FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA

Only fifty miles from Washington, DC, the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia has two faces worth seeing. One is the modern city with a growing population. The other is a well-preserved historic slice of Americana displaying beautiful streets lined with centuries-old homes, monuments, and museums. It is, alas, a city that bore the brunt of several major Civil War battles—Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and The Wilderness--one unfortunate claim to fame.

Before heading to Fredericksburg, travel the web to Fredericksburg. Look under Community and then Tour the Town. You can not only take a virtual tour but also download a map marked with the historic sites and information on each site. It’s a good way to plan your stay.

In Fredericksburg, as I’ve often suggested, go straight to the Visitors Center on Caroline Street. There’s ample parking outside and brochures and expert advice inside. Think about purchasing a Pass that will allow you discounted admission to some of the many sites. AAA offers a 20% discount. We picked up a walking tour map which we used as our guide, but to cut down on walking, some friends took the Trolley Tour and found it very informative.

George Washington spent his youth in Fredericksburg, leaving in 1752. There are many GW sites in the area as family members remained. George’s mother, Mary Washington, spent the last seventeen years of her life in Fredericksburg so she could be near her daughter, Betty. George bought her the house in 1772. Inside is period furniture including some of Mary’s own, and in the garden grow boxwood she planted! Even in 2006, sitting on the back porch overlooking the garden creates a peaceful setting.

MARY WASHINGTON'S HOME

I was taken by a portrait of Mary. George’s resemblance to his mother was uncanny. Not a handsome woman, thought I. Then I learned that Mary’s irascible nature made her refuse to sit still for a portrait. The artist painted everything but her face and slipped George’s in there instead! Remarkable. Ha! Ha! Does that make her a "handsome woman"?

We also visited Kenmore Plantation & Gardens. This 18th century home was built by her husband for George Washington’s sister, Betty. Undergoing extensive restoration work, its elaborate and beautiful plaster ceilings survive from colonial America. They are the work of the same “stucco man” who worked at Mt. Vernon. It’s extremely interesting to hear about the restoration process. The tour not only focuses on the magnificent house and gardens but also on the lives of Virginia’ gentry. Amazingly the house suffered little damage during the Civil War although some bullet holes remain!

In addition to the many historic homes, Fredericksburg is tragically linked to the Civil War. Four important battles were fought here between 1862 and 1864—100,000 men fell.

We visited all four sites, taking a guided walking tour from the Fredericksburg Visitors Center of the Fredericksburg Battlefield, visiting buildings, monuments and remaining walls and roads, thereby gaining a clearer picture of what happened there.

INNIS HOUSE

Two Visitor Centers help interpret the four battlefields, and we took a driving tour combined with walking tours. With our friend, Carol, a student of the Civil War, we took “The Wounding of Stonewall Jackson” walking tour.

The richness of this area cannot fully be appreciated in a brief visit. Fredericksburg is a place to revisit. Enjoy and learn from your stay; then digest and return. Virginia preserves its history well, and one can spend a lifetime taking in all the sites.