2026 National Conference

“Harpers Ferry & Shepherdstown”

Holiday Inn, Martinsburg, WV
April 9-11, 2026

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District's 2026 National Civil War Conference will focus on the battles in West Virginia in the fall of 1862 including Harper’s Ferry, Shepherdstown, and the action in the Kanawha Valley.

The conference will include talks, special events, and battlefield tours, all featuring the finest historians in the nation, including Dennis Frye, Kevin Pawlak, Dana Shoaf, and more!

A block of rooms has been reserved; if you would like to stay at the Holiday Inn, call 304-267-5500 and let them know you’ll be with us. You can also book online here - Conference dates have been pre-entered at the top, but you can adjust the dates as needed. The block rate rooms will be marked “National Conference” on the right side of the results.

Cost

Member, Full Conference: $375

Non Member, Full Conference: $415

Thursday Only: $150

Friday Only: $115

Saturday Only: $150

Schedule

Thursday (April 9, 2026)

7:00am: Breakfast and conference check-in opens.

9:00am-5:00pm: Bus Tour - Battle of Harper’s Ferry (Guides: Dennis Frye and Scott Patchan) Lunch included.

6:00pm: Dinner on your own and a free evening to explore Martinsburg and the surrounding area.

7:30pm-9:30pm: Members Reception at the Holiday Inn

Friday (April 10, 2026)

8:00am: Breakfast and conference check-in opens.

9:00am - 4:30pm: Speaker Programs

Dennis Frye – Grimes Davis and Union Cavalry Escape from Harpers Ferry

Jared Frederick – Embattled Borderland – Harpers Ferry and the Crisis of Civil War

Jon-Erik Gilot – General William Loring’s Kanawha Valley Offensive, Fall 1862

Kevin Pawlak – Battle of Shepherdstown – Background and Overview

Dana Shoaf – Shepherdstown as a Military Hospital in the Maryland Campaign of 1862

Tom McGrath - Bay State Blood:  Massachusetts at the Battle of Shepherdstown

12:00pm - 1:30pm: Lunch on your own

5:30pm: Social Hour

6:30pm: Banquet Dinner with Host Keven Walker

Saturday (April 11, 2026)

8:00am: Breakfast and conference check-in opens.

9:00am - 5:00pm: Bus Tour - Battle of Shepherdstown (Guides: Kevin Pawlak and Scott Patchan) Lunch included.

No refunds after March 13th, 2026, but your registration may be converted into a tax-deductible gift.

REGISTRATION

PLEASE READ THESE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY:

To fully register, fill out the form below and click Submit. A confirmation paragraph will appear - click the link provided to choose your tickets and pay with credit card. You will also receive a confirmation email with the link.

You may pay by check but please do not send a check until you have filled out the below form and clicked Submit AND reached out to our offices to let us know payment is on the way (call 540-740-4545 or email Kirsten at kheder@svbf.net).

Registration is not complete until we’ve received both a completed form and payment.