A unified council agreed that the nation also reunited in town of Appomattox.
On Monday, Town Council members unanimously accepted a design for new welcome signs bearing the slogan, “Appomattox, Where Our Nation Reunited,” which is shared with signs marking Appomattox County limits.
The battle began last month when two town historians got word of the slogan, Mayor Paul Harvey said. They argued that the saying was historically inaccurate because it implied Lee’s surrender occurred in the town.
Some also wanted the signs to mark the town’s history prior to the famed surrender, council member Bryan Baine said.
The slogan doesn’t discriminate between jurisdictions, town tourism director Beckie Nix told council. “It’s a marketing brand that belongs solely to Appomattox, not to the town or county.”
Several historical events happened in both the town and county and the final flag surrender of the war occurred in England in Nov. 1865, when the C.S.S. Shenandoah handed over its Confederate flag in Liverpool, Nix said.
“Based on historical accuracy, only England could claim to be the place where America finally reunited.”
Both Harvey and Baine said they received many phone calls from town citizens about the controversy, most saying they wanted the slogan on the sign.
“Everybody who approached me, their motivation was the same. They wanted a sign that looked nice and that said something about this unique place,” Baine said. “They just disagreed on how to do it.”
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