Stafford County has a rich Civil War history including a naval battle, cavalry skirmishes, and Union encampments. It took more than 60 years for Staffords population and economy to again reach its pre-war levels. My favorite things about Stafford Civil War Park: A few things to know before you visit (What I wished Id known before-hand). I previously retired from the U.S. Navy and I am an avid motorcyclist. By that time, most of the Confederates had been pushed back from their positions. I asked 'who do I pay'? The Marine Corps Base at Quantico and the National Museum of the Marine Corps are each under 20 minutes from our hotel. More than 135,000 soldiers occupied Stafford County while their new commander, General Joseph Hooker rebuilt his army. National Register of Historic Places. It is now a county park and accessible from US Route 1 about 0.5 miles south of I-95 Exit 143 via Coal Landing Road. Mr. Newton was very helpful in telling us where the 1st corps camped, drew us maps and was a wealth of information. DP Newton, photographed at his White Oak Civil War Museum in Stafford, Va. on Oct. 10, 2018. The best civil war collection I have ever seen! Admission for adults, $4. Explore Collection Stone footings from the bridge remain, and there is a good trail to the west. Newton heads out for a morning of crabbing on Potomac Creek as dawn peeks over the horizon. Critical to winter survival as the staple was salted fish provided by what was once one of the largest privately owned commercial fisheries on the east coast of the United States. The owner is a nice man who will gladly speak to you. (Musselman, 78-79). With chalk at the ready, todays students take their own hands-on trip back in time as they draw and write on the item that was a staple of every classroom. Website. person will not be tolerated. Keep it Clean. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud. On entering three men were sitting & talking. A walk through the camp at the museum gives a glimpse of soldiers lives in the early 1860s, with the re-enactors in period uniforms cooking over a campfire with rifles by their side. A historic center as well, its communal silver was forced to be buried during three wars (Revolutionary, 1812 and Civil). Like what state? Low 48F. It's practically in the backyardwell, one county over, and it took me over a year to get out to the Stafford Civil War Park in Stafford County, Virginia. By the end of the day on June 1, 1861, the Union commander,James Harmon Ward, disengaged. Newton. Camp Floyd / Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum 18035 West 1540 North Fairfield, UT 84013 (801) 768-8932. By April 18, 1862, Union troops had arrived at Falmouth, across the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg. Other significant Civil War sites includeChatham ManorandFerry Farm. Let us know what's going on! Book direct at the Quality Inn & Suites Quantico hotel in Stafford, VA near FBI Academy and Historic Fredericksburg. This historic workmans cottage dates back to around 1770. The world really has lost an absolutely wonderful role model for people, how to live and how to treat people.. In addition, woodlands were lost as the trees were cut down for firewood and huts. The park is near Stafford, Quantico and Aquia areas and is a definite stop whenever you are in the area. Today you can visit Aquia Landing as well as the ruins of the old Potomac Creek Bridge. Located on Aquia Creek, the quarries provided the sandstone for the White House and the original (now center section of the) U.S. Capitol, in addition to a large number of historic buildings and bridges throughout the Chesapeake region. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. racist or sexually-oriented language. At the parks five stops, you can see the ruins of one of the Union Armys winter camps as well as the remains of three Union batteries, as well as those of a corduroy road and an old sandstone quarry, along with the ruins of a bridge dating to about 1837. "Exclusively German" regiments that camped in the vicinity were the 82nd Illinois; 29th, 41st, 45th, 54th, 58th and 68th Southern Stafford's rural enclave is home to the White Oak Civil War Museum--an overwhelming labor of love built by native son D.P. The Civil War Park was among those sites identified by Newton and Trimmer, where visitors can now view the well preserved, original earthworks created by Union soldiers to protect their supply lines. There great to talk to. Falmouth Waterfront Park is located off of River Road in Falmouth and is open March through Labor Day. Melchers and Palmer To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. Click here to see Stafford Attractions . Our