Durham's Annual Tribute Luncheon to Honor Historic Sites

Every year in April, Durham's Annual Tribute Luncheon is an opportunity to publicly recognize people, places, and events for the role they play in preserving Durham's unique sense of place. This year, given the important anniversary upon Durham, the event is going to be especially exciting.

This year the event commemorates Durham's role in the Civil War, the sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the end of which is in April. "Probably the most notable thing for people will be Durham's role in the end of the war," said Sam Poley, the Director of Public Relations for the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB), the organization that produces the event. "Because the history books essentially stop telling the story of the war with the treaty at Appomattox, most people don't realize that the war didn't really end until Sherman and Johnston agreed to the largest troop surrender, that of five Confederate state armies totaling more than 89,000 soldiers, when they met in Durham. Durham is where the war effectively ended," added Poley.

Durham's role in this nation-shaping event is really best illustrated by looking at all three of Durham's state historic sites, Bennett Place, Duke Homestead, and Historic Stagville. All of them will be honored for their inextricable link to what makes Durham the place it is today. The program for the luncheon will be unlike any other in the event's history.

The luncheon will take place Wednesday, April 29, 2015 beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m. at The Durham Convention Center. Registration for the event is available online where individual tickets are $55 each and an 8-person table is $500.

"The Annual Tribute Luncheon is a celebration of Durham, and we're excited to shine a light on this aspect of Durham's history," Poley said. Those interested can learn more about Durham's Civil War history online.