what's exciting in Virginia? [Archive] - Netphoria Message Board

BlueStar

09-16-2002, 04:06 AM

Originally posted by Irrelevant:
yeah, everyone that goes to DC seems to want to try to fuck you.

Netphorians have been coming to DC and trying to fuck me??!! http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/eek.gif

Berkeley Plantation
12602 Harrison Landing Road
Charles City, VA 23030
Phone1: (804) 829-6018 Main Number
Phone2: (888) 466-6018 Toll Free
Fax: (804) 829-6757
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome

Berkeley is Virginia's most historic plantation. Visit the site of the first official Thanksgiving (1619). See the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and President William Henry Harrison, our nation's ninth president, whose grandson Benjamin became the 23rd president. Envision Lincoln reviewing 140,000 Union troops. Hear "Taps" (composed here in 1862). We invite you to experience Berkeley's famous hospitality, as did the first ten presidents. An architectual gem, the elegant 1726 Georgian mansion is furnished with rare period antiques. Five terraces of restored boxwood and flower gardens overlook farmlands and offer breathtaking vistas of the James River. Audio-visual program. Museum. Restaurant. Gift Shop. Costumed guides. 

Charlottesville Historic District
Court Square (Downtown Charlottesville)
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone1: (434) 977-1783
Phone2: (877) 386-1102
Email: [email protected]

In 1762 Charlottesville was formed and the county seat was moved from its original location near Scottesville. At the northeast corner of Charlottesville a framecourthouse was built, behind which stood a jail, pillory and whipping post. In 1803 the north wing of the present courhouse replaced the earlier building. The town's first taverns, shops and small businesses evolved around Court Square, an area frequented by Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. The Albemarle County Historical Society offers walking tours by appointment for groups of 6 or more (a fee is charged). McGuffey Art Center, Albemarle County Historical Society, Virginia Discovery Museum, Old Michie Theatre, Live Arts Theater, Charlottesville Ice Park, and unique shopping and dining on the downtown brick pedestrian mall. 

Colonial National Historical Park
1368 Colonial Parkway
Jamestown, VA 23081
Phone1: (757) 898-2410 Visitor Information
Phone2: (757) 229-1733 Visitor Information
Phone3: (757) 898-2422 Headquarters
Fax: (757) 898-6346
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Colonial National Historic Park (NHP) administers two of the most historically significant sites in English North America. Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America in 1607, is administered jointly with the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, and Yorktown Battlefield, the final major battle of the American Revolutionary War in 1781. These two sites represent the beginning and end of English colonial America. Situated on the Virginia Peninsula, these sites are connected by the 23 mile scenic Colonial Parkway. Colonial NHP also includes Green Spring, the 17th century plantation home of Virginia's colonial governor, Sir William Berkeley and the Cape Henry Memorial, which marks the approximate site of the first landing of the Jamestown colonists in April of 1607. 

Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA 23187
Phone: (800) HIS-TORY General reservation number
Email: [email protected]

Colonial Williamsburg, the nation's largest living history museum, consists of 173 acres encompassing 88 original buildings and hundreds of other homes, shops and public buildings. Colonial Williamsburg operates four indoor museums the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, Carter's Grove, the Winthrop Rockefeller Archaeology Museum and Bassett Hall. Visitors can enjoy 18th-century style dining Colonial Williamsburg's four dining taverns -- Chowning's, Christiana Campbell's, Shields and King's Arms Tavern. Guest accommodations are available in Colonial Williamsburg's Official Resort Hotels -- the world-class Williamsburg Inn, the Colonial Houses, the Williamsburg Lodge, the Williamsburg Woodlands and the Governor's Inn. For a copy of our Vacation Planner, call 800-HISTORY.

Monticello -- Home of Thomas Jefferson
931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway (Va. Route 53)
P.O. Box 316
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone1: (434) 984-9822 Information (weekdays 9 am-5 pm)
Phone2: (434) 984-9800 Recorded information
Email: [email protected]
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

No other home in the United States more accurately reflects the personality of its owner than Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's architectural masterpiece and beloved mountaintop home. Guided tours of the house are offered daily throughout the year; outdoor gardens and plantation tours are offered daily April-October. ADMISSION: Adults: $11 Children: $6 Children under 6: Free Reduced rates for adult and student groups. HOURS: March-October: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. November-February: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Closed Christmas.) LOCATION: Monticello is on Route 53 in Albemarle County, near Interstate 64 Exit 121, approximately 5 miles from downtown Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, 70 miles from Richmond, 110 miles from Williamsburg and 125 miles from Washington, D.C. 