newest exhibit is all about Modern Stafford. Stafford Farmers Market Cooperative According to Marvin Hamrick, coordinator for the 30th Virginia Infantry, these events are to educate the public through immersion, while allowing the re-enactors to have a little fun. Afternoon Activity: We will visit the White Oak Civil War Museum at 985 White Oak . Newton, right, curator and owner of the White Oak Civil War Museum, allows visitors to get a hands-on experience of Stafford County's Civil War history. Stop #2 was one of my favorites and is the first of three preserved artillery positions on the steep hills. The majority of sites in the Park are linked to the Union Army of the Potomac's 11th Corps' 1st and 3rd Divisions. Newton, curator of the White Oak Civil War Museum, dies. D.P. I highly recommend it! Box Plate Recovered At Stafford, Virginia Certified SOLD Why can I read the whole article and not know where this is? Captain John Smith visited the location in 1608 and it was subsequently used as a Virginia outpost (1609-c. 1620) and tobacco storage site. Click here. This two-story frame building constructed in about 1780 in Falmouth was used as a warehouse, a Masonic lodge and a private residence before becoming the present commercial office building. Stafford is bordered to the east by the Potomac River and to the south by the Rappahannock River, for a combined total of 51 miles of shoreline. Driven by on 95 many times. Such schools were open to plantation owners sons. the White House and U.S. Capitol. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday. 16 Pins 6y S Collection by Tour Stafford VA Similar ideas popular now Winter Camping Fredericksburg Museum Exhibition White Oak War Places Lugares We knew there would be a good turnout, but it turned out better than what we ever imagined, said Jett. When his dad was living, they would go metal detecting before and after school just about every day, said former Stafford County Sheriff Charles Jett. 11/24/2009. The main house, gardens, outbuildings, workshop and gallery of his work are included in this estate overlooking the historic port town of Falmouth. 540-658-5019. . Spectators at the event got to hold the guns and try on the clothes. Please subscribe to keep reading. Civil War USN Proof Inspected Sharps & Hankins Serial #8380 Mfg Dated Ca. They could easily imagine the life of a solider after walking through it. The connector trails are not marked on this map, but it will be helpful to match with the trail directions this way to Battery 3., There is a nice covered area at Stop 3 that would be enjoyable for a picnic or an afternoon of reading. It is unique and somewhat upscale in that it contains a chimney with six fireplaces in the center of the structure, rather than on the ends. It's a small museum, but it's really a amazing place!! 5406584864. A wonderful treasure to be sure. more, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Fredericksburg Battlefield and Visitor Center, Fredericksburg Visitor Center - Visit Fredericksburg. Arts and Entertainment, Museum . We always visit a few times a year. Over 12,000 self-emancipated former slaves traveled through Threats of harming another by 400 Mount Hope Church Road, Stafford, VA 22554. Dinosaurs roamed Stafford 110 lived in Stafford. Book direct at the Quality Inn & Suites Quantico hotel in Stafford, VA near FBI Academy and Historic Fredericksburg. Va. and see for myself. Five days later, Virginia seceded from the Union. In addition to Newtons work at the museum, he was also a driving force behind Staffords Civil War Park. Posted on February 12, 2021. No high end museum can provide what the White Oak Civil War Museum offers- Yes the Civil War was a war so you will find many bullets and cannon balls, in addition to many other things. Thanks to a wonderful book by James Buck about the 23rd taken from a diary of a Quaker fellow who was there too, I decided to drive down from No. The Stafford Civil War Park commemorates 1863 winter encampments of the 11th Corps of the Union Army, following the 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg. A National Historic Landmark, this 18th century estate was the 20th century home of artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The re-enactors want to reach a particular audience: familes, said Cox. 206, Stafford, VA 22554. Grounds are kept well mowed with enough parking at all stops. Many units camped in Stafford county during the winter of 1862-63. Hyatt Place Fredericksburg at Mary Washington, Courtyard by Marriott Fredericksburg Historic District, View all hotels near White Oak Civil War Museum on Tripadvisor, View all restaurants near White Oak Civil War Museum on Tripadvisor, Hotels