Guilford Courthouse

Junior Ranger is a National Park Service wide program that allows your children to connect with each national park on a deeper level and experience the history and nature that is preserved for their future generations. 

The Guilford Courthouse Junior Ranger Program involves a tour of a portion of the battlefield and the entire Battlefield Visitors Center. One booklet is split into two age groups. Children will have the chance to read the exhibits, complete maps, listen to music, and learn about the monuments. 

Pick up your free activity book at the Battlefield Visitors Center, and once the activity is completed, return it to a park ranger to get your badge! 

The Southern Campaign of the American Revolution Junior Ranger Program features five units of the National Park Service! You can receive a Jr. Ranger book at either of the five sites or print the book from home or contact the park to have them mail you a copy. You can then complete the actvitities, and earn a Junior Ranger badge! Learn more about units related to the American Revolution.

Complete the Booklet by Visiting the Parks

You may complete this booklet by exploring the five sites in person. Before you visit make sure you know when each site is open. Once you have completed the booklet show it to one of the rangers at any of the parks to recieve your badge! 

Complete the Booklet at Home

Even if you can't visit all five sites or if you do not have time to complete the booklet during your visit, you can still complete this Junior Ranger booklet at home. Once you have completed the booklet you may email it or send it by mail to one of the five sites. A ranger from that site will mail you you Southern Campaign Junior Ranger badge!

Come join us in the Visitor Center Theater at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, March 7 for the kick off of the park's 2026 Revolutionary Lecture Series. Dr. Alexander S. Burns will discuss his book, Infantry in Battle. 

Dr. Burns joined Franciscan University of Steubenville in August 2022, after a year of teaching for West Virginia University. A scholar of eighteenth-century conflict in North America and Europe, he has recently edited a volume: The Changing Face of Old Regime Warfare: Essays in Honour of Christopher Duffy. Alex has previously taught at Indiana Wesleyan University and Montreat College. In fall 2025, he published his first monograph: Infantry in Battle, 1733-1783. This project re-examines the nature of infantry combat during the high eighteenth century, particularly focusing on the War of Polish Succession and American War of Independence. Infantry in Battle rewrites the story of combat in the eighteenth century by placing enlisted infantrymen and their experiences at center stage. While popular memory and film portray these men as robotic automata they fought in flexible and adaptable ways, and they left their mark on eighteenth-century warfare.

This program is free, and seating is available first come first served in the Visitor Center Theater. 

The history of the North Carolina Piedmont traditionally centers European settlements and the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, part of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. Less visible are the movements of peoples and the pursuit of livelihoods and community that existed prior to commemorated military events and continues through present day. Explore the shifting populations and maps of the region through the lens of indigenous scholarship to illuminate beyond 250.

Landscapes of Freedom consists of three related programs presented in partnership between the  Greensboro History Museum, Greensboro Public Library, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park and Guilford College. This project is supported through a grant from America 250 NC, a program of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park hosts this third and final program on indigenous landscapes. 

The Carolina Colonial Dancers present a program of 18th century Country Dance, one of the most popular entertainments of the period for both soldiers and civilians. 

Come join us in the Visitor Center Theater at 4:00 P.M. on Saturday, April 4 for a special lecture. Dr. Antwain K. Hunter will discuss his book, A Precarious Balance: Firearms, Race, and Community in North Carolina 1715-1865.

Spanning the 1720s through the end of the Civil War, his book explores how free and enslaved Black North Carolinians accessed, possessed, and used firearms—both legal and otherwise—and how the state and white people responded. North Carolinians, whether free or enslaved, Black or white, had different stakes on the issue, all of which impacted the reality of Black people’s gun use.

Antwain K. Hunter reveals that armed Black people used firearms for a wide range of purposes. They hunted to feed their families and communities, guarded property, protected crops, and defended maroon communities from outsiders. Further, they resisted the institution of slavery and used guns both against white people and within their own community. Competing views of Black people’s firearm use created social, political, and legal points of contention for different demographics within North Carolina and left the general assembly and white civilians struggling to harness Black people’s armed labor for white people’s benefit. A Precarious Balance challenges readers to rethink how they understand race and firearms in the American past. 

