You may know what happened on the battlefields . . . but do you know what happened to the families and their homes in town?
Travel back in time with a guide in period attire as you listen to the story of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Connect with George, Hettie, Sadie (7), and Mollie (5) Shriver to appreciate what life was like before, during, and after the American Civil War.
- In 1860 George Shriver built one of the finest homes in town just months before the Civil War began
- Built as a residence for the family and a business for George: ‘Shriver’s Saloon & Ten-Pin Alley’
- Every room is frozen in time and accurately furnished to its 1860s appearance
- See an authentic Confederate sharpshooters nest where CSI Detectives confirm bloodstains
- Witness the utter devastation left behind by the invading armies
- Numerous bullet holes scar the bricks – a silent reminder of the fighting
- 19th century four-square garden
- See hundreds of items discovered during the restoration, including live Civil War ammunition, CW period medical supplies, and much, much more.
- Museum shop: books, t-shirts, puzzles, candles, period toys, Shriver’s Saloon Sarsaparilla, and more
- Used as a film location by PBS, The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, A&E, HGTV, BBC, CNN, The History Chanel, and more.
- Official Civil War Trails site
A message from the Founder and Director
The American Civil War, which lasted four long years, was the September 11th of the mid-nineteenth century. How many of us were glued to our televisions for days after that historic event, captivated not by the stories of the terrorists but by the stories of those who lost their lives, the firefighters, the survivors’ tales, and the heroes too numerous to count. The Shriver House shares the extraordinary story of an everyday family and how the Civil War affected them and changed their lives forever.
Nancie W. Gudmestad, Founder and Director