Mount Vernon, George Washington's Estate and Gardens
South end of George Washington Memorial Parkway
PO Box 110
Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Phone1: (703) 780-2000 General Information
Phone2: (703) 780-0011 Dining Information
Phone3: (703) 780-8688 Group Admission/Tour Packages
Email: [email protected]
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

At Mount Vernon you experience history firsthand and get to know the real George Washington. Explore the mansion with its remarkably bright colors and original heirlooms and enjoy the same view of the Potomac that Washington enjoyed. Visit the Greenhouse, Slave Quarters, George Washington Museum, Archaeology and Restoration Museum, Slave Memorial, and Washington’s tomb. Enjoy the great outdoors as you tour the gardens, hike the Forest Trail, or explore the Pioneer Farmer site. The latest additions ******* a working 18th-century mill at George Washington’s Gristmill and the new Food Court Pavilion and expanded Shops at Mount Vernon. Seasonal activities ******* daily walking tours on slave life or gardening, Potomac River Cruises, Hands-on-History for children of all ages, and special events throughout the year. 

Museum and White House of the Confederacy
1201 East Clay Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: (804) 649-1861 Visitor Services Desk
Fax: (804) 644-7150
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 10:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Come face to face with history at The Museum of the Confederacy, the leading center for the study of the Confederacy in the American Civil War! A private non-profit educational & preservation organization, the Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of artifacts, manuscripts & images associated with the domestic, military & political life during the period of the Confederacy. Exhibits feature the personal effects of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and other Confederate figures of the Civil War. Take a guided tour of the White House of the Confederacy, home to Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family throughout the war. The mansion contains over half the furnishings that were here with the Davis family. Find unique Civil War items at the Museum's Haversack Store. Open Daily M-S 10-5, Sun 12-5. Free Parking.

Poe, Edgar Allan Museum
1914 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Phone1: (804) 648-5523
Phone2: (888) 21E-APOE

Richmond's only literary museum honors this great American Writer with the world's largest collection of Poe artifacts. The Museum was opened in 1922 in the Old Stone House, Richmond's oldest standing structure, only blocks away from the sites of Poe's first Richmond home and first place of employment. The Museum maintains a library and encourages students, scholars and devotees of the writer to utilize its extensive collection of books and manuscripts. 

Smithfield Plantation
1000 Smithfield Plantation Road
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Phone: (540) 231-3947

Built in 1773, Smithfield Plantation was the home of Revolutionary War patriot William Preston. The home, designed in the tidewater plantation style, provided a haven of aristocratic elegance and became the social and political center of this backcountry area. The glazed windows, Chinese Chippendale railings and an impressive mantle are a testament to Preston's effort and expense.The Prestons raised and educated their 12 children at Smithfield. Their descendents continued the family tradition of nation building with three Virginia governors, four senators, legislators, educators and military leaders.Today Smithfield's simple exterior belies the grandeur and turmoil of its past. Costumed interpreters share the culture and the lives of the early Prestons including Col. Preston's wife Susanna, after whom the house was named. 

Stonewall Jackson House
8 East Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
Phone: (540) 463-2552
Fax: (540) 463-4088

Guided tours of the only home General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson ever owned interpret Jackson as a citizen of Lexington, a professor at Virginia Military Institute, a church leader at the Lexington Presbyterian Church and a family man. A five minute slide show gives an orientation of Jackson's life in Lexington. Exhibit room and museum shop.

Sully Historic Site
3601 Sully Road
Chantilly, VA 20151
Phone: (703) 437-1794
Fax: (703) 787-3314
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 11:00:00 AM
Closes: 4:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Sully was the home of Richard Bland Lee, uncle of Robert E. Lee, and northern Virginia's first representative to congress. He lived here with his wife, Elizabeth Collins Lee, from 1794-1811. During the Lee residency, the farm was supported by enslaved African Americans who were field laborers, domestics and skilled artisans. The home is furnished with Federal period antiques and combines Georgian and Federal architechtural styles. It was restored by Fairfax County Park Authority in 1976. In addition, the site includes the original eighteenth century kitchen-laundry, smokehouse and stone dairy. A representative slave quarter stands southeast of the main house. Representative flower and kitchen gardens complement the site, and the cemetery contains the remains of the Mr. and Mrs. Lee. 

