Civil War Trails® has been working with communities since 1994 to share their stories and connect visitors with small towns and big stories across a network that now spans six states. Travelers look to Trails to put them in the footsteps of the generals, soldiers, citizens, and the enslaved who found themselves in the midst of this Civil War.
Civil War Trails began with a group of historians whose efforts linked together the sites of Robert E. Lee’s retreat from Petersburg to his surrender at Appomattox. Today the program guides visitors to more than 1,200 sites, over 700 of which we are proud to interpret to the public for the first time.
The Town approved the placement of an Civil War Trail interpretive sign depicting the life and contributions of Peter Jacob Carter. Peter Jacob Carter was enslaved in Northampton County before self-emancipating and then serving with the 10th ‘United States Colored Troops’ during the War. After the war he would go on to serve the County as their Delegate to the House of Delegates, as well as being the keeper for the old Cherrystone lighthouse (which is what would provide the nexus for installing a sign in Cape Charles).
The sign must be placed in an area where the original Cherrystone lighthouse site could be viewed. The likely location will be somewhere in the area of Bay and Washington Aves. The current plan would be to install it along the Boardwalk on Bay Ave, as far north as is practicable.
There is no cost to the Town for either the initial installation of this sign, or ongoing maintenance.
Civil War Trails organization and associated donors/sponsors will cover all costs. If the Town were to ever renovate that area of the Boardwalk/Beach, the Civil War Trails organization would move the sign to whatever new location the town chooses (as long as the Cherrystone lighthouse site could still be viewed).
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You all better check with the black community leaders, first….lol.
The Cherrystone Bar lighthouse site is not visible from the north end of Bay Ave.
The Cason light that replaced it, close to its actual location, is visible from the south end of Bay Ave near the Love sign not the north end.