The house just reopened this past Friday since COVID started. They had volunteers inside, and we…read moretook a short tour. They had a section of a tree, that had cannonballs lodged inside. We also walked out to the graveyard to see the headstone, for Stonewall Jackson's arm. House was built around 1790. Free to visit. (Donations accepted)

I stopped at Elwood Manor after being at the Wilderness Battlefield earlier in the afternoon…read more Elwood Manor was hosting a 'day in the life' event called Taming the Wilderness. It was pretty interesting, with quite a few walking trail tours and a bunch of different stations where reenactors discussed what life was like back in the 1700s and 1800s. Some of the stations included stonemasonry, an 18th century physician, huntsman lifestyle, cooking, log cutting station and 18th century tavern life. I don't know how often they do this, but it was a pretty cool ending to the day...I just wish I had my son with me.

Most of Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was buried in a Lexington, Virginia, cemetery that now…read morebears his name, but he was so famous at the time of his death that his amputated left arm was spirited away to its own separate grave. It was just after dark on May 2, 1863. Jackson had just launched a devastating attack against Union forces at Chancellorsville. Returning to his own lines with several staff officers, Jackson, ever the aggressive soldier, decided to conduct reconnaissance in the area. As he and his staff rode through the woods near Confederate lines, a North Carolina regiment, unable to see who was riding up on them, opened fire. Jackson was struck by three bullets, two of them shattering his left arm. The general was evacuated from the area and given medical treatment, but the arm couldn't be saved and was amputated. Pneumonia set in, and on May 10, 1863, the South lost its most effective tacticia. Thinking that the limb of so great a solider was too precious to simply throw on the regular body part trash pile, Jackson's unofficial company chaplain, Reverend Tucker Lacy wrapped the arm in a blanket and took it to his family cemetery. The reverend gave the limb a standard Christian burial and placed a marker above the site. Supposedly Stonewall Jackson's arm was dug up and reburied numerous times in the ensuing years and there is no concrete evidence that it still resides in its original burial space, but the simple gravestone remains.

"Jackson has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right"…read more -General Robert E. Lee Jackson's last words were apparently, "Let us cross over the river and rest in the shade of the trees." It seems like a lot of words for a dying man. If, however there is truth in this story, then the resting place of this limb seems fitting. The lone tombstone sits quietly among a small group of trees on the Virginia countryside. The picturesque views were once covered by war field hospitals and now is the resting place of the left arm of one of America's most famous Generals. A little history: Stonewall Jackson's arm was destined to be buried along with other amputated limbs until Jackson's Chaplain, Reverend Lacy, retrieved it from a macabre pile of appendages and eventually buried it on his own plantation, Ellwood Manor. The limb was buried several days before Jackson's death as a way for his staff to pay tribute to the man that they had followed through battle. It's probably the least they could do considering that his own men accidentally shot him. I'm just sayin'. The story of a buried arm is surreal, but a little research makes the story a little more humane. Even if Jackson fought on the wrong side of history, every body (or body part) should be so lucky to be buried in a place so serene. Verdict: Great for Civil War buffs, the curious and people spending a little time in nearby Old Town Fredricksberg. Or Cross it off your Weird Virginia (book) list. Weird tidbits: The arm has been dug up a few times in the past, but has always made it's way back into the ground. It seems that the curious return it to it's resting place after learning that there REALLY is an arm buried in the ground. FYI: The last time I attempted a visit, the grounds were closed contrary to the information found on the website. If in doubt, it's best to call.

During the bloody Civil War battle of Fredericksburg, the Confederate Army devastated the Union…read moretroops as they tried to charge the hill at Marye's Heights, leaving wounded and dying soldiers scattered across the battlefield. When night fell after the day's pitched battle, countless (overwhelmingly Union) soldiers lay freezing and dying on the ground, where both sides could clearly hear them crying out for water. Hearing these dying pleas, Confederate soldier Richard Rowland Kirkland, decided to do something about their pain. Kirkland asked the commanding general if he could head out to the battlefield and provide water to the wounded men, but his request was denied. However after listening to the men's cries a while longer, Kirkland pressed the point and the general allowed him to take to the exposed battleground and provide aid. Kirkland's request to carry a white flag so that he would not be shot by the active Union soldiers was denied. Undeterred, the brave soldier set out with his canteen to soothe the dying men. Though many were apprehensive at first, the Union forces soon caught on to his charity and did not fire on Kirkland. The generous soldier was able to make several separate trips out onto the battlefield with water, each time risking being shot by the tense men on either side. Kirkland's selfless actions earned him the nickname "Angel of Marye's Heights." In 1965, a statue honoring Kirkland was unveiled at the Fredericksburg battlefield site. The Sons of Confederate Veterans posthumously awarded Kirkland their Confederate Medal of Honor, which was created long after the war's end in 1977. The lone bronze memorial memorial commemorates Kirkland's bravery and humanity in the face of imminent death.

We were treated to a private tour of the home and grounds, purely by luck, and the glimpse into…read morewhat took place at that home during both the Revolutionary and Civil was was astounding. One of the most remarkable preservations was the carefully sculpted plaster ceiling whose delicate features had survived since 1775 despite cannon fire tearing a hole in the wall! I won't delve into the details that our guide recalled with not only amazing retention but with showmanship, however, the historical significance was worth the trip. Definitely worth the price of admission (I think it was around $12) and your time during a trip to historic Fredericksburg.

