Finding Fanny Whitney: The Civil War Letters of Charles E. Whitney

“Finding Fanny Whitney: The Civil War letters of Charles E. Whitney”
A Living History Program on September 18th, 2025 at 7:p.m.
215 Still River Road, Harvard, MA


Discover a unique view of Civil War history through the eyes of Fanny and Charles Whitney who lived in Harvard. Charles went off to war in the Union Army in 1862 and served to the end of the war.

More than 100 letters written by Charles E. Whitney to his family during the Civil War were preserved by Louise North Griffin, who lived on the Common, and were donated to the HHS by Allen Griffin to be transcribed and published. This summer, recent William and Mary history graduate and Harvard resident Charlotte Visconsi has begun the important work of transcribing the letters.

In this living history program, Charlotte will portray Fanny Whitney, presenting Charles's early letters from the war and sharing the experiences and thoughts of a woman living at the at home while her brother went to war.