pies the ladies of the Orange County Ladies Aid Society made. In the late afternoon our own Pat Haggerty entertained children and adults alike in teaching some of the dances of the mid-19th century. We were fortunate to have some fine musicians play so everyone could enjoy some organized dancing. Pat even dressed up in his fancy coat and vest complete with white gloves and top hat. The dancing on the lawn made an enjoyable end to this very successful event.
Dancing on the lawn was quite popular and enjoyed by many.
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Willie Parker Peace History Book Award Congratulations to Ms. Brenda Cham- bers McKean, for receiving the 2013 Willie Parker Peace History Book Award. This prestigious literary award was established on December 6, 1958, and is given to au- thors to “encourage the writing and publi- cation of the history of a North Carolina county, institution or individual. This cate- gory is open to all who are writing about North Carolina.” Ms. McKean, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc., received the award for her two publications of “Blood and War at My Door- step, North Carolina Civilians in the War Between the States.” She has been a sup- porter of Bennett Place for more than 20 years.
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Christmas in the Carolinas During the Civil War December 14 & 15
Enjoy the Christmas Season with us and dis- cover how Southern families and soldiers cele- brated Christmas during the American Civil War. There will be living historians portraying sol- diers encamped around the Bennett Farm dis- playing what life was like during the cold winter months. The ladies will demonstrate open hearth cooking using food substitutes as well as prepar- ing packages for the soldiers. They will also share accounts of the way people on the home front would have survived while the boys were off to war. Come out and enjoy the Christmas season with us on the Bennett Farm.
Old St. Nick will make his annual stop by the Bennett Home!!!
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CONTRIBUTION BENEFITS Help Support the Bennett Place! Please note our membership levels have expanded to
All Levels: include businesses and larger donors!
Membership Card
Newsletter (issued quarterly)
Notification of Special Events
10% Discount at Gift Shop Major to President:
Certificate
Permanent Recognition at Site President: Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. Framed Certificate 4409 Bennett Memorial Road Special Gift Durham, North Carolina 27705
Contributions are Tax Deductible!
Name: (Individual, Family, Group, or Company)
______
Address: Amount:$______
Phone:
______
E-mail:
______
Signature:
______
Date:
______
Thank you for your support!!! 7 Bennett Place Courier
Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc. Bennett Place State Historic Site Mission Statement: To preserve and interpret the history of the largest surrender of the Civil War and the lives of 19th century yeo- man farmers such as the Bennetts. Bennett Place Support Fund Mission Statement: The Bennett Place Support Fund, Inc., is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to the Bennett Place State Historic Site. Monies from the Fund are to be used for educating the general public about the site’s role in the Civil War, assisting staff in its research and interpretation of 19th century farm life, and encourag- ing volunteer participation and community involvement.
We wish to help in preserving and developing this North Carolina Historic Site and need your assistance. Please consider making a contribution to the Support Fund today!
CONTRIBUTORS Thank you for helping us preserve this national treasure.
Captain ($100) President ($5,000 and Above) Alexander & Janet Floyd Lynn M. Everett Gary H. Pendleton Governor ($2,500) Martha W. Dunnagan Dr. Henry S. Zaytoun Thomas S. Kenan, III NC Division Children of the Confederacy Rosalie Reynolds Chevron Humankind c/o Dennis Buckley Chuck Wilson Peter J. Brock General ($1,865) Matching Gift Program Lieutenant ($50) JW Web Solutions c/o Rick Sheets Colonel ($500) Sandra Wilson William A. Kirkland, Jr. Dominic Dal Bello Robinson Everett, Jr. Bob Pfeiffer Charles Thissen Allen Tomlinson Major ($300) Eugenia Paine Sergeant ($35) Caroline Odom Alexander Stick Kevin Odom Capt. Granville H. Oury c/o Lynn Crawford Mr. & Mrs. Don Scott SCV Camp 1708 Josie Walker
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Fundraising Projects for The New Museum
Quilt Raffle
We are still selling tickets for the quilt our ladies auxiliary is mak- ing. All proceeds go toward the new museum, which is scheduled to be completed by spring 2015. Tickets are available in the Visitor Center and are 1 for $5 .00 or 3 for $10.00.
Powder horn raffle
Introducing our new Powder Horn to be raffled off in 2014 at our Annual Memorial Day Remembrance. If you are interested in participating in the Raffle, tickets are availa- ble for purchase in the Visitor Center. Price for tickets are 1 for $5.00 or 3 for $10.00.
