The next few months are full of events commemorating the valley's important role in the Civil War, so get in touch with your historic side, and have some fun at the same time.
Winchester/Frederick County
• Civil War Orientation Center
This center is a wonderful first stop for those seeking an overview of Winchester/Frederick County's Civil War experience. An interactive touch screen kiosk lets you navigate and explore your own areas of interest before visiting the Civil War sites. Brochures for self-guided walking, driving and biking tours are also available at 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road, Winchester. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.
• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Old Town Winchester
Sept. 16, Oct. 7 and 21 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. experience the Civil War as a civilian in Old Town Winchester. Learn about the citizens and the events that took place in Winchester during that stirring period of time. Make your reservation by calling 542-1326, and meet your guide at 2 N. Cameron St. in Winchester. Admission is $5 per person, payable to your guide.
• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Middletown
Starting at 2325 First St., Middletown, on Sept. 17 and Oct. 15, re-live the history of Middletown from a civilian's point-of-view, and experience the stirring events that took place during the Civil War. Call 868-9176 to make reservations. Meet the National Park Service guide at 2325 First St. at 11 a.m. The walk will last till noon and is totally free.
• Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation
Kids' Civil War History Camp is on Sept. 18 at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown. Children ages 7-14 are "mustered in" and experience the many aspects of soldier life with hands-on activities. For further information and reservations call 869-2064 or visit www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.
• Belle Grove Lecture Series will take place on Sept. 21 at 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown. The plantation invites you to attend any one or all three lectures by renowned Civil War and Shenandoah Valley historians. Admission is $5 per person; pre-registration is appreciated but not required. Visit www.bellegrove.org or call 869-2028 for additional dates.
• Civil War Weekend is Sept. 24-25. Civil War sites throughout Winchester and Frederick County will provide unique opportunities to experience life as it was during the Civil War. Through living history demonstrations, battlefield and cemetery tours, and more, Winchester- Frederick County's Civil War story will come to life in unforgettable ways. For more information, call 877-871-1326 or visit www.visitwinchesterva.com.
• Civil War Weekend event at Rose Hill will kick off the weekend's events on Sept. 24 at 1850 Jones Road, Winchester, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley will open its Rose Hill property for this family-focused day at the site of the Civil War's First Battle of Kernstown. Interact with living-history interpreters, play 19th-century children's games, and explore the battlefield on self-guided walking trail tours. The band Loose Strings will play Civil War-era music. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds. Ultimately lost by Confederate forces, this site was Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's only tactical defeat of the war. Free to MSV members and children ages 12 and under; all others: free with purchase of MSV gallery admission on Sept. 24, or $5 for Rose Hill only ($5 admission payable at Rose Hill.)
• Civil War Weekend events at Kernstown Battlefield are all packed into Sept. 24. Starting at 610 Battle Park Drive, Winchester, the day's events include: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., professor Jonathan A. Noyalas will present tours and discussions throughout the day; 10:30 a.m., Kimball and Jackson clash at Kernstown; 12:30 p.m., Kernstown's Bloodiest Battle: Crook vs. Early; 2 p.m., Home Front to Front Line: The Pritchard Family's Civil War. Tours will last approximately one hour and are free. For further information call 869-2896 or visit www.kernstownbattle.org.
• Civil War Weekend events in Stephens City are also going on Sept. 24-25. Stop by 5408 Main St., Stephens City, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. to be a part of the weekend's events that will tell the story of the Civil War era from life on the home-front, with an event titled, "Home-Front Fashion." A special presentation on Saturday at 1 p.m. will discuss and showcase women's fashion trends and dress patterns in the mid-19th century. Family-friendly activities, demonstrations of typical home life in the Civil War era, and the Newtown History Center will be welcoming visitors to this multi-day event. Reservations are required for some events, and can be made by calling 869-1700. Visit www.newtownhistorycenter.org for more details.
• Civil War Weekend at Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters where, on Sept. 24 and 25, Stonewall Jackson will meet and greet hundreds of his visitors. His headquarters are located at 415 N. Braddock St., Winchester, and will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. for the special event.
• Guided Driving Tour of Cedar Creek Battlefield starts at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown, on Oct. 1 and will last from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The tour, using a car-caravan system (visitors follow the ranger's vehicle), will cover the Battle of Cedar Creek in a chronological fashion. This free 13-mile journey follows the major events of the fighting and includes five or six stops at the key landmarks. Tours begin at the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation Headquarters. For additional info visit www.nps.gov/cebe or call 869-3051.
• North-South Skirmish Association Fall Nationals commemorates the heroism of men, on both sides, who fought in the American Civil War, 1861-1865. On Oct. 5-9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, come to 480 Chalybeate Spring Road, Winchester, for a variety of events including skirmishes (the shooting of Civil War firearms and artillery), programs for children, dances, dress competitions, cooking demonstrations, sutlers row, and more. Visitors are encouraged to attend the free activities. Go to www.n-ssa.org or call 888-4334 for more information.
• An American Turning Point, The Civil War in Virginia Panel Exhibit will be at the Handley Regional Library, 100 W. Piccadilly St., Winchester, Oct. 3-17 during library hours (closed Sundays). Comprised of images, interpretive text, and a companion website designed for use on mobile devices, this exhibition circulates nationwide. Visit www.handleyregional.org or call 662-9041 for details.
