Siege Museum Souvenir Building Replica

Housed in the circa 1839 Exchange Building, the Siege Museum interprets civilian life in Petersburg, Virginia before, during, and immediately after the Civil War. The museum records the ten-month siege of Petersburg, from June 1864 to April 1865, which was the longest period of time that an American city has been under a military siege. The exhibition illustrates how the siege impacted civilian life in Petersburg. The original Exchange Building was built between 1839 and 1841 in the Greek revival architectural style. The building was commissioned by a group of merchants to create a trading center where graded and certified samples of agricultural products could be shown to prospective buyers. A miniature building replica was produced by Dixie Trainer’s Souvenir Building Network. I wrote to Bill Trainer who told me, “Dixie was commissioned to have the Siege Museum piece made by the city of Petersburg, Virginia to celebrate its 250th anniversary. Manufacturer was Bates and Klink (Mass.). Dimensions: 1 ¾ tall, 1 ¾ wide and 2 7/8 long. It must have been made in the 1997-1999 period.”