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New Merchandise Items in Bennett Place Gift Shop
Visit the Museum Gift Shop and purchase a wonderful book on the history of the American Civil War or North Carolina, a coffee mug, Civil War T-shirt or hat, a decorative box, DVDs and musical CDs, a musical instrument, toy soldiers, or a magnet for the refrigerator and in time for the holidays, GIFT CARDS! All proceeds go to support the preservation and educational programs of this historic landmark.
Help Us Build Our Museum Exhibit Gallery!
We are building a new museum exhibit gallery and our goal is to reach $50,000. Please help us complete our new museum gallery. Every donation helps. Our grand opening is scheduled Spring 2015. http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com/museum-fund/
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Charles Anthony Thissen A Tribute To A Generous Man By John Guss, Site Manager
So many people come and go throughout our daily lives, each leaving a lasting impact, some more than others. Charles Anthony Thissen was indeed someone who touched the lives of us all who are associated with Bennett Place and the heritage of North Carolina. Born June 10, 1927, in Patterson, New Jersey, Charles was raised in a humble household. As a young man growing up during World War II he enlisted in the United States Navy on October 26, 1944, and served as a machinist mate third class. He later served a tour of duty on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Boxer CV-21 in the Pacific Theater of Operations from April 16, Jim McPherson presents The Order of 1945 to July 1, 1946. Following the war, he continued to serve his the Longleaf Pine to Charles. country becoming an employee of the United States Postal Service. Throughout his lifetime, Charles became captivated with the American Civil War collecting hundreds and eventually more than a thousand books on America’s most fascinating and popular topic. He was especially interested in the Battles of Gettysburg and Antietam, and had a keen inter- est in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War. While serving with the US Post Office in Durham, North Carolina, he developed an interest in Bennett Place State Historic Site. He established a relationship with now retired site manager, Mr. Davis Waters, and in a short time Charles saw a need for a research center at this important historic site. Charles approached Davis about the possibility of donating more than 1,000 books and refer- ence materials on the American Civil War to Bennett Place, but the question was, where could they be housed? Through the cooperation with the North Carolina State Historic Sites ad- ministration in Raleigh, a plan was devised to add on to the current visitor center creating what has become perhaps one of the finest research library in the North Carolina State Historic Sites system. For his generous contribution to Bennett Place, Charles Thissen was presented the distin- guished award of The Order of the Longleaf Pine by Governor Jim Hunt. Jim McPherson, then administrator of North Carolina Historic Sites, presented the award to Charles on Janu- ary 24, 1994 at Bennett Place.
Karen Edwards, President of the BPSF, Inc. and Charles Thissen at the dedication of the Everett-Thissen Research Library.
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Following retirement from the US Postal Service, Charles moved to the beautiful countryside of middle Tennessee where he lived in Crossville for the remainder of his life. The Bennett Place staff lost contact with Charles for a few years during his move, but when I be- gan as site manager at Bennett Place in May 2007, I made it a point to seek out this invaluable donor to Ben- nett Place and reestablished our cordial relationship with him. Since that time, Charles would call us on occasion to chat and see how we were doing. He was able to visit Bennett Place twice toward the end of his life, once driv- ing in his car alone all the way across the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina in one of the hotter sum- Charles Thissen and Betsy Vatavuk mers and even with a broken air conditioning system. Charles continued to share his generosity by sending financial donations and books to help grow the library he had created. In April 2010, during the 145th Anniversary Commemoration of the Surrender at Bennett Place, Charles Thissen was recognized once again with perhaps the most distinguished and lasting honor, the naming of the research library in his name along with another wonderful con- tributor, Mr. R.O. Everett. The Everett-Thissen Research Library now contains more than 2,000 books and reference materials related to the American Civil War, and it continues to grow. Charles once noted that we even needed to expand this grand research facility. Charles Anthony Thissen passed away on October 4, 2013, at Cumberland Medical Cen- ter in Crossville, Tennessee, at the age of 86. A humble memorial service was held for him on Thursday, October 10, 2013, at 11 a.m. at his home church of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Crossville. He was laid to rest there in the church columbarium. Rest in Peace Gener- ous Man.
Charles Thissen and Davis Waters during the Award Presentation.
Davis Waters and Charles Thissen enjoying the new library shortly after opening.