Written by Jon-Erik Gilot
On April 17 and 18, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall will host its annual Civil War symposium.
In its seventh year, the symposium has grown from a local half-day event to attracting more than 200 attendees from across the nation who traveled to Carnegie for the 2025 symposium.
Clearly, the word is out.
In this 165th anniversary of the first year of the Civil War, the 2026 symposium will explore topics around a theme of 1861: Small Battles, Big Outcomes.
Though overlooked in favor of later years and larger battles, the first year of the Civil War witnessed many advances and setbacks, trials and tribulations, personalities and decisions that affected how the remainder of the war came to be fought.
The weekend will feature seven dynamic public historians who will unpack the military, political and social threads of this pivotal year in our nation’s history.
Speakers include National Park Service historians, museum professionals, authors and educators. Five of the speakers are members of Emerging Civil War, a popular digital Civil War platform, including the organization’s co-founder and editor-in-chief, Chris Mackowski.
Beyond the lectures, the weekend will feature an expansive book sale, raffles and Civil War artwork for silent auction, as well as tastings and bottle sales from Arsenal Cider — Pittsburgh’s own Civil War-themed hard cider distillery.
Attendees will have the opportunity to tour our national treasure Captain Thomas Espy Post, considered perhaps the most intact surviving example of the more than 7,500 Grand Army of the Republic posts that once dotted the nation.
The neighboring Lincoln Gallery will also feature an engaging Faces of Civil War Nurses temporary exhibit, including life-sized images and stories of 20 Civil War nurses, such as one nurse whose likeness is featured in stained glass at Sacred Heart church in Pittsburgh.
The Civil War symposium has grown to become one of the library’s largest annual events. For history enthusiasts, it offers a weekend of first-class speakers and camaraderie, without the need to drive to Gettysburg or Antietam.
Tickets cost $100 and are available up to April 6 or until sold out.
All proceeds from the symposium benefit the preservation of the Espy Post artifacts and help to support monthly second Saturday Civil War programming at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall.
For more information, visit carnegiecarnegie.org or call 412-276-3456, ext. 19.
What are you doing for handicap poeple? I can’t walk more then 50 yards with out sitting down for a few minutes. My fusion in my back should be around that time. I will make sure my surgery date is after the dates. Thank you
Hi Edward,
We do have handicap parking available immediately outside the music hall where the symposium will be held, as well as an adjacent accessible entrance. Food and drink will be available on the upper and lower levels, which are accessible via elevator. Thank you!
Do you have any parking information?
Hi Tommy,
Onsite parking is available in the marked spaces around the building on a first come, first served basis. Overflow parking is available on the right side of Beechwood Avenue in front of the library building going back down towards Main Street. Parking in downtown Carnegie (both on-street and in municipal lots) is free on the weekends. Please use the stairs through Library Park if you park downtown. We’d offered a shuttle service last year however very few people took advantage and thus we will not be offering it this year. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!