Arlington House/ R. E. Lee Memorial
Arlington Ce****ry
Arlington, VA 22211
Phone: (703) 557-0613
Opens: 9:30:00 AM
Closes: 4:30:00 PM
Children Welcome

Arlington House, located in Arlington National Cemetery, was home of the Confederate General in the years leading up to the Civil War. Here, in 1861, General Lee wrote the letter resigning his commission from the U.S. Army to fight for his native Virginia. Restored with furnishings from the period (many originally owned by the Lees), the House provides an intimate look at life before and after the Civil War. Expanded summer hours. Accessible as stop on Tourmobile's Arlington Cemetery tour. Built by George Washington Custis, grandson of Martha Washington by her first marriage to Daniel Park Custis. Robert E. Lee married Custis' daughter and lived in the house for 30 years. In 1861, he was accepted the position of General of the United States Army. After leaving for Richmond, he never returned to the house. 

Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA
Phone: (703) 697-5187
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome

A shrine to the thousands of women and men who have died to keep our country free. Within walking distance of the Arlington Cemetery Metro station. Expanded hours during the summer. Free; however, fee for only motorized tour - Tourmobile. The cemetery covers 612 acres. Over 200,000 veterans and their dependents buried here represent every conflict in which the United States has fought. Memorial sites ******* Tomb of the Unknowns; the gravesite of John F. and Jacqueline B. Kennedy (the eternal flame); Challenger Space Shuttle Memorial; Mast of the U.S.S. Maine ("Remember the Maine!"); Confederate Memorial; and the Coast Guard Memorial Civilians notables ******* boxing champ Joe Louis; actor Lee Marvin; WWII's most decorated soldier Audie Murphy; ABC newscaster Frank Reynolds; and 27th president William Howard Taft. 

Blandford Church
111 Rochelle Lane
Petersburg, VA 23803
Phone1: (804) 733-2396
Phone2: (800) 368-3595
Handicapped Accessible

This 18th-century parish church is a memorial to the Southern soldiers who died during the Civil War. In honor of the Confederate dead, states each contributed a stained glass window designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The weathered tombstones of Blandford Cemetery date to the early 1700s, and are surrounded by locally-made ornamental ironwork. Some 30,000 Confederate soldiers are buried here where the first Memorial Day was observed in June, 1866. Tours of cemetery are offered at special times during the year. Also the cemetery is the site of a special night tour during Halloween. Call for the exact date and time. 

Cedar Creek B'field Visitors Center
P.O. Box 229
Middletown, VA 22645
Phone: (540) 869-2064

Cedar Creek Battlefield is the site of the only documented Civil War battle where both sides won and lost in the same day.Cedar Creek Living History and Reenactment Weekend is regularly scheduled in October. 

Civil War Life
4712 Southpoint Parkway
Fredericksburg, VA 22408
Phone: (540) 834-1859 Main phone line
Fax: (540) 834-1859
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 10:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Civil War Life - The Soldier's Museum tells the story of the soldiers who served on both sides of the War Between the States. This impressive collection of relics speaks of the soldier's life from enlistment and training camps to combat on all the famous battlefields of the war. The exhibits and life size dioramas provide a wonderful opportunity for adults and children alike to learn about this turbulent time. Visit the HomeFront gift shop for a fine selection of books for serious buffs and children, hand blown glass, candles, music, jewelry, home accents and other historically relevant gifts. Open daily, admission charged. Handicapped accessible.

Cold Harbor National Battlefield Park
Richmond National Battlefield Park
3215 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Phone: (804) 226-1981

Midway between two shabby crossroad taverns - Old and New Cold Harbor - the Confederates dug in on June 1-2, 1864 to await Grant's attack. It came on June 3, a frontal assault on a narrow section of the line, and it cost the Federals 7,000 casualties in 30 minutes. The well-preserved trenches along the 1.25 mile tour road are fine examples of Civil War field fortifications. A one-mile walk begins at the visitor center.

