There’s a curious little museum in Fredericksburg dedicated to the fifth President, and the last Virginia president. James Monroe, who was born in 1758 and lived until 1831, served in the Continental Army and as a governor of Virginia; he also was a statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father. He is perhaps best known for […]
Fredericksburg VA
Battle of Fredericksburg
Innis House, which witnessed the Battle of Fredericksburg. We first noticed the signs as we drove in along River Road, adjacent to the Rappahannock River: we were traveling through the battlefield of the Battle of Fredericksburg, which was fought December 11 -15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg. The Union forces, led by Maj. Gen. Ambrose […]
Fredericksburg: Quaint Town, Fun Shops, Good Eats
Fredericksburg, with its old, historic streets and predominantly colonial-era buildings downtown, really is a quaint town, with lots to see and do. The historic downtown area retains its colonial-era charm and is very walkable. I particularly enjoyed walking along Caroline and William Streets, browsing its many shops, including quite a few interesting boutique stores. I […]
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
Hugh Mercer Apothecary was a pharmacy founded by Hugh Mercer in the mid-18th century. Mercer is an interesting figure in his own right. He initially served with the Jacobite forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie; he fled Scotland after the Battle of Culloden. He initially settled in Pennsylvania, and served with the British forces during the […]
Culinary Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg is a great town to spend some time in. With a variety of interesting stores in its historic downtown, combined with a number of interesting historic sites, such as the Mary Washington House, Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Kenmore, and the James Monroe Museum, you can easily spend several days without running out of great […]
Fredericksburg Overview and Trolley Tour
Big cities have their red buses or their double-decker buses, and some have red double-decker buses, but Fredericksburg has its touring trolley. One of the best ways to get introduced to Fredericksburg is via the downtown trolley tour, which takes you past all the significant sites of Fredericksburg, provides an interesting and informative narrative throughout, […]
9 Great Daytrips for the Under-6 Crowd
If you’re looking for some great daytrip destinations to start your younger kids on a lifetime road to discovery, consider exploring the nine great suggestions below. From living history museums that recreate George Washington’s childhood home to a sail on the Chesapeake Bay in a replica of an historic fishing boat, there’s so much to […]
Ferry Farm: A Living History Museum That’s Great for Kids
“I cannot tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree,” George Washington said as a kid, according to Parson Weems, the author of some of the best known stories about Washington’s childhood. Whether he actually chopped the tree down is debatable. But if it HAD happened, it would have happened at Ferry Farm, where […]
24 Things to Do in 24 Hours in Fredericksburg VA
Back in the day — colonial days, that is — Fredericksburg was an important port on the Rappahannock River. At the time, it was at the farthest point navigable by large ships laden with treasured items from Europe and beyond. The city soon became a key trading center for the plantation owners and farmers nearby, […]