During my work assignment, I was encouraged to visit the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum at Fort…read moreGregg-Adams. Of course, my time was minimal, so it was more like doing "Speed Museum," where you take many photos and review them later. No worries. We live in a day and age when this is normal. The museum is well-established and has a lot of interesting artifacts. I didn't encounter any staff at the museum, but that was fine.

The guy that works there was very nice and welcoming. It was a great experience! This visit was a…read morepart of training. The historical representation of soldiers' lives were well represented and put together.

I came in with a homeschooling group from the base and we had a great experience. The facility was…read morevery clean and well organized. Staff was very friendly, informative, and interactive. We had a great experience and highly recommend.

Very well laid out, probably little known museum dedicated to all the women who have served in the…read moreUnited States Army. The museum is located on Fort Lee Army Post and I'm guessing that might limit access. I did see tour busses dropping visitors off at the door so there must be a way for those without a DoD ID Card to visit. Maybe the base gives out visitor passes. Can't hurt to check at the entrance gate. The museum is free and accepts donations which helps with upkeep and additions to exhibits. Very informative and covers the complete history of women in the Army. In the early days, females were not issued weapons. I image some trying to do their jobs, being in harm's way and not able to defend themselves. Good thing that changed over time. And another tidbit, when they said they needed transportation, the Army issued them bicycles. The exhibits are very well done and some give you a sense of being in that space and time. The folks that put this together did an excellent job. Self paced and if you read everything you could spend a couple of hours here. Air conditioned- thank goodness.

General Ulysses S. Grant's Headquarters are well preserved. The bathrooms are clean. Masks are…read morerequired to enter the building.

My son likes history, so one day surprised him with a trip here. I was the one that was surprised…read morewith how little was left there. On the main property was a house of nice sized that was closed a barn where they appeared to allow special events and nearby a smaller place where Grant lived and his wife visited. It sat above the James Rivera and provided nice sight lines. The boardwalk/pier was well kept and again provided a nice wide view of the James River. If you want to have a picnic surrounded by great views, this is certainly a good choice. If you're looking for a glimpse of the past, there are many other places with much more to see than this location.

What an incredible museum experience. It's solely run by Mr. Richard Stewart whose family has lived…read morethere for 12-13 generations. He's in his late 70s and I highly recommend making an appointment. If you arrive and it's closed, ask anyone you see on the island where he might be. He told us his personal stories and stories that had been told to him about living in the oldest existing free black community. The community started with a mixed population of freed and enslaved black people. His amazing stories and pieces told its complicated history and let us know what was validated and/ what was told. Mr. Stewart said people came and more often they didn't want to listen they just wanted to talk. He said that at the end of our tour and I am so darn glad we listened.

Very interesting little house museum. This one is a little off the beaten path, but it's worth it…read moreif you really love Black history. The guide was super knowledgeable and also very nice. He was an older African-American man in his 70s and I loved getting his perspective on life and talking with him about some of his experiences growing up in the area. He really took time to explain things to me and help me to understand how life was back then. The house has a fairly large collection of historical memorabilia and black history artifacts. The owner was even nice enough to take me on a tour of the island so that I could take notes. If you really love Black history and you're looking for a local history deep-dive that's off the beaten path then you'll love this place. Just be nice, be friendly, and get the guide/owner talking. I ended up coming back a second time to do a report for my college history course and learned so much. The owner was nice enough to even take me on a tour of the island so that I could take notes. Many of the buildings on the island are badly in need of repair. But if you use your imagination and look at the pictures provided, you can get an idea of what things used to be like. If you're the type of person who looks at old items laying around and says "Ewww look at all this junk"...then this place may not be for you. But if you're like me and you think to yourself "Hmmm... each one of these items has a story to tell... I wonder what it was like to live here way back then"... then this is definitely the place for you. It's not some highly curated pristine museum space where everything has a neat little plaque or label. It's more like an antique shop and artifact warehouse where the guide helps you understand the lives and times of the people who once called the island and area their home. After all, Pocahontas Island was part of the Underground Railroad and was one of the first areas in Virginia where free People of Color were permitted to live in peace. If you value the history behind that and already cherish that sense of community before you show up, you'll have no problem filling in the gaps. Just get him talking and you'll love it. NOTE: It's a good idea to call first and plan your visit in advance. The museum is family owned, so it's not staffed 24/7. But if they know you're coming, they'll be more than happy to make it worth the trip. Museum Founder - Mr. Richard Stewart Main Line: 804-861-8889 Cell: 804-426-5306 Email: info@pocahontasislandmuseum.com Here's an article on the museum with more detailed information: https://www.dailypress.com/life/dp-dt_petersburgjan12-story.html

I recently attended an event by the Virginia Opera which Battersea played host to. I was not really…read moresure what to expect from or about Battersea itself, up until now I had never heard of it. The house or "villa" was built in 1768 by Col. John Banister, the first Mayor of Petersburg. It is located on 30 acres in Petersburg it is very picturesque and beautiful, I learned that the PBS series "Mercy Street" used the land surrounding the house for filming in their second season. The Battersea Foundation purchased the property on June 14, 2011 and hosts cultural events throughout the year. If you are into architecture and history, I can tell you this may be a place you might want to visit, as there is restoration ongoing and the foundation will be partnering with the University of Virginia to use Battersea as a historic classroom, since little is known about it and its former inhabitants. If planning a visit know that there is electricity indoors, but no indoor bathroom facilities, and it's pretty tucked away off the beaten path. You might want to have an additional destination in mind in the area, or just visit here as a stop-off when passing through the I-95 Petersburg area.

A great aerial view of Battersea home, grounds and surrounding area…read more https://youtu.be/v67vRq4AW0U

Went on the Historic African American Tour of Petersburg for our class reunion. The tour was very…read moreinformative.

This is a very interesting site, and a very interesting review... Was it worth it? Yes. I think so…read more Was there anything to see? No. The earthworks are mostly gone, the site is in the middle of nowhere, you have to park on some gravel and then walk in. Once you've walked in, do you see anything? Not really. The river, through some trees. The value of this site all comes down to how well you can tell a story, and imagine what used to be here. My son learned about batteries, and earthworks from this location - even though there was little to show. But the story that was told, and the informational plaques made it very meaningful. Don't expect much, and you won't be disappointed.

Pretty cool if you're cruising around, nothing major tho…read more Pretty for those cool brick building photos.. lovely door for pics too!