Pamplin Historical Park Features Anniversary Battlefield Tour and Park Day April 2

PETERSBURG, VA--(Marketwired - Jan 28, 2016) - Pamplin Historical Park founder Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. is opening the park for an exclusive, pre-dawn walking tour on April 2 at 5 a.m. to commemorate the decisive Civil War battle known as the Petersburg Breakthrough. The one and a half hour tour will allow participants to walk in the footsteps of soldiers from the engagement that ended the Petersburg Campaign and led to the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia 151 years ago. The park will open to the general public at 9 a.m. for a full schedule of living history events. Park volunteers will also be working to preserve the park's battlefield for the annual Park Day and battlefield restoration program.

The Petersburg Breakthrough of April 2, 1865, when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Union troops broke through Gen. Robert E. Lee's defensive line, ended the nine-month Petersburg campaign and triggered the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond and Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House a week later. The battlefield site at Pamplin Historical Park includes well-preserved Confederate earthworks, and tour leaders who explain the role of these fortifications, how the conflict unfolded, and the significance of the battle.

"Pamplin Historical Park features some of the best-preserved original Civil War fortifications in the nation and the dawn walking tour will give guests a unique perspective on the battle, army strategies and the brave individuals who fought," said Pamplin. "The tour of the Petersburg battlefield will offer history lovers the opportunity to gain greater insight into this significant turning point in our nation's history."

The tour costs $18 and includes breakfast. Reservations are required.

Following the battlefield tour, history enthusiasts interested in keeping the nation's heritage not only preserved, but pristine, are encouraged to participate in Park Day 2016 for the opportunity to help restore the park's battlefield and maintain it as one of the most historically significant parks in the country. For more information about how to volunteer for Pamplin Historical Park's Park Day 2016, visit http://www.pamplinpark.org/volunteer.html.

About Pamplin Historical Park
One of "Virginia's Best Places to Visit" according to the Travel Channel and designated as a National Historic Landmark, Pamplin Historical Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier is a 424-acre Civil War campus located in Dinwiddie County, Va., offering a combination of high-tech museums and hands-on experiences. The park has four world-class museums and four antebellum homes. The park is also the site of the Breakthrough battle of April 2, 1865, and America's premier participatory experience, Civil War Adventure Camp. For more information, please call 804-861-2408 or visit www.pamplinpark.org.

About Robert B. Pamplin Jr.
Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. has earned eight degrees -- including two doctorates -- in business, economics, accounting, education and theology. He has been honored nationally as a businessman, philanthropist, ordained minister, educator, historical preservationist and author of 23 books and comic books, including two book-of-the-month club selections. Pamplin's business interests include media (the Portland Tribune and 25 community newspapers), textiles, construction and agriculture. He has been awarded many honorary degrees and featured in national magazines, in newspapers and on television. He has served on presidential and state commissions, and he has been chairman of the board of trustees of three colleges. Pamplin is widely recognized as America's leading historical preservationist and foremost diversified entrepreneur. For more information, visit www.pamplin.org. For more information about Pamplin's preservation efforts, visit www.pamplincollection.org.