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.

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.

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!

The ruins are located on the grounds of the Barboursville Vineyard…read more They are all that remain of the grand brick mansion of James Barbour -- a Virginia governor, U.S. senator, Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams, and close friend of Thomas Jefferson. Built in 1822, the original house was designed by Thomas Jefferson in his neoclassical style, complete with a distinctive octagonal drawing room (note connection to the naming Barboursville Winnery award winning red!) On Christmas Day, 1884, the mansion burned in a devastating fire leaving only the brick walls, columns, and chimneys standing. Instead of rebuilding, the Barbour family moved to a nearby residence, and the ruins remain as a picturesque shell. A short walk from either the tasting room or cottages, this is a must stop for history buffs interested in civil war era and Thomas Jeffereson and photographers for the weathered remains with the vineyard and blue ridge foothills in the background Parking nearby if you choose to drive. Steep uneven climb from parking

This site is part of a winery complex which has a restaurant and an inn. The site is free to enter,…read morethough it is confusing as my map tried to bring me in on a dirt road that wasn't open rather than the actual entrance which is east of the site. I eventually wormed my way around to find the one-lane bridge to the site blocked by someone who bizarrely just seemed to want to sit there, so I parked at the winery/restaurant and walked over. It's a nice walk. The ruins are interesting to look at. There's not a lot to the site and you can't go past it as it becomes private space for guests of the site. It also closes at 5:30 and signs angrily warn that being there after 5:31 is trespassing, so you can't plan on catching a sunset there or anything. But if you looked this up and your goal is to see some cool ruins, you can, within limits.

Must see and must do site on the PWC- Fauquier County line. While the site itself was closed on the…read moreday I visited, I walked the nature trail and was able to see the mill and the all the ruins on the trail. The train still runs by and the water from Broad Run make a spectacular scene. Good for families, solo hikes, or a date. Really special place and important historical site.

I was driving down the interstate and all of a sudden I see this massive structure. I knew it was…read morehistoric. I flew on by realizing it would be painful trying to get there when I was on the same side as it was on my way to Shenandoah. On my way back, I managed to figure out what this place was. It was an old 5 story stacked stone structure built in 1742 that had survived several wars and milled food through all of them. in 1998, it was victimized by arson. The roof is gone, and the building has remanence from the fire. Currently, the mill is blocked off from being accessed. According to their website, they are making updates to the road. I accessed it by the railroad that runs behind the building, but as mentioned, the fence does prevent from access. It was really neat to see and I really wish it wasn't blocked off so I could get closer. It's definitely worth a stop if you're in Broad Run and into history.

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

Great way to explore some history, Jack is amazing, if you have a chance to chat with him he is a…read morewealth of information.

Great historic find in fredricksburg! The owner was very friendly and happily shared so much…read morehistory about the surrounding battles and the history of the warehouse. He took us on a free tour of the warehouse and showing the damage from cannons. Worth a stop if you're visiting the area.

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.

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?!

My husband & I stumbled upon this park when looking for things to do in Fredericksburg. We will be…read morerelocating in the coming months & wanted to get to know the area! The park is pretty big. There are a ton of trails, picnic tables, playgrounds for the kiddos, & a stream that runs all the way through the park. It's a great spot to take family photos and to enjoy one with nature! We love taking our dogs & letting them play in the stream. We have only gone to the park during the fall/winter time, so I can only assume how busy it is in the summer. The trails are dog friendly & we always stumble upon a new trail when visiting (who wants to do the same trail over & over again? Not me!). If you bring the doggies, make sure to also pack a towel & some water. There is no dedicated water station for them. I can't recall if there are poop stations along the trails, so bring those too! I also recommend calling the park ahead of time to see if they are open. There are times after a heavy rainfall that the stream is too high to cross with a vehicle. In this case, you'll have to park on the outside of the park. Another big thing is you have to drive pass an apartment complex (kinda weird I know) in order to enter the park. Don't be alarmed though! You will definitely see the park entrance if you keep going. I give this park a 5 star because it never disappoints. There is always something to do & my fur babies love it. I will definitely be back & can't wait to check it out in the summer! If you are in the Fredericksburg area, go to Alum Spring Park & enjoy the beautiful nature views!

Great park and playground for kids. Beautiful streams and walking trails. Definite must visit in…read moreFredericksburg.