Confederate War Memorial Monument and Cemetery
Confederate Street
Scottsville, VA 24590
Phone1: (434) 286-3184 President, Scottsville UDC
Phone2: (434) 286-2112
Email: [email protected]

Erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1914, the monument is a marble obelisk with crossed sabres on each side and an inscription on the face. The inscription reads "OUR CONFEDERATE DEAD WHO DIED IN THE HOSPITALS OF SCOTTSVILLE 1861-1865" Research has now revealed the conditions in these hospitals as well as the names, units and home states of the Confederate soldiers who died in the four troop hospitals of Scottsville during the Civil War. There are forty neatly arranged markers around the monument representing these soldiers. A new monument with the names, units and home states of these soldiers was dedicated on May 25, 2002. Scottsville's Confederate War Memorial Monument is a Civil War Trails site.

Drewry's Bluff
3215 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23223
Phone: (804) 226-1981

Union soldiers called this Confederate guardian of the James River, Fort Darling. On May, 15 five Federal vessels, including the famous ironclad Monitor; attacked the fort but were driven off. The unsuccessful attack prevented Richmond from being shelled early in the war, and the presence of the fort was a deterrent to other Union naval forays up the James. The fort and surrounding area served as the Confederate Naval Academy and Marine Corps Camp of Instruction during much of the war. Exhibits along a self-guiding trail give details of the fort's history. 

Endview Plantation
362 Yorktown Road
Newport News, VA 23603
Phone: (757) 887-1862
Fax: (757) 888-3369
Admission Fee

Built in 1769 by Colonel William Harwood, Jr., signer of the Virginia Resolves, this home has experienced the ordeal of three wars. Endview was visited by Generals George Washington, Thomas Nelson, Jr. and George B. McClellan. The Revolutionary War brought 3,000 militia to its fresh water spring. The War of 1812 saw its use as a training ground, while the Civil War found Endview serving as a Confederate captain's home and a hospital for both sides. Restored to its 1862 appearance, The Civil War at Endview Plantation interprets rural Virginia life. The Civil War at Endview Plantation is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Group rates available. Closed major holidays. Located at Exit 247 from I-64, only minutes from Colonial Williamsburg and all Newport News attractions. 

Flowerdew Hundred
1617 Flowerdew Hundred Rd.
Hopewell, VA 23860
Phone1: (804) 541-8897 Main Foundation Office
Phone2: (804) 541-6974 Museum
Phone3: (804) 541-9096 Wildlife Resource Office
Fax: (804) 458-7738
Email: [email protected]
Admission Fee
Children Welcome

Flowerdew Hundred is one of the best preserved early seventeenth century English settlements discovered in America. First settled in 1619 by Sir George Yeardley, Flowerdew evolved into one of the most successful settlements in early Virginia. Throughout the 17th, 18th, & 19th century, Flowerdew witnessed the continued expansion of Virginia, and played an integral part in many of Virginia's most important episodes. While visiting Flowerdew Hundred visitors can enjoy both the historic and natural resources of the 1400 acre working farm. Tours include: Museum, 1820 detached kitchen, Commemorative Windmill, Grant's Crossing and driving tour, and Walk on the Wildside!. Educational programs are available for school age children, and are based on Virginia's Standards of Learning. Join us for a day in the country that lasts 400 years. 

Fort Monroe
CM 20 Bernard Road
P.O. Box 51341
Fort Monroe, VA 23651
Phone1: (757) 727-3391 Museum Front Office
Phone2: (757) 727-3887 Museum Gift Shop
Fax: (757) 727-3886
Email: [email protected]

Completed in 1834 and named in honor of President James Monroe, Fort Monroe is recognized as the largest stone fort ever built in the United States. Nicknamed "Freedom's Fortress," this Union-held fortification provided a safe haven for hundreds of runaway slaves during the Civil War. It was also the site where the Army of the Potomac landed before beginning the march toward Richmond during the Peninsula Campaign. Today, the installation is the headquarters of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Fort Monroe's history is interpreted for visitors in its Casemate Museum. Walking tours of the fort are available during the summer months. (See Fort Monroe-Casemate Museum and Chamberlin Hotel listings.) 

Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania Military Park
120 Chatham Lane
Fredericksburg, VA 22405

Portions of major Civil War battlefields-Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and several other smaller historic sites-comprise the park. The battles occurred during 1862, 1863 and 1864. Picnic areas and trails are on site. 

