On September 3, the College Foundation and the University of Virginia Library hosted an event in honor of John L. Nau III (College 1968) and his many contributions to UVA. Held at the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, the event was an opportunity to view items from the John L. Nau III Civil War History Collection of more than 30,000 letters, 250 diaries, and 4,000 images that Mr. Nau recently donated to the University.
Mr. Nau’s interest in history and the Civil War and his passion for preservation and for the University of Virginia are combined in the gift of the John L. Nau III Civil War History Collection to the University. Nau is one of the country’s largest private collectors of Civil War documents, photographs, and artifacts. His personal collection contains items related to all aspects of the war, Confederate and Union, and is renowned for its extensive breadth and depth.
The addition of documents and photographs from Nau’s collection to the Library’s significant Civil War holdings, in the same building that already houses the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History, will be an immeasurable benefit to the Center and the University community—and will further enhance the University’s status as a locus for scholarly study of mid-19th century American history as well as a destination for those wishing to engage in the personal stories of soldiers on both sides of the Civil War.
The Special Collections Library is in the process of making this collection available to future researchers.