Who built the McLean House in Appomattox, Virginia?
Charles Raine built the McLean House in 1848 near Appomattox, Virginia. Wilmer McLean purchased this farmhouse from Eliza D. Raine's estate in 1863.
Questions about McLean House (Appomattox, Virginia)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did General Robert E Lee surrender to Lieutenant General Ulysses S Grant inside the McLean House?
On Palm Sunday the 9th of April 1865, General Robert E Lee surrendered to Lieutenant General Ulysses S Grant inside McLean's parlor. Union soldiers and Confederate officers gathered around tables that would become famous symbols of the war's end.
Where is the table used by Lee and Grant during the surrender at the McLean House now located?
The table and chairs used by Lee and Grant now reside within collections at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Additional items from the negotiation room can be found in the Chicago History Museum.
What happened to the McLean House after investors tried to move it to Washington, D.C?
Investors ran out of money while legal problems emerged during the process so the house became just heaping piles of boards and bricks sitting exposed to vandals and weather for fifty years. No entrance fees were ever collected because the museum never opened its doors to visitors.
Who purchased the McLean House on the 29th of November 1869 following the public auction?
John L. Pascoe purchased the property that same day. Records show Pascoe then rented it to the Ragland family of Richmond, Virginia before Nathaniel H. Ragland bought the property for $1,250 in 1872.