Grand Caverns
P. O. Box 478
5 Grand Caverns Drive
Grottoes, VA 24441
Phone1: (540) 249-5729 Authority Main Number
Phone2: (540) 249-5705 Grand Caverns Park Number
Phone3: (540) 350-2510 Natural Chimneys Park Number
Fax: (540) 249-3108
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome

Incredibly, the scenic grandeur of the Shenandoah Valley is matched - even surpassed - below the surface of the earth. Grand Caverns, one of the most spectacular Virginia caverns, has offered the public a breathtaking panorama of subterranean beauty since 1806.Grand Caverns is a stately and powerful example of Nature's handiwork. Gigantic stalactites point down from above. Equally imposing stalagmites thrust upward from the caverns floor. Cathedral Hall, 280 feet long and over 70 feet high, is one of the largest rooms of any cavern in the East.Massive columns, beautiful draperies, rippling flowstone, and rare "shield" formations create a variety of fascinating sights. The famous Bridal Veil, Stonewall Jackson's Horse and a peek into Dante's Inferno provide memories too good to miss. 

Kernstown Battlefield
610 Battle Park Drive
P.O. Box 1327
Winchester, VA 22604
Phone: (540) 662-1824
Email: [email protected]

In this community of about 1000 people, pre-Civil War structures such as Benner's Tavern, the Pritchard House and the Opequon Presbyterian Church cemetery mark a landscape little changed since the Civil War. The ce****ry includes the earliest marked gravesite in the Shenandoah Valley-1742. Today's church is the 3rd on the site and the oldest Presbyterian congregation west of the Blue Ridge. The Grim Farm, lying between Kernstown and Sandy Ridge, is in the heart of the battlefields. The Battle of First Kernstown in March 1862, was the opening engagement of Jackson's Valley campaign, and the famed commander's only loss. In June 1864, the Second Battle of Kernstown turned out to be the last Confederate victory in the Shenandoah Valley. The park has open visitor access from April through October, with self-guided tours and a visitor center. 

Manassas National Battlefield Park
6511 Sudley Road
(Route 234)
Manassas, VA 22110
Phone: (703) 361-1339
Children Welcome

Site of the first major battlefield (also known as the Battle of Bull Run)of the Civil War--and the equally important Second Battle of Manassas (which convinced General Lee to invade the Union's own home ground)--the Park is a "must see" for anyone who truly wishes to gain a sense for the Civil War. The Park's visitor center offers fascinating electronic battle maps, displays of equipment and battle memorabilia, and regular "interpretative" presentations of the battlefield's history by U.S. Park Service professionals.Follow this with a walking or driving tour of the battlefield. See the statue honoring the stand of General "Stonewall" Jackson and his Virginians, visit the blood-soaked grounds of the "stone house", and listen for echos of the rebel yell first voiced below the "Hellfire Line" that marked the cannon batteries above a stream. 

Mt. Zion Church
Box 15
Leesburg, VA 20178
Phone: (703) 777-0343

1851 church used by the Confederates as a meeting place for John Singleton Mosby's querilla fighters & the Union's hospital. Annual reenactment of a 1863 Southern victory between Mosby and Forbes. The area is undergoing restoration. 

Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park
Twin Lakes State Park
788 Twin Lakes Road
Green Bay, VA 23942
Phone: (434) 392-3435
Email: [email protected]

Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historic State Park was the site of Virginia's last major Civil War battle. Here General Robert E. Lee lost more than half his army, forcing him to surrender at Appomattox 72 hours later. Sailor's Creek Battlefield is a great place to stop for lunch as it lies approximately midway between Petersburg and Appomattox Court House. Charcoal grills and picnic tables are available at the Overton-Hillsman House and the nearby Confederate overlook. No water is available. The Overton-Hillsman House, used as a field hospital during the battle, is open to visitors June through August and by request at other times. Contact nearby Twin Lakes State Park to arrange a special tour. Period costumed interpreters commemorate the event and conduct other living history events throughout the year. 

Siege Museum
15 W. Bank Street
Petersburg, VA 23803
Phone1: (804) 733-2404
Phone2: (800) 368-3595

The Siege of Petersburg greatly affected the lives of its residents. Lavish lifestyles in the years just prior to the Civil War gave way to a bitter struggle for survival. The men were gone---some never to return---and food was in short supply. Corn became "coffee" and blackberry leaves "tea." A chicken cost $50. The story of how the people of Petersburg lived before, during and immediately after the Civil War is eloquently told in the Siege Museum, located in the Exchange Building, built in 1839 as a commodities market. A 20 minute film, narrated by Joseph Cotten, is shown every half hour. Joseph Cotten was a native of Petersburg and a famous Film star. The film tell of the significants of Petersburg prior to the Civil War and captures beautifully the historic importants of Petersburg during the Civil War. Walking tours 