near Gari Melchers Home and Studio, Hotels near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), Hotels near Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport (BWI), Motels near Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport (BWI), Motels near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), Hotels near University of Mary Washington, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Falmouth, Gari Melchers Home and Studio: Tickets & Tours, Oxford: Official CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien Walking Tour, Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon and Cotswolds Tour from London, Jack the Ripper tour. Explore an interactive map of historical spots in Stafford! Look at the condition these soldiers lived and fought under. Newton, along with fellow relic hunter Glen Trimmer, worked to help preserve areas of the county that were being lost to development. Germans in the Civil War: The Letters They Wrote Home, edited by Walter D. Kamphoefner and Wolfgang Helbich, translated by Susan Carter Vogel. Civil War Curriculum: Inquiry Civil War Curriculum: Inquiry; Civil War Curriculum: Inquiry; Middle School; High School; Newsletter Signup Sign up now; National Teacher Institute July 13 - 16, 2023 Learn More; During this occupation, on May 31, 1861, there was the first engagement of the Civil War between the shore batteries of the Confederacy and the U.S. Navy in the Potomac River at Aquia Landing. From May 29 to June 1, 1861, there were a series of skirmishes at Aquia Landing between Union gunboats and the Confederate defenses. Excellent Collection - Knowledgeable Staff! GET MORE LOCAL NEWS. The liberty and rights of the people would be secured by common values. It's full of Civil War history and artifacts, and Mr. Newton is really nice and helpful to answer all my questions. All locally discovered, this place is a treasure! Except for its remaining brick narthex, this place of worship was destroyed by a heavy rain storm in 1950. Maybe in August! Homes became hospitals or headquarters. The Utah Citizens' Alarm is only a month old, and yet it already boasts 15,000-plus members.. Newton was also instrumental in the establishment of the Stafford Civil War Park, which preserves part of the winter encampment site of the Union Eleventh Corps . Civil War Relics Original OUTSTANDING Civil War Excavated Relic U.S. A History of Our Own: Stafford County, Virginia, by Albert Z Conner, Jr. John Washingtons Civil War: A Slave Narrative, by John Washington. The landing served as a key transportation point during the Colonial-, Federal- and Antebellum-periods. Looking at patterns in the ground depressions or a few rocks piled together might be the starting clues that some Civil War soldiers camped here once upon a time. It is located in the Gordonsville Historic District . Although there were camps throughout the county, the remains of one winter camp can be seen at the newly openedStafford Civil War Park. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday. Nearby in a camp in February 1863, Captain Robert Gould Shaw, 2nd Massachusetts Infantry, was offered command of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, composed of African American soldiers and made famous in the film, Glory.. This historic port town was created in the same 1727/8 charter as Fredericksburg to be convenient to the inhabitants of the north side of the Rappahannock River, for transporting their commodities. A prosperous industrial and commercial village by the Civil War, it was first occupied by the Union Army in April 1862. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Stafford, Virginia 22555 Stafford on the Trail to Freedom.. Very impressive collection, also show you the troops lived in huts during the war. The people that where running it at the time i was there was very knowledgeable on all artifacts. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. He carefully mapped out every Union camp in Stafford, as well as a few Confederate ones, and made sure people knew what happened in Stafford during that war, said Milde. Hartwood Presbyterian Church and Berea Church are still active churches. Mr Newton is kind and unassuming and willing to gently talk to you about his life venture of collecting these treasures. Located beside US Route 1 about one mile north of I-95 Exit 143, the Aquia Crucifix is open for everyone. Although a bit embarrassed about that, I don't regret the opportunity to learn and use the . John Washington had been working at the Shakespeare Hotel when word arrived of the Union army camping in Falmouth. At the White Oak Civil War. Anyone interested in the Civil War history of Stafford County should visit theWhite Oak Civil War Museum. Newton, a lifelong Stafford resident, founded the White Oak Civil War Museum in 1998. . Resources are: Virginia Museum of Natural History and Culture Draper Manuscript Collection Fredericksburg.com City? Piles of bullets are displayed along with some the rifles and pistols used by soldiers of both sides. 