Bob and I awoke bright and early in Colonial Beach on Sunday, August 5, 2007. It was going to be one of those days that have enough activities packed into it to last anyone else a week or more. We checked out of Doc’s Motor Court and chatted with the nice lady whose husband had built the place. She sent us on our way with some suggestions for things to do in the area. Of course we already had a relativley strict schedule we needed to stick to in order to get even half of the items on our itinerary accomplished. Our first stop – naturally – was at McDonalds to fuel our bodies for the day.
Leaving Doc’s
While still in Colonial Beach, we headed for the George Washington Birthplace National Monument, the first historical stop of our trip…shown in greater detail here. Actually this was the reason we chose to stay in Colonial Beach in the first place. While on the way there, one of the most amazing coincidences of the trip took place when we ‘accidentally’ drove by the birthplace of James Monroe (detailed here) on the way to Washington’s birthsite. It was then that we realized that we neither of us has bothered to figure out where all of the Virginian Presidential birthsites were located, so we immediately began to scurry and find them all before we headed much further.
At the Washington birthsite. I picked up the obligatory magnet and browsed the books in the gift shop before heading to nearby Stratford, Virginia. But before we left, we inquired as to the location of James Madison’s birthsite and found it nearby as well. We stopped there and the photos from that excursion is detailed in the posting on James Madison.
In Stratford, we took a guided walking tour of the Stratford Hall Plantation, the birthplace of Robert E. Lee – and the home built in the late 1730’s of four generations of the Lee family. Among those who lived in the house were Richard Henry Lee and Francis Lightfoot Lee, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, and Revolutionary War Hero Henry “Lighthorse Harry” Lee. While on the grounds, we also had an early lunch at “The Dining Room” where I had some country ham and biscuits, as well as my first exposure to some tangy wasabi peanuts.
That’s me knocking on the door of Stratford Hall
I stole a photo in the ‘no-photos zone’ of Stratford. This was where Robert E. Lee was born.
In a discussion with the statue of Robert E. Lee in the museum portion at Stratford
In the Dining Room, home of the wasabi peanuts
From there we headed about 35 milies west to Fredericksburg, the area in which we would spend the rest of the day. We checked into the Richard Johnston Inn (named after a former Mayor of the city from the 1800’s who once resided there). The place was gorgeous and luxurious and I’m glad we stayed there. However, their website stated that the place was constructed by John Taylow, who they claimed was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Turns out, no such person ever signed the Declaration, at least not America’s.
The back of the Richard Johnston Inn, built by John Taylow…but who was he?
Our first stop in Fredericksburg was at the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library. More details of this location can be seen in the James Monroe posting found here.
Next up, we ventured to George Washington’s Ferry farm detailed here. We thought we had time to visit the Rising Sun Tavern, a pre-Revolutionary War drinkery built by Charles Washington, George’s younger brother. It was here that many of our forefathers including Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe would meet and discuss the future of our young-country-to-be. Unfortunely, the dillwads running the tavern decided to close it at 4:30 instead of the advertised 5pm, so we only got pictures on the front porch. We then made a brief stop at the grave of George Washington’s mother Mary Ball Washington (detailed here).
Ruthlessly cast out of the Rising Sun
We also stopped by the Kenmore Plantation, a former home of George Washington’s sister Betty Washington Lewis. They too were closing up by the time we got there, but they kindly let us look around briefly for free. We also had a look at the exterior of Washington’s Mom’s former residence (detailed here).
Outside the Kenmore plantation house
Scurrying through the Kenmore Plantation Museum
We then headed out of Fredericksburg for one of the most memorable, if not most ridiculous, adventures of the week. In nearby Spotsylvania County, home of numerous battles of the Civil War, lied the buried arm of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Here at the former Ellwood home near the Wilderness Battlefield, it had been amputated when Jackson had been accidentally shot by his own troops during the Battle of Chancellorsville. Days later he passed away at a different location (more on that later) but his arm was laid to rest here. Unfortunately, after we finally arrived at Ellwood – after passing up the exit and returning, effectively driving about twenty miles out of the way – it had been long closed and blocked off from public access. Since we had come so far, we decided to park the car at the entrance and go exploring anyway…and with much success. After taking quite a lengthy walk, we ended up locating the marker and posing for pictures with it, having the run of the private property to ourselves.
Ellwood = Closed
The Ellwood Road barrier which we so gallantly crossed
On the road to Stonewall Jackson’s arm with your host Bob Satterfield
Getting silly with Stonewall’s arm
On the way back, we stopped off to pose for pictures with signs signifying the Battle of Chancellorsville and the Battle of Fredericksburg. Our dinner for the evening came from a restaurant next door to the Inn called the Blarney Stone where Bob and I split a “Tour of Ireland” complete with Shepherds Pie, beef tips, and fish and chips. I passed on dessert, perfectly content with the cookies and complementary brandy provided by our inn.
Talking with Jackie at the Chancellorsville Battlefield
The Fredericksburg Battlefield and an excited me
At the Blarney Stone, ready to tour Ireland via dinner
Our room had a cool loft where Bob was consigned to sleep; I crashed on the couch. The DVD player in the room went unused. We had had quite a productive day, if I do say so. Only six more to go.
Bob relaxes under the loft and prepares for the next days events…
My mind is on the complimentary brandy…
The Civil War sites in Virginia are a thrill to see, aren’t they! I hope you had the chance to visit Richmond. JEB Stuart, Jefferson Davis, James Monroe, and John Tyler, are all buried there at the Hollywood Cemetery.
Dave Chasteen
September 4th, 2007