The Civil War Study Group, Inc. (CWSGI), founded in 2010, is dedicated to historical research, preservation, and education of the general public on historic Civil War events that occurred in Orange County, Virginia, and surrounding communities during the American Civil War.

Its educational activities include conducting public discussion groups, forums, panels, lectures, historical research, and similar programs.

Community projects include providing historical interpretative panels, maintaining a collection of Civil War artifacts that is on public display, and conducting public school educational presentations on Civil War activities that occurred in the local area. It also carries out battlefield memorial services and has created a memorial monument to those on both sides who died during the Battle of the Wilderness.

CWSGI hosts regular Civil War Study Group meetings of individuals who are interested in assisting in this mission. There are no membership rolls and no dues. The work of CWSGI is carried out by volunteers and paid for by individual contributions and through fund-raising events. 

2020 was another active year for the Civil War Study Group at Lake of the Woods, albeit impacted by Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. As it became clear the restrictions would be longer than originally anticipated, with no in-person meetings, we began in November hosting our programs over the Zoom conferencing app.  To read more, click on the President’s Annual Report menu!

The Civil War Study Group meets on the fourth Friday of every month, January through November. Meetings are always open to the public. Check our Events Calendar for time and place.