Ellwood Welcomes Hundreds of Visitors on Opening Weekend

Ellwood Manor on the Wilderness Battlefield received more than 200 visitors during the weekend of May 1-2 as the house opened for the 2010 season. The weekend kicked off a series of events and observances to be hosted during May by Friends of Wilderness Battlefield (FoWB) in a month-long program to “Remember the Wilderness.” 

Visitors to the house came from as far away as Boston, Massachusetts, to learn its history, check on the progress of the restoration, and see the impressive new exhibits that were installed over the past winter.  The new exhibits, funded by a matching grant from the National Park Service, include permanent display panels, a short film about the Battle of the Wilderness, a “virtual tour” of Ellwood that shows the likely appearance of the house and grounds at the time of the battle, and a high-tech, interactive “Command Center” that gives visitors the opportunity to predict the outcomes of various portions of the two-day battle. 

“Without a doubt, this was the busiest opening weekend in the 12 years we have been giving tours of the house,” said Carolyn Elstner, chair of the FoWB Ellwood Committee. “Thanks to our all-volunteer workforce, and with the help of the National Park Service, the house, grounds and gardens are in their best condition ever.  The new exhibits are a tremendous addition in helping the public understand and appreciate the long history of this grand old house.” 

Ellwood will be open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends and holidays through June 6; daily from June 11 to August 15, and weekends and holidays from August 21 through October 31. The manor is located on Route 20, ½ mile from the intersection with Route 3 in Orange County. 

Couple Engaged at Ellwood on Opening Day: There was a little out-of-the-ordinary drama at Ellwood on opening day, Saturday, May 1.  After touring the house, a young couple went out to walk the grounds.  The young man got down on his knee and asked the young lady to be his bride.  They returned to the house asking Duane Hamilton, an Ellwood interpreter, to photograph them.  Hamilton verified, "He held up her left hand and said 'Ellwood is now a very special place to us.'" FoWB wishes this happy couple a long, happy life together.