Antwain K. Hunter is a historian of slavery and freedom in North America, with a current focus on the Carolinas. He serves as an Assistant Professor of History at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Hunter is also in the very early stages of another book project which delves into Black people’s alcohol use and healthiness in antebellum Charleston, South Carolina. He is also working on two article length projects, the first on free North Carolinians of color’s labor at the state’s Confederate forts and the other on role of the veterans of the 28th USCT—Indiana’s only Black Civil War regiment—in that state’s commemoration of the war.

This program is free, and seating is available first come first served in the Visitor Center Theater. 

Did your ancestor fight in the Revolutionary War in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse? Are you interested in meeting other descendants of Revolutionary War veterans? This event is for you! 

Join Guilford Courthouse National Military Park for our first ever Descendants Symposium! The symposium will kick off with a summary of the accomplishments of the park's dedicated citizen archivists, who have transcribed all pension files of identified veterans of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Kevin Eugene Graham will deliver the keynote address on his ancestor, Zachariah Jacobs Holmes. Descendants will then discuss how they have researched and uncovered the stories of their Patriot ancestors and what those stories mean to them today. The event will conclude with an audience Q&A session.

Opening Remarks: Supervisory Ranger Tom Sobol

Keynote Address: Kevin Eugene Graham, descendant of Zachariah Jacobs Holmes, and former President of the Sons of the American Revolution Lower Cape Fear River chapter

Panel Discussion of Descendants of Veterans of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse: former Mayor of Greensboro John Forbis, Kevin Eugene Graham, Mary Linville, Solomon Titus Taylor, and Eric Bruce Wilson

Panelist Biographies:

Kevin Eugene Graham is a native of Brunswick County, NC and a graduate of Elizabeth City State University. His parents are the late Malon Graham Sr. of East Arcadia, NC, and the late Dora Jane Kelly-Graham of Winnabow, NC. Kevin was born in Wilmington, NC. Mr. Graham is a proud descendant of many patriots who fought in the American Revolutionary War. His patriot ancestors were John Blanks Sr., Zachariah Jacobs, and Shadrack Chavis, all of whom were free men of color from Brunswick County, Bladen County and New Hanover County, North Carolina. On February 21, 2020, Kevin proudly accepted the position of President of the Lower Cape Fear Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, as the first African American to hold the office. Kevin’s research as a historian and genealogist has focused primarily on free families of color from the counties of Bladen, Columbus, New Hanover, Robeson, Pender, and Sampson prior to the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. His research is available on his family reunion website www.graham-reunion.com and www.blanks-reunion.com

Mary Linville attended St. Mary of the Woods College, Tennessee State University, Vanderbilt University.  She worked as a nurse and nurse practitioner for 37 years, mostly in public service and non-profit health care.  She and her husband now own a small business, and they breed cattle. In her spare time, Mary writes grant proposals for a local non-profit.  As soon as she retired, she went back to her first love, history!  She loves her work as a Citizen Archivist transcribing Revolutionary War pension applications.

Solomon Titus Taylor is a proud community leader, United States Marine Corps veteran, historian, and the founder of the Titus Family Foundation and the Kids Basketball Association (KBA). His life’s work has been dedicated to mentoring youth, preserving history, and uplifting his community. He has traveled across the country, speaking at universities and community events, sharing his passion for the importance of knowing where we come from and the power of telling our stories. He believes that understanding our roots and embracing our legacy can inspire transformative change and help shape a brighter future for generations to come.

Eric Bruce Wilson is a resident of Falls Church, Virginia. He has an undergraduate degree in History from the College of William and Mary in Virginia and a law degree from the George Mason School of Law. He retired from the U.S. Department of the Interior where he applied his knowledge of history and law for more than 37 years. His interest in the park stems from learning that his maternal Fourth Great Grandfather served in the battle as a member of the Virginia militia from Botetourt County.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park invites you to bring your American flag along to help us welcome our newest fellow citizens. In partnership with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the park will host a naturalization ceremony on Wednesday, May 27 at 11:00 am on the Nathanael Greene Monument lawn. 

