How do I properly use null dates in a webforms application?  When working with null dates I get data binding errors on postbacks.  We use nulls to at least have a nominally empty date field but can't seem to get it to work in webforms.  I searched mutiple times and can't find any references to what the best way to do it so that customers won't see a date when entering data if the field is not supposed to have a date in it yet.  I've tried the return alternate using #1/1/1800# and then that shows in the textbox on the screen, I could live with the return alternate concept if it just didn't show in textboxes and listviews.

Is there an easy way to do this or do I need to not bind the data and handle it myself? (which is what I'm trying to avoid).

Yup...this is exactly what you should do.  This is the very same thing that we do for all of our applications as well as our web applications.  So just create a class library, add all of your subclassed controls, then you can use them instead of the standard controls.  This is good programming standards...good job