About the Symposium

This symposium will feature three days of in-depth seminar presentations and guided tours of private as well as publicly owned sites, led by recognized experts on this campaign. Walk the paths of seldom-visited locations that played an important role in the early days of the American Civil War — sites such as Philippi, Laurel Hill, Rich Mountain, Cheat Summit Fort, Camp Bartow, and Camp Allegheny.

The event will start with an orientation and social gathering on Thursday evening. Friday and Saturday will both feature seminar sessions in the morning, with guided site tours in the afternoon. Sunday’s tours will last all morning until mid-afternoon, with seminar presentations featured on the buses during transit to the sites. In addition to the banquet and Dr. Robertson’s keynote address on Saturday evening, Friday evening will showcase a special educational program on Minstrel Music in the Civil War. “Japher’s Original Sandy River Minstrels” will present a lively presentation of original tunes and stories from the period.

All activities will take place at, and all tours will leave from, the Randolph County Community Arts Center in Elkins, WV. The Community Arts Center is a newly rehabilitated adaptive reuse of an old church building that was formerly an endangered historic structure. It is located on Randolph Avenue (US Rt 219/150/33) at Park Street in Elkins, adjacent to the City Park, and within walking distance of downtown and the Davis & Elkins College Campus.

All seminars and tours including bus transportation, Thursday evening social, lunch for three days, and Saturday evening banquet are included in the registration fee.

While you are in Elkins, please stop by our many other sites of interest including the newly restored Elkins Railroad Depot, the Tygart Valley Flyer excursion train, and the Randolph County Museum complex in Beverly, as well as the local specialty shops that form part of the charm of Randolph County.