Immerse yourself in the American Revolution! Join a ranger for a fun activity at the Nathanael Greene Monument Lawn. Programs vary by date but can include the following:

Colonial Medicine

• In 18th century America, there was limited knowledge and treatments for the sick or injured. Medicine had to be shipped to the colonies. Those who lived in the backcountry of North Carolina were not the first to receive medical supplies. What techniques did they use when medicine was not available? Students will learn about colonial medical techniques and ingredients in backcountry North Carolina.

Battlefield Archeology

• Historians and archeologists use various kinds of evidence to accurately interpret a battlefield. Using archeological evidence and primary sources, students will determine which section of the battlefield corresponds with their evidence and argue their case.

Divided Loyalties

• Loyalist or Patriot? Was the decision to stay loyal to Great Britain and King George III or fight for American independence an easy choice? Step into the shoes of historic individuals who lived through the Revolution and use facts about their lives to guess where their political loyalties were. 

Revolutionary War Pensions

• Roughly 2,000 American veterans and their surviving widows of the battle of Guilford Courthouse applied for pensions in the 1800s for their service in the Revolutionary War. Explore some of those individual stories and learn how they proved their military service and eligibility for a pension.

Note: Programs are subject to change and/or cancelation due to inclement weather, heat, or other unforeseen circumstances. Weather-appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes are recommended. 

To commemorate the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, rangers and park volunteers will offer a variety of engaging programs that appeal to visitors of all ages. Please note, the battle reenactment takes place next door at Country Park at 2:00 pm. The majority of reenactors will be camped at Country Park over the weekend event. 

Greene Monument Lawn JR Ranger Activities

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

Colonial Games and Arts and Crafts

Clothesline Code Line

• Spies during the Revolutionary War used various means to communicate their messages, even hiding messages in plain sight. Create your very own hidden message and learn about espionage during the Revolutionary War. 

Historic New Garden Road (Halfway to Stop 6 at the False Third Line)

10:30 am - 1:30 pm

Colonial Music

• Music played a significant role in colonial society, from the battlefield to popular entertainment. Learn about music sung and played by early Americans.

Colonial Medicine

• In 18th century America, there was limited knowledge and treatments for the sick or injured. Medicine had to be shipped to the colonies. Those who lived in the backcountry of North Carolina were not the first to receive medical supplies. What techniques did they use when common medicines were not widely available? Learn about colonial medical techniques and ingredients in backcountry North Carolina.

Revolutionary War Pensions

• Over 2,000 American veterans and surviving widows of veterans of the battle of Guilford Courthouse applied for pensions in the 1800s for their service in the Revolution. Try your hand at deciphering the cursive handwriting of 19th century Americans and transcribe part of a pension! 

Visitor Center Program

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Carolina Colonial Dancers Performance 

• The Carolina Colonial Dancers will demonstrate 18th century dance. 

Musket and Artillery Demonstrations at Tour Stop 6

11:00 am and 1:00 pm

Rangers and park volunteers will fire muskets and a reproduction 6-pounder cannon. They will demonstrate the drill, and visitors will learn the role artillery played in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Caution: weapons demonstrations can cause hearing loss. Guests are encouraged to cover their ears or bring ear plugs to wear. 

Park Day is a volunteer service event sponsored by the American Battlefield Trust. At Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, volunteers have the opportunity to remove split rail fences from non-historic locations in the park. These structures were common in eighteenth-century America and played a role in the opening of the battle at the American First Line. Today, the fences serve as an interpretive tool and reminder of the land's history and agricultural use. Park Day volunteers will also have the opportunity to clean monuments.

The service project involves the demolition of split rail fences. Physical requirements include team lifting weights of up to 25 lbs, walking on a paved incline for ¼ miles, and walking on uneven surfaces.

Volunteers should bring a water bottle. Water fountains are available in the Visitor Center and throughout the park.

Guilford Courthouse NMP has a limited supply of work gloves, which we will distribute on a first-come, first-served basis. Volunteers are encouraged to bring personal work gloves.

Volunteers should dress comfortably and are required to wear closed-toed shoes.

Join us for a ranger led discussion of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Learn how British and American soldiers experienced the battle and how it affected the course of the Revolutionary War. 

Programs last around 30 minutes and may include up to a quarter mile walk.

Note: Programs are subject to change and/or cancelation due to inclement weather, heat, or other unforeseen circumstances. Weather-appropriate clothing and closed toe shoes are recommended.