218, Falmouth, VA 22405-3617 Full view Best nearby Restaurants 6 within 3 miles Mione's Pizza & Subs 1 It is too bad that it doesn't get more visitors. One year ago, Newton was featured in The Free LanceStars Discover magazine as a Difference Makersomeone who not only inspires local citizens, but contributes significantly to the community. Soldiers built fortifications, bombproof, and winter huts to live in. This small, red brick building is Stafford countys oldest existing municipal building. In a matter of seconds, Newton could put his finger on a map and tell you exactly where 70,000 Union troops stood in review near the corner of Deacon and Leeland roads during President Abraham Lincolns visit to Stafford on April 8, 1863. The plan was for General Fitz Lee to lead troops from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Virginia Cavalry regiments to go behind Union lines. Suzanne Carr Rossi/The Free Lance-Star DP Newton, photographed at his White Oak Civil War Museum in. White Oak Museum is located in Stafford County. Patawomeck Museum & Cultural Center. Start of the Civil War in Stafford Before you read this section, please read the Antebellum Exhibit to see what Stafford was like leading up to the Civil War. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Ferry Farm, George Washingtons boyhood home, was a staging area for the Union army during the Battle of Fredericksburg. You can cancel at any time. Beautifully and professionally showcased items representing civil war soldiers and their lives. There was a problem saving your notification. Guns, bullets, buttons, bones, rails, bayonets, fence posts, the list goes on and on. At the end of the conflict, Stafford suffered both financial and population losses. They constructed huts out of wood and canvas and built batteries to protect the camp and the creek from possible Confederate attacks. Out comes a little bit of Staffords history along with a picture and an address. On the Union side, there were no deaths but one injury. Most of the men who fought, Cox said, volunteered or were mustered. Post Office Box 3161 Amazing. Stafford youths, George Washington and George Mason, You have permission to edit this article. Sign up for free e-mail alerts. They dismantled the camp before they left, leaving only the cemetery and commissary building. (Musselman, 84) Even national park officials said this museum is one of the best examples of Civil War history that there is, said Jett. or anything. The park includes historic markers, picnic tables, interpretive signs, and walking trails for a day of history and fun. Learn more about Staffords Civil War sites and county history by reviewing these resources. This place is the "Honey Hole" of civil war relics. as we create our Stafford Museum. Stafford Civil War Park 400 Mount Hope Church Road, Stafford, Virginia 22554 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMF649l9tNI This historic site, situated on 41 acres, allows visitors to tour eight stops that hosted the Union Army's 11th Corp, 1st and 3rd Divisions, following the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg. There are tents set up outside to see real time conditions. . Virtual Tour. The old line between Brooke and Aquia became present-day route 608 (Brooke Road.) In addition to being aVirginia Civil War Trailssite, the park is also anUnderground Railroad Network to Freedomsite. Improve this listing All photos (6) The area 985 White Oak Rd Rt. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from March through December. D.P. Landmarks and Outdoors, Park . You can help us add to our museum collection. Headquarters of Fredericksburg Spotsylvania National Military Park, this Georgian-style mansion in the only private home in America to have hosted George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, as well as a large number of other historic figures. The museum interprets the Civil War in Stafford County and its effects on the citizens and the land. President Abraham Lincoln described Haupts bridge as nothingbut beanpoles and cornstalks. RF&P rail lines, as well as facilities at Aquia Landing, were destroyed and rebuilt several times over the course of the war. Accessible and enjoyable by car or on foot. There are so many positives, I can't say it all. 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