Civil War Love Letters: Valentine’s Salon in Chickamauga

In Chickamauga, Georgia, a short walk from the town square, Southern Shadows stages one of the most intimate history programs in the region. At Southern Shadows Inc., located at 110 Gordon St A, Chickamauga, GA 30707, USA, 'Valentine’s History & Love Letters of the Civil War' is a two-hour, live illustrated salon that stitches private lines of longing into a public performance. Instead of battlefield maps and cannon smoke, the evening foregrounds handwriting—the cramped cursive of a soldier, the folded sheet that crossed state lines, the ink smudges that betray a hurried farewell. Courtney McInvale, author, historian, and founder of Southern Shadows, curates letters, poetry, and period songs that reveal how Americans courted, mourned, and kept hope across the distance of war. Projected images of original documents and period photographs create a dimly lit, contemplative room where the audience listens as individual voices from both Union and Confederate camps speak across time. The program moves from courtship and engagement practices to wartime separations and the culture of mourning that followed the conflict, closing with reflections on war widows and family recovery. What sets this evening apart is its scale and primary-source focus. With a maximum in-person audience of twenty and an accessible seating arrangement, the salon feels like a domestic parlor rather than a lecture hall. The optional writing activity at the close invites visitors to practice the forms of letter writing that sustained so many relationships during the 1860s. Virtual attendees can join via livestream; organizers open the Zoom room ten minutes early to troubleshoot audio and video. Practical details matter here: the program runs roughly two hours, requires seated attendance, and is recommended for ages 12 and up. Southern Shadows notes that all sales are final, though the host will offer rescheduling or credit if the event is canceled. The show’s placement in Chickamauga carries extra meaning—this is a town shadowed by the 1863 Battle of Chickamauga and the broader Civil War landscape of northwest Georgia, and the salon deepens a visit to nearby historic sites by connecting intimate personal documents to larger public memory. For visitors seeking history that feels human-scaled rather than abstract, this salon delivers. Expect quiet reflection, close reading of primary sources, and a small, engaged audience. Whether you’re planning a Valentine’s week outing, a literary evening, or a thoughtful stop on a Civil War itinerary, this program offers a rare chance to hear the private language of war and love in a setting designed for listening. In-person guests can buy signed and unsigned books by Courtney McInvale at the venue, and a brief Q&A follows the reading for those who want to discuss sources and methods. The livestream opens ten minutes before showtime.