Appomattox Court House National Historical Park | CLOVER HILL TAVERN

Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

The Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park was built by Alexander Patterson in 1819, making it the oldest building in the town. At the time, the Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road, which is the dirt road that runs through the center of town, was a major stage coach route. Patterson built the tavern to tap into the wallets of the travelers who came through Appomattox Court House. The Hix Family was the owner of the tavern when Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865. The building was restored in 1954, and it is now open to the public.

Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road leading into the center of Appomattox Court House

Richmond-Lynchburg Stage Road leading into the center of Appomattox Court House

Inside the tavern is a printing press exhibit. After the surrender, each Confederate soldier who agreed not to fight any longer was given a paroled prisoner’s pass, which is essentially a travel document that states he is not a deserter or combatant and is allowed to return home unhindered. The passholder was also entitled to free transportation on any U. S. operated railroad, steamship, or stage coach. Carting around printing presses was standard for an army, so Grant had his presses set up inside the tavern and directed his printers to go to work on the approximately 30,000 passes needed.

Printing presses inside the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Printing presses inside the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

During the summer, park Rangers actually operate the presses and print passes for tourists. Copies of the new passes are on display, and you can compare them to a few actual passes also on display.

Confederate paroled prisoner's pass printed at the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Confederate paroled prisoner’s pass printed at the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Original Confederate Paroled Prison's Pass issued at Appomattox Court House

Original Confederate Paroled Prison’s Pass issued at Appomattox Court House

There are also three display cases full of artifacts. One contains items found during excavations of Appomattox Court House at various times since it became a National Historical Park. The other two contain general Civil War artifacts, with one case full of items donated by soldiers who were in Appomattox County on April 9, 1865, and the other with items found in Burkeville, a nearby town with an important railroad junction. Lee’s army was in more places than just Appomattox Court House. His men surrendered their arms at Burkeville as well.

Civil War artifacts on display inside the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Civil War artifacts on display inside the Clover Hill Tavern at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Patterson’s Clover Hill Tavern consisted of a few other buildings, all of which were built at the same time as the tavern. Still standing today are the Tavern Kitchen, Slave Quarters, and the Tavern Guesthouse. The kitchen, which is behind the tavern, is a two-story building that had a kitchen on the bottom level. The upper floor was used as guest rooms. Today it is the book and souvenir store for Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. The building to the right of the kitchen is a slave quarters that now functions as a restroom facility.

Clover Hill Tavern kitchen and slave quarters are now the book/souvenir store and restroom facility at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Clover Hill Tavern kitchen and slave quarters are now the book / souvenir store and restroom facility at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

The Guest House is a three-story building with an outside staircase. This allowed upper floor guests to reach their rooms without having to use an internal staircase that would take up living space. The interior of the building has been changed over the years, and nobody knows what it looked like originally. The building was restored in 1959. It is not open to the public.

Clover Hill Tavern guesthouse at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Clover Hill Tavern guesthouse at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

During the Civil War there was a separate dining room building to the left of the tavern, a stable, and a smoke house. These were all torn down long ago.

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Last updated on June 26, 2023
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