1864 saw the turning point of the Civil War. Jefferson County was important because of its location in the pivotal Shenandoah Valley. On June 23 and 25, the Jefferson County Historical Society and the Historic Shepherdstown Commission will shed light on this critical period at their free two-day seminar Jefferson County in 1864. Open to the public, the seminar will include expert speakers, including Antietam National Battlefield Historian Ted Alexander, seminar organizers Doug Perks and Donna Northouse, and local historians, Jim Glymph, Frank Surdu, Don Watts and John Bagladi. The seminar will take place in two different locations as noted below.

Participants may attend either one or both days. Anyone interested should register with Donna Northouse, dnorthouse@gmail.com or 304-876-7012. The registration deadline is June 20, 2014.

Jefferson County teachers will receive staff development credit, as listed on the Jefferson County School District’s staff development website.

On Monday, June 23, participants will meet at Fisherman’s Hall, 312 South West Street (corner of South West and Academy Streets) in Charles Town from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Doug Perks, Jefferson County Museum historian, will set the stage for Jefferson County 1864 with a description of key events and personalities in the county. Other speakers will be: Jim Glymph on Stereoviews of Harpers Ferry, Frank Surdu on Civil War Ironclads, Don Watts on the Genealogy of a Civil War Family, and John Bagladi on The Search for John Reid. Participants will be on their own for lunch.

On Wednesday, June 25, the seminar will meet at the Entler Hotel, 129 E. German Street, in Shepherdstown from 8:45 to 3 p.m. Parking will be available at the Shepherd University lot at the corner of High and Princess Streets. Doug Perks will discuss Henrietta Bedinger Lee and the burning of her Shepherdstown home, Bedford. Donna Northouse will discuss contributions to the war by visual artists, including Martinsburg native David Hunter Strother, Shepherdstown’s Alexander Boteler, and Winslow Homer, who traveled with the Army of the Potomac. At 1:30 p.m., Ted Alexander, Antietam National Battlefield Historian, will deliver the keynote address, “McCausland’s Raid and the Burning of Chambersburg.” He will also be signing his book, Antietam: The Bloodiest Day. Copies will be available for purchase. Lunch choices will be up to the participants.