• Guided Walking Tour of Kernstown Battlefield
On Oct. 8, go to 610 Battle Park Drive, Winchester, at 11 a.m. to learn about the Kernstown battle from an expert who will guide you through troop movements. The hour long tour is free. For further information call 869-2896 or visit www.kernstownbattle.org.
• 147th Anniversary Cedar Creek Battlefield Re-enactment Thousands of re-enactors will "re-create" the last great battle in the Shenandoah Valley on Oct. 14-16 at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown. Witness daily cavalry, artillery, and infantry demonstrations, battle re-enactments, troop encampments, band concerts, church services, medical displays, special lectures and more. For more information and reservations call 869-2064 or check out www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.
• Belle Grove Remembers: Civil War Commemoration & Living History set to take place Oct. 15-16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Belle Grove will commemorate the 147th anniversary of the Battle of Belle Grove or Cedar Creek through various activities and living history events. For more information call 869-2028 or go online to www.bellegrove.org.
• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Stephens City
From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 22, discover the people who lived in Stephens City and the stirring events that shaped their lives as the Civil War raged in and around the town during 1861-1865. Reservations are required by calling 869-1700. The tour is $5 per person, and you can meet your guide at the Newtown History Center. Visit the website at www.newtownhistory center.org for additional information.
• "Twelve Days of Christmas" Candlelight and Daytime Tours of Belle Grove Plantation Throughout December, enjoy the magic of an old-time Shenandoah Valley Christmas. The plantation house is beautifully decorated for the holidays by area garden clubs, much as it would have been when its original residents occupied it. For more information go to www.bellegrove.org or call 869-2028.
• Candlelight Tour and Open House at Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, 15 N. Braddock St., Winchester, on Dec. 2 and 3. Experience a Confederate Christmas through the decorated house and living history interpreters who will be throughout the house and museum grounds. Enjoy some Southern hospitality in the house that General Jackson's wife called their wartime home. Come Dec. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. or Dec. 3 from 1 to 5 p.m. Visit www.winchesterhistory.org or call 662-6550 to learn more.
• Victorian Candlelight Ball First Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Loudoun St., Winchester, will step back in time on Dec. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Dance and be merry at this free family-friendly Victorian holiday event, complete with caroling and holiday treats for all. Members of the Victorian Dance Ensemble will demonstrate and teach many traditional Victorian dances to the magical sounds of the Susquehanna Travellers (so no dance experience is needed). Show up in period, casual, or formal attire. Visit www.winchester.gov/parks/specialevents or call 662-4946 for more information.
Shenandoah County
Just as Civil War sites stud the rest of the East Coast, Shenandoah County is full of churches, cemeteries, mills and more that have a Civil War connection. Undoubtedly the biggest annual event commemorating the county's Civil War history is the re-enactment at the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park each spring.
The battle stands out in history because of the participation of the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets. In other words, basically college students were called upon to fight. According to the museum, they marched 80 miles in four days in the rain to help bring a victory to the Confederates on May 15, 1864.
The 148th Anniversary Re-enactment is slated for May 19-20, 2012, according to the park museum's website.
On Oct. 29, a Spirits of New Market ghost tour will be held, and other events are scheduled at the site throughout the year. For more information, go online to www2.vmi.edu/museum/nm/index.html. For more information about other sites in Shenandoah County, visit its official tourism site at www.shenandoahtravel.org.
In Strasburg, the Hupp's Hill Civil War Park, at 33229 Old Valley Pike, opened earlier in 2011 and now features a visitors center as well, with a grand opening for the facility set for Sept. 24.
The Civil War park is operated by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and features walking trails through Civil War earthworks and a museum with displays about Shenandoah Valley battles and the how they affected the lives of women and children in the area.
Hours are 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Friday-Saturday, and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, go online to www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.
Loudoun County
• The 17th Mississippi Regiment in Aldie will come to life through a history presentation of Confederate troops demonstrating military drilling and camp life. The event will take place Oct. 15-16 from noon to 5 p.m. at Aldie Mill Historic Park, 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. For more details call 703-327-9777.
• Witness the First-Ever Re-enactment of the Battle of Ball's Bluff from Oct. 21-23 at Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park in Leesburg. Being the second largest to take place in the county during the Civil War, this historic event will be re-created for the first time by 1,000 re-enactors. At nearby Historic Morven Park, visitors can witness drill demonstrations, tour "open" regiment campsites, talk with sutlers and explore a HistoryMobile traveling exhibit, among other activities. A full weekend schedule, tickets and more information are available at c.
• Understand the Impact of Ball's Bluff by going to Morven Park, home of Westmoreland Davis, progressive farmer and governor of Virginia from 1918 to 1922. The sesquicentennial will be commemorated there with an exhibit featuring a collection of relics and artifacts that tell the story of Ball's Bluff and its impact on the the Civil War and the home life of Loudoun residents. The free exhibit is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs Oct. 8-30, at the park in Leesburg. More information is available at www.morvenpark.org.
Prince William County
• Beyond the Battlefield; Civil War Sites in Prince WIlliam County Van Tour
On Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. take a trip through history. Prince William County witnessed three major battles and many skirmishes, but the impact of the war reached far beyond the battlefields. Homes, businesses and towns were ravaged by the armies. This tour will highlight the plight of citizens in the county and share their stories of hardship and survival. Sites and activities include a walking tour of Occoquan, visits to Brentsville, Liberia Plantation, Haymarket and Chapman's Mill. The $80 per person cost includes admission to sites and a boxed lunch. Contact 703-365-7895 or go to www.pwcgov.org/historicsites for more information.