Staunton River Battlefield State Park
1021 Fort Hill Trail
Randolph, VA 23962
Phone: (434) 454-4312

Relive the Civil War Battle of the Old Men and Young Boys at this Civil War historic site of the Battle of Staunton River Bridge of June 25, 1864 in South Boston/Halifax County. A rag tag group of Confederate old men and boys beat the odds and held a bridge of strategic importance to General Lee's army, which was under seige in Petersburg.The park is a result of a unique partnership between Virginia State Parks and The Clover Power Plant and features a 3,800 square-foot visitor center, battlefield exhibits, earthworks, nature walking trails, wildlife observation towers, and prehistoric native American artifacts. 

Underground Railroad House
213 Witton Street
Petersburg, VA 23803

Local legend of this African-American site has it that this house built ca. 1825-1850, was a part of the antebellum Underground Railroad by which slaves escaped to freedom in the North. The "Keziah Affair" in 1858, in which a Delaware schooner was caught smuggling five slaves out of Petrsburg, is another example of the active Undergound Railroad in Petersburg. 

UVA Rotunda and Central Grounds
University of Virginia
University Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Phone: (434) 924-7969

Designed and built by Thomas Jefferson, his "academical village" is the focal point of the University grounds. Three of Jefferson's interests come together in the University of Virginia: his vision as an educator, his talent as an architect, and his skill as a gardener. The Lawn is formed by two parallel rows of five houses, the Pavilions, connected by low colonnaded walkways and student rooms. The colonnades are joined on the north by the Rotunda, the last building designed by Thomas Jefferson. Conducted tours of the Rotunda are offered daily at 10:00 and 11:00 a.m.; 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Closed during Christmas break. Come take a walk through Mr. Jefferson's "academical village". 

Virginia War Museum
Virginia War Museum
9285 Warwick Boulevard
Newport News, VA 23607
Phone1: (757) 247-8523
Phone2: (757) 928-6738
Fax: (757) 247-8627
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

American military history unfolds at the Virginia War Museum. American military history from 1775 to the present is highlighted through weapons, vehicles, uniforms, insignia and much more. See a section of the Berlin Wall and a portion of the outer wall from Dachau Concentration Camp. Galleries ******* Women at War and Marches Toward Freedom, exploring the roles of women and African-Americans in the military, and Visions of War, the Museum's outstanding propaganda poster collection. Operating hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed major holidays. Gift shop. Located at Exit 263A from I-64, only minutes from Colonial Williamsburg and all Newport News attractions.

Woodrow Wilson Birthplace & Museum
18-24 North Coalter St.
Staunton, VA 24401
Phone: (540) 885-0897
Email: [email protected]
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Experience the eve of the Civil War to the dawn of modern America at one of the few presidential birthplaces open to the public—the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace and Museum. Located in historic Staunton, the Birthplace and its Victorian gardens are open daily 9 to 5 March through October; 10 to 4 Monday though Saturday, noon to 4 Sunday, November through February. Check the Calendar of Events for special programs. Group tours, Student tours and programs. Call 1-888-4WOODRO for more information. Internet: www.woodrowwilson.org (http://www.woodrowwilson.org) E-mail: [email protected] 

Ash Lawn-Highland
1000 James Monroe Parkway
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: (434) 293-9539
Fax: (434) 293-8000
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 6:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

In 1799, James Monroe and his family moved into their Albemarle "cabin castle," adjacent to Jefferson's Monticello. Jefferson had previously urged Monroe to move to the area to create a "society to our taste". Today, visitors can tour the fifth president's home, which was recently refurbished based on new research and inventory lists. Original and period French and American furniture, boxwood gardens, and a 535-acre working farm await visitors. Reconstructed using archaeology and a 1908 photograph, the slave quarters stands along side two original outbuildings. Children especially enjoy the resident cows, sheep, chickens, and peacocks that complete the working farm atmosphere. Throughout the year there are many special events such as Kite Day, the Summer Music Festival, the Plantation Days Weekends, and Christmas festivities. 

