Exhibition on Civil War coming to NK

New Kent Historic Commission, in conjunction with the New Kent Historical Society, is hosting “An American Turning Point,” an exhibition about the Civil War in Virginia, from Feb. 27 through March 7 (except March 4).

The exhibition is being housed in the 1909 courthouse building at New Kent Courthouse, and is open weekdays 8 a.m.-3 p.m. On March 2 and 3, an open house with other special activities and presentations is 1-5 p.m. The office of the Historical Society, located in the Old Jail, will also be open during the weekend hours. The exhibition is free and open to the general public.

The 1,000 square-foot traveling panel exhibition, comprised of images and interpretive text, explores the people and communities affected by the Civil War. The exhibit is designed to appeal to a broad audience by giving voice to previously marginalized participants—free and enslaved African Americans, Unionists, women, and children. By presenting real stories about real people representing a variety of perspectives, it shows how civil war disrupts society and is experienced by more than just soldiers.

The exhibition is organized by the Virginia Historical Society in partnership with the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission. It has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information, call 966-8500.