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Advice from Civil War buffs for our family

LAR

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Morning,

So my family (three boys 12, 10, and 6) are going to be in Fairfax County, VA for Easter visiting family. Rather than bee-lining back to North NJ afterward, (kids are on break), I thought an inexpensive and educational mini-vacation might be spent seeing some civil war battlegrounds in the area. None of us have ever done such a thing.

I'd like to find a place(s) to visit where the kids can easily envision what was occurring on the fields at that time - another words either the place has good guides that walk you thru or the land has enough physical characteristics so that young kids can appreciate what was unfolding on the ground they are standing on.

Any suggestions? I'm going to try and do this real low budget by using Marriott points for the nights...

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

LAR
 

Timeshare Von

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After 40+ years of T/S ownership, I am no longer "an owner"
Manassas is one of my personal faves in NoVA. There are some nice battlefields/parks down around Fredericksburg as well.
 

Pens_Fan

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Gettysburg and Antietam are also good choices.
 

Twinkstarr

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Morning,

So my family (three boys 12, 10, and 6) are going to be in Fairfax County, VA for Easter visiting family. Rather than bee-lining back to North NJ afterward, (kids are on break), I thought an inexpensive and educational mini-vacation might be spent seeing some civil war battlegrounds in the area. None of us have ever done such a thing.

I'd like to find a place(s) to visit where the kids can easily envision what was occurring on the fields at that time - another words either the place has good guides that walk you thru or the land has enough physical characteristics so that young kids can appreciate what was unfolding on the ground they are standing on.

Any suggestions? I'm going to try and do this real low budget by using Marriott points for the nights...

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

LAR

Sorry I don't remember the name of the company, but there is someone at Gettysburg that does walking tours of the battleground. I read about it in the Wall Street Journal last year.
 

Empty Nest

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nps.gov

We did this kind of tour many years ago.

Check nps.gov (National Parks).

They do a great job at many of the battlefields with large interactive maps and lights showing troop advancement as well as artifacts and museums. The rangers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and there is usually a short movie to introduce you to the site.

I remember Petersburg, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Spotsylvania, and Gettysburg. At that time you could rent a tape player and tape for your own driving tour of the battlefields. Must be on CDs now.

Have fun planning your route! Our 2 boys loved it, and I did make them write little reports on what they saw.

We also did the historic triangle, Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg, the birth of American democracy. But that's another trip!
Jolene
 

TUGBrian

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fairfax is also not far from DC....vietnam war memorial is probably one of the most impressive things ive ever seen in person. (i know its not the civil war era, but its free and historical and fits in the theme!)
 

Rob&Carol Q

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Well, from Fairfax County, you are with about 100 miles of most of the major battles of the Civil War. Well, more accurately, Eastern theater of the war. There is also an outstanding Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

Fredricksburg is an easy day trip, a fine and easy walk once