Historic Jamestown
Colonial National Historical Park
P.O. Box 210
Yorktown, VA 23690
Phone1: (757) 229-1733
Phone2: (757) 898-2410
Fax: (757) 229-4273
Email: [email protected]
Opens: 8:30:00 AM
Closes: 4:30:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Jamestown was founded in 1607 and became the first permanent English settlement in the New World. At the National Park Service Visitor Center see the 15 minute film, "Jamestown " and browse the museum of 17th-century objects. Join a Park Ranger for a tour of the original site and observe as archeologists uncover remains of the first fort. Watch as costumed craftsmen demonstrate the 17th-century art of glassblowing. Drive the 3 and 5-mile loop tours that wind through the marshes and woodlands of the island. 

Jamestown Settlement
State Route 31 & Colonial Parkway
P.O. Box 1607
Williamsburg, VA 23187
Phone1: (757) 253-4838
Phone2: (888) 593-4682 Toll-Free
Phone3: (757) 253-7236 TDD
Fax: (757) 253-5299
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome
Handicapped Accessible

Explore the world of America's first permanent English colonists and their Powhatan Indian neighbors. The early 1600s is brought to life through a blend of gallery exhibits and outdoor living history. Tour exhibition galleries featuring rare 1600s artifacts and a dramatic documentary film. Explore "yehakins," or houses, of a re-created Powhatan Indian village to learn how Virginia's coastal inhabitants lived. Board a re-creation of one of the three ships -- Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery --that sailed to Virginia in 1607, to experience the close quarters endured by passengers during the 144-day voyage across the Atlantic. Discover the early years of the English colony in a palisaded colonial fort by trying on armor or exploring the storehouse to discover how food and supplies were rationed.

Montpelier
11407 Constitution Highway
PO Box 67
Montpelier Station, VA 22957
Phone1: (540) 672-2728 General information
Phone2: (540) 672-0004 Museum Shop
Phone3: (540) 672-0027 Montpelier Hunt Races
Fax: (540) 672-0411
Email: [email protected]
Admission Fee

Visitors from around the world once traveled to Montpelier to pay homage to James Madison, "Father of the Constitution" & fourth President, & to enjoy the legendary hospitality of his beloved wife Dolley, whose graciousness & style inspired the term "First Lady". Madison described Montpelier, his lifelong home, as "a squirrel's jump from Heaven". Visitors today may take an unhurried tour of his historic home (new exhibits, including the Madisons' dining room, opened in 2001); visit active archaeological excavations; explore a 200-acre old-growth forest (with 2 miles of hiking trails), the landscape arboretum, beautiful restored formal gardens, & the Madison family & slave cemeteries; or enjoy the breathtaking vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains that abound in this 2,700-acre estate. Located four miles SW of Orange. Museum shop.

Museum of American Presidents
130 North Massanutten Street
PO Box 31
Strasburg, VA 22657
Phone: (540) 465-5884
Fax: (540) 465-8175
Email: [email protected]
Children Welcome

Did you know that four of the first five presidents, eight in all, were Virginians, born and raised to reflect the values of the Old Dominion? For these and several more presidents, the Shenandoah Valley provided respite, formative experiences and inspiration. Mementos of the Story of America as written by the Presidents, and inspired by Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley are on display. Be part of a learning experience at the Museum of American Presidents. Children have their own speical room for games, puzzles, and costumes. I-81, Exit 298, 2 miles on Rt. 11 south, next to the Strasburg Emporium. 

Red Hill - Patrick Henry National Memorial
1250 Red Hill Rd.
Brookneal, VA 24528
Phone: (434) 376-2044
Opens: 9:00:00 AM
Closes: 5:00:00 PM
Admission Fee
Children Welcome

Patrick Henry lived in several homes, including the elegant Governor's Palace in Williamsburg, but he best loved this plantation on the Staunton River which he referred to as "one of the garden spots of the world." The great patriot, orator, and Virginia's first elected governor moved to Red Hill, his last home and burial place, in 1794 at the age of 57. The house is authentically reconstructed on the original foundation; dependencies have also been reconstructed. The law office is original and the museum houses the largest collection of Henry memorabilia in the world, including the famous P.H. Rothermel oil painting, "Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses." Annual events ******* the Independence Day celebration and Christmas Open House. Open daily 9-5 (9-4 Nov - March) except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days. 

Virginia is interesting if you are into colonial, civil war, or presidential history.

The best stuff is in DC.

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~*~Samantha~*~

http://homepages.nyu.edu/~sag249/sigankle.jpg