Robert E. Lee Symposium - Clarion Inn Harpers Ferry - Charlestown Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Symposium will include lectures by renowned historians, exclusive tours of Harpers Ferry and surrounding battlefields, and the opportunity to socialize with other history lovers.

Harpers Ferry, located on the border between North and South, changed hands eight times during the Civil War and witnessed five battles. Abolitionist John Brown launched his ill-fated war to end slavery here, stopped by Robert E. Lee and U.S. Marines. Stonewall Jackson earned his greatest victory of the war at Harpers Ferry during Lee's first invasion of the North. The historic town has been restored to its Civil War era and its battlefields are well-preserved reminders of Harpers Ferry's strategic importance during America's bloodiest war.

Symposium Prices

$275 - Full Symposium (Includes Meals)
$225 - Saturday Only (Includes Meals)
$100 - Friday Only (Includes Meal)
$35 - Friday Night Lecture Only
Lodging is not included in the above prices.

Student Prices

$175 - Full Symposium (Includes Meals)
$125 - Saturday Only (Includes Meals)
$50 - Friday Only (Includes Meal)
$20 - Friday Night Lecture Only
Valid student ID required. Lodging is not included in the above prices.

Registration Information

Last day to register for the entire symposium and all symposium options will be October 19, 2018. Contact Jon Bachman at 804-493-1972 or jbachman@stratfordhall.org to register.

Lodging Information

A block of room has been reserved at the Clarion Inn Harpers Ferry-Charles Town. Call 304-535-6302 for reservations. Lodging is the responsibility of the attendee.

Symposium speakers:

Dr. Jonathan A. Noyalas: Director of Shenandoah University's McCormick Civil War Institute and founding editor of its Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era. He is the author or editor of eleven books and has contributed more than 100 articles, essays, chapters and book reviews to a variety of scholarly and popular publications including Civil War History, Journal of Illinois History, Civil War Times, America's Civil War, Civil War Monitor, Blue & Gray, and Hallowed Ground.

Dennis E. Frye: Dennis is the retired Chief Historian at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Writer, lecturer, guide, and preservationist, Dennis is a prominent Civil War historian. Dennis has numerous appearances on PBS, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, and A&E as a guest historian, and he helped produce award-winning television features on the Battle of Antietam and abolitionist John Brown.

Symposium schedule:

Friday November 2, 2018
*5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Happy Hour for symposium registrants in Ball Room of the Clarion Inn Harpers Ferry - Charlestown. Attendees will receive identification badge and packet.
*6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Buffet dinner at the Clarion Inn
*7:30 pm - 9:00 pm - Lecture by Dr. Noyalas: "Menace their Possession of the Shenandoah: Gen. Robert E. Lee, the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns"

Saturday, November 3, 2018
*7:30 am - 9:00 am - Breakfast buffet at the Clarion Inn
*9:00 am - 12:30 pm - Coach bus tour of Harpers Ferry lower town with Denis Frye
*12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Lunch at Potomac Grill in Harpers Ferry
*1:30 pm - 4:00 pm - Coach bus tour of Harpers Ferry battlefields
*4:30 pm - Return to Clarion Inn
*5:00 pm - 6:00 pm- Social for registrants in the Clarion Inn Ball Room
*6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Plated dinner in Clarion Inn Dining Room
*7:30 pm - 9:00 pm - Lecture from Denis Frye: "Great Expectations, by R. E. Lee"

Sunday November 4, 2018
*7:30 am - 10:00 am - Breakfast at the Clarion Inn
*10:00 am - 12:00 pm - Concluding remarks and Q/A with lecturers
Return to Archived News Stories

Return to Active News Stories