Tony and I spent the night in Fredericksburg MD in hopes of being able to get into some of these…read morelovely historic sites But many of them were closed due to Covid-19 This Plantation home was the house of Fielding Lewis and his wife Betty Washington, the sister of George Washington. Their mother, Mary Washington is buried very close to her home. The Plantation grounds were closed but we were able to see the house and outer buildings from the gate. We are planning another trip back in the late spring

James Madison lived at Montpelier his entire life. This is a really interesting historic home that…read morelater belonged to the DuPont family, who eventually donated funds to turn it back into a historic site as Madison's home. That renovation/restoration took a long time, and it's now a lovely place to visit and learn about our 4th President and his wife Dolley Madison. In addition to the house, which acknowledges its part in running a plantation through the work of enslaved people, it has exhibits about slavery at Montpelier and archeological finds. The property also has lovely grounds with a beautiful garden that's filled with many colorful flowers in the spring. The visitor center offers a movie, and the house docents offer hour-long tours on the half hour. They also have picnic tables under shady trees to enjoy lunch. The views from Montpelier are breathtaking. They charge a fee to visit the house and grounds. If you only want to visit the grounds, the fee is lower.

This is a great place to visit if you are interested in America's founding, American style of…read moredemocracy, or to celebrate the upcoming Sestercentennial of the United States. (Having experienced the bicentennial as a kid on a summer-long vacation, I am looking forward to it.) The guided tour of the house is well done. The out-buildings and grounds are self-guided. There are many and spread out, and the whole property is on a gentle slope. Could be an issue if it is a hot and humid day. Be sure to visit the garden! Think twice about buying the Looking Through the Landscape book for $10.00. I thought it would be something I could put on my bookshelf but no. Hardly a pamphlet, it contains QR code links to YouTube videos they created. It was snuck in during the checkout process and frankly left me feeling duped. I chalked it up as a donation.

Not safe for walking. Poorly maintained trails, no sidewalks by road, cars speeding around turns.read more

took the Bernard's Cabin trail. nice reasonably flat 1-1.5 mile (depending on which turns you…read moretake) trail through the woods. very relaxing, and even someone with some mobility issues (I need an ankle rebuilt) can make it without too much trouble.

Great historical marker, in its actual setting!…read more Come debate and talk about US history! Great - and accurate in its place at the intersection of William Street - historical resource for all ages, all races, all creeds, all walks of life, all genders, all peoples! An absolute must to understand America in its 'en plein air' scenery. This is where the town of Fredericksburg sold pigs, wheat, rice, white indentured servants and shoes. Since almost all of Fredericksburg was blasted to rubble in the Civil War, this one monument still stands the test of time: not in a dustbin museum showcase, where nobody cares that an item wastes away, but in real life! Erasing history, spells ruin for future posterity. Walk with people who make America, America!! We are our Past. The Rebel review: 5 stars

Sadly another important piece of history not around anymore. Removing historical monuments doesn't…read moretake from our history.would love to know where it went?!

I had never been here before and didn't realize how close it was to Stratford Hall. It is free to…read moreenjoy on the outside grounds. It was very easy to find close to Colonial Beach VA in the same area where other famous people were born. Its close to George Wasington Birthplace also. The Visitors Center and actual House now museum was closed due to Covid-19 but the Grounds and park was open. There is plenty of signs and its a very very nice park to check out when visiting the area. Great to learn history with the kids and walk around the hiking trails!! Beautiful area! Highly recommend and impressed!

I recently spent a whole week in Virginia (with my girlfriend who puts up with me), driving and…read morevisiting all sorts of presidential history locations. I wasn't sure what to expect here, but am pleasantly surprised to see the Monroe Foundation building a replica home. It looks like they are trying to make this more than a roadside attraction/sign. For now, though, it's just a simple roadside attraction. Not disappointed, but not overwhelmed, by any stretch of the imagination. The small museum is only open on the weekends, so we missed that, disappointing. I was also particularly disappointed with the state of what I'm calling "the walk through history" on the site. This is the long straightaway (I posted a photo), and it is a walk featuring periodic (granite?) markers. These markers highlight the different major events throughout Monroe's life... This walk could be more well manicured. NONE of the QR codes worked; nothing popped up when scanned with our phones. Disappointing. Overall, I'm happy to see there is work being done here to preserve and improve the location. It's worth a quick stop.

While looking for the Pyramid, keep going to almost the very end of Lee Drive and you'll see the…read morePyramid past the railroad tracks in the distance to your left. And since you're visiting the Pyramid, take your time going down Lee Drive. Many Confederate fighting positions are still visible, including an artillery site and trench works. I found this to be more interesting than the Pyramid itself. While you can see the Pyramid from the road you can't get close to it, since it's on the other side of an active Amtrak line. About the battle: While the Union's river crossing on Day 1 and heroic attack on the Sunken Road at Marye's Heights on Day 3 get plenty of attention, Day 2 is often overlooked. In fact Meade's attack against the southern Confederate flank on Day 2 almost broke through their lines, but failed mostly because of poor communication between Union commanders. The "pyramid" stands near the point of the Union's greatest penetration. The "Slaughter Pen" (which has its own Yelp entry) is on the opposite side of the wood line. Unfortunately the Confederate and Union positions are separated by the railroad, so you can't walk the entire length of the battlefield. Funny thing about the Pyramid - it was actually built by southerners. The idea for a monument was pitched by the Confederate Memorial Literary Society to Virginia railroad execs who sought to memorialize the battle in a location visible to train travelers. The pyramid shape is based on the monument to the Unknown Confederate dead in Richmond.

A very cool hidden gem in Fredericksburg - there is a path that you can walk down but I don't think…read moreyou're supposed to. There is a train track in between the path and the pyramid. You can pull off of the road and take pictures with a zoomed lens. It was a bit challenging to find - my Apple Maps took me to the wrong place (completely different battlefield!) but android seemed to have it down just fine. Just make sure you're going to the location near Lee Dr!