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Better Living USA South
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA, USA – Someone driving by on the interstate and surveying the terrain of Prince William County Virginia would see gentle rolling green hills dotted with shopping malls, chain restaurants, and neighborhoods of neatly kept suburban homes. In other words, nothing out of the ordinary from just about any east coast interstate view. But take the nearest exit and you’ll find yourself in one of the richest deposits of American history in the country.
Little do the travelers realize that most of those rolling hills flanking the highways once served as battlefields, and the county’s many historic structures still standing house the secrets and memories of the important events that shaped the United States of America.
Washington DC/Base Camp Manassas
The railroad was important to this area 150 years ago and it still is today. Hop on board The Virginia Railway Express at Manassas station and relax, watch the scenery roll by, read the paper, or tune into the whirlwind of diverse conversations surrounding you. In about an hour you’ll be at Washington, DC’s historic Union Station where you can walk to the National Mall and take in the most important tourism sights.
By taking the train you’ll circumvent the hassle of crowded city driving, traffic clogged expressways, and the exorbitant expense of hard to find parking spaces in the nation’s capital. You’ll also find far more economical lodgings in Prince William County than in the heart of D.C.
Halfway Point on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground
Not only does Manassas provide a great base from which to explore Washington, it’s also situated at the halfway point of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway – a stretch of land that contains the nation’s greatest concentration of American historical spots. A day trip in any direction from Prince William County (not to mention time spent in the county itself) will help you further discover the important history of early America.
This four-state, 180-mile long thoroughfare runs, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, through Prince William County, and ends at Monticello, Virginia. Along the journey there are more than 10,000 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, including nine presidents’ homes, twenty historic Main Street communities, thirteen National Parks, seventy three national historic districts, hundreds of African and Native American historical sites. Battleground buffs can explore the past with sites from the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, in addition to the largest collection of Civil War sites in the country.
Today’s travelers driving the byway needn’t stay stuck completely in the past. The roads on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground are also home to a bounty of wineries, inns, antique shops, fairs, farmers markets and much more to explore and enjoy.
The Civil War in Prince William County
No part of Prince William County remains untouched by the Civil War. With both federal and confederate troops occupying the territory, almost every field and rolling hill meeting the eye once served as a battlefield. Sometimes housing literally shares space with history.
John Jones, director of communications of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground says “it’s not uncommon to live on a battlefield in this part of the country.” In fact, Jones himself lives in a renovated old slave cabin on what was once a battlefield near James Madison’s home, Montecito.
Another example of residents sharing space with history can be found at the 133 acre Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. In order to secure building permits the for the adjacent housing subdivision, land developers agreed to preserve the park where the Battle of Kettle Run was fought in 1862 and the Battle of Bristoe Station in 1863. The property houses two federal civil war cemeteries. Confederate troops, however, were buried where they fell. Hundreds of unmarked graves litter the land, but the joggers and kids tossing Frisbees in the park aren’t bothered by it, or likely even aware of the bloody history beneath their feet.
In the first and second battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) 29,000 were killed wounded or captured on both sides. Visitors today can pay homage to those battles, or just enjoy the beautiful scenery that remains, at the Manassas Battlefield National Park. An entertaining and informative film, as well as a museum of exhibits about and artifacts from the first and second Bull Run battles, welcome you at the Henry Hill Visitors Center. Be sure to check the board daily for interpretive programs scheduled. Afterward, head outdoors to explore the historic sites on a self guided walking tour or just enjoy the bucolic views.
To get a more personal perspective on how people in this area used to live and how they dealt with the hardships of war, visit the Manassas Museum where you can trace the area’s history from the Native Americans who first lived here through modern times. In walking distance of the museum is Manassas station where you can catch the train to DC as well as interesting restaurants and shops housed in charming historic buildings.
Escape to Nature
If all the war stories and battle body counts leave you a bit weary, escape for a walk in the woods at the uncrowded Prince William Forest National Park – the country’s least visited National Park.
I’m not sure why attendance isn’t high, but take advantage, the park offers 15,000 gorgeous acres covered in maple, oak, poplar, hickory, and beech trees and is teaming with wildlife. Thirty seven miles of hiking trails and twenty one miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails traverse this piedmont forest park.
This is but a taste of what there is to see and do in Prince William County. See the Related Travel links below for more details about visiting attractions like the Manassas Battlefield National Park, the National Marine Museum, the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History as well as other nearby attractions and dining picks.
For more information about visiting this area, contact the Prince William County/Manassas Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.VisitPWC.com or call toll free 800-432-1792.
TIP: If you plan on flying into the area, you can usually save bucks by flying into Baltimore instead of Washington’s Dulles or Reagan airports.
Get more information on the Virginia Railway Express by clicking to www.vre.org or by calling 703-684-1001.
Learn more about all the attractions along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway by visiting its website at www.hallowedground.org.
Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park can be found on Bristow Road in Bristow, Virginia 20136. Phone 703-792-6709 or visit www.VisitPWC.com/fv/historyattractions.html.
Manassas National Battlefield Park is located at 12521 Lee Highway in Manassas, Virginia 20109. Phone 703-361-1339 or click to www.nps.gov/mana.
Find the Manassas Museum at 9101 Prince William Street in Manassas, Virginia 20110. Visit their website at www.ManassasMuseum.org or call 703-368-1873.
Prince William Forest National Park can be found at 18100 Park Headquarters Road in Triangle, Virginia 22172. Call 703-221-7181 or click to www.nps.gov/prwi.
Better Living USA South
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Little do the travelers realize that most of those rolling hills flanking the highways once served as battlefields, and the county’s many historic structures still standing house the secrets and memories of the important events that shaped the United States of America.
Washington DC/Base Camp Manassas
The railroad was important to this area 150 years ago and it still is today. Hop on board The Virginia Railway Express at Manassas station and relax, watch the scenery roll by, read the paper, or tune into the whirlwind of diverse conversations surrounding you. In about an hour you’ll be at Washington, DC’s historic Union Station where you can walk to the National Mall and take in the most important tourism sights.
By taking the train you’ll circumvent the hassle of crowded city driving, traffic clogged expressways, and the exorbitant expense of hard to find parking spaces in the nation’s capital. You’ll also find far more economical lodgings in Prince William County than in the heart of D.C.
Halfway Point on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground
Not only does Manassas provide a great base from which to explore Washington, it’s also situated at the halfway point of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway – a stretch of land that contains the nation’s greatest concentration of American historical spots. A day trip in any direction from Prince William County (not to mention time spent in the county itself) will help you further discover the important history of early America.
This four-state, 180-mile long thoroughfare runs, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, through Prince William County, and ends at Monticello, Virginia. Along the journey there are more than 10,000 listings on the National Register of Historic Places, including nine presidents’ homes, twenty historic Main Street communities, thirteen National Parks, seventy three national historic districts, hundreds of African and Native American historical sites. Battleground buffs can explore the past with sites from the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, in addition to the largest collection of Civil War sites in the country.
Today’s travelers driving the byway needn’t stay stuck completely in the past. The roads on the Journey Through Hallowed Ground are also home to a bounty of wineries, inns, antique shops, fairs, farmers markets and much more to explore and enjoy.
The Civil War in Prince William County
No part of Prince William County remains untouched by the Civil War. With both federal and confederate troops occupying the territory, almost every field and rolling hill meeting the eye once served as a battlefield. Sometimes housing literally shares space with history.
John Jones, director of communications of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground says “it’s not uncommon to live on a battlefield in this part of the country.” In fact, Jones himself lives in a renovated old slave cabin on what was once a battlefield near James Madison’s home, Montecito.
Another example of residents sharing space with history can be found at the 133 acre Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. In order to secure building permits the for the adjacent housing subdivision, land developers agreed to preserve the park where the Battle of Kettle Run was fought in 1862 and the Battle of Bristoe Station in 1863. The property houses two federal civil war cemeteries. Confederate troops, however, were buried where they fell. Hundreds of unmarked graves litter the land, but the joggers and kids tossing Frisbees in the park aren’t bothered by it, or likely even aware of the bloody history beneath their feet.
In the first and second battle of Manassas (or Bull Run) 29,000 were killed wounded or captured on both sides. Visitors today can pay homage to those battles, or just enjoy the beautiful scenery that remains, at the Manassas Battlefield National Park. An entertaining and informative film, as well as a museum of exhibits about and artifacts from the first and second Bull Run battles, welcome you at the Henry Hill Visitors Center. Be sure to check the board daily for interpretive programs scheduled. Afterward, head outdoors to explore the historic sites on a self guided walking tour or just enjoy the bucolic views.
To get a more personal perspective on how people in this area used to live and how they dealt with the hardships of war, visit the Manassas Museum where you can trace the area’s history from the Native Americans who first lived here through modern times. In walking distance of the museum is Manassas station where you can catch the train to DC as well as interesting restaurants and shops housed in charming historic buildings.
Escape to NatureIf all the war stories and battle body counts leave you a bit weary, escape for a walk in the woods at the uncrowded Prince William Forest National Park – the country’s least visited National Park.
I’m not sure why attendance isn’t high, but take advantage, the park offers 15,000 gorgeous acres covered in maple, oak, poplar, hickory, and beech trees and is teaming with wildlife. Thirty seven miles of hiking trails and twenty one miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails traverse this piedmont forest park.
This is but a taste of what there is to see and do in Prince William County. See the Related Travel links below for more details about visiting attractions like the Manassas Battlefield National Park, the National Marine Museum, the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History as well as other nearby attractions and dining picks.
Practicalities
For more information about visiting this area, contact the Prince William County/Manassas Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.VisitPWC.com or call toll free 800-432-1792.
TIP: If you plan on flying into the area, you can usually save bucks by flying into Baltimore instead of Washington’s Dulles or Reagan airports.
Get more information on the Virginia Railway Express by clicking to www.vre.org or by calling 703-684-1001.
Learn more about all the attractions along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway by visiting its website at www.hallowedground.org.
Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park can be found on Bristow Road in Bristow, Virginia 20136. Phone 703-792-6709 or visit www.VisitPWC.com/fv/historyattractions.html.
Manassas National Battlefield Park is located at 12521 Lee Highway in Manassas, Virginia 20109. Phone 703-361-1339 or click to www.nps.gov/mana.
Find the Manassas Museum at 9101 Prince William Street in Manassas, Virginia 20110. Visit their website at www.ManassasMuseum.org or call 703-368-1873.
Prince William Forest National Park can be found at 18100 Park Headquarters Road in Triangle, Virginia 22172. Call 703-221-7181 or click to www.nps.gov/prwi.
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