Connections to Presidents and Civil War History at Belle Grove Plantation

The historic Belle Grove plantation house; tree leaves are in the foreground of the photo.

Belle Grove Plantation began with 483 acres given to Isaac Hite Jr. by his father in 1783. By 1824, it had grown to 7,500 acres, producing grain, livestock, flax and hemp. Also on Belle Grove were a grist mill, a saw mill, a distillery, a store, a lime kiln and quarry, and a blacksmith shop. […]

Reach for the Stars at the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum

Growing up, my favorite museum was the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. My family made annual pilgrimages downtown to the Smithsonian Museums. I was really excited when, in 2003, the Udvar Hazy Center, an annex to the National Air and Space Museum, open. Multiple trips ensued, with the kids, with out of […]

The Secret Flower in Skyline Caverns You Must See to Believe!

Skyline Caverns is a series of geologic caves and a tourist attraction located in Warren County, Virginia, one mile south of Front Royal. Unlike other caverns in the area, Skyline Caverns were discovered on purpose — a retired geologist went searching for them. Walter S. Amos went sniffing around for caverns that could be commercialized […]

Doing Time at the Old Fauquier Jail

Over two centuries ago, a four-cell brick jail was constructed in Warrenton VA, in 1808 to house the county’s indigent and criminal residents. The four cells were multi-person cells, not an uncommon for that time. Also not uncommon, children often accompanied their mothers into the jail. The stairs in the kitchen up to the jailer’s […]

13 Great Ghost Tours: A Spooky Tour Through the Mid-Atlantic States

August, September and October are the season most folks check out ghost walks and ghost tours — one of my favorite activities! Ghost tours are always intriguing — they’re a little bit of sight-seeing, a little bit of ghost story, and usually a lot of history. Ghost tours are a good way to get to […]

The Virginian Hotel: Experience Lynchburg Luxury in Beau Arts Style

The Virginian Hotel does not disappoint — we spent a luxurious few days there while we explored Lynchburg, discovering all the wonderful things to see and do there! When it opened in 1913, the hotel was Lynchburg’s premier grand downtown hotel. Built in the glamorous Beaux Arts style, no detail was missed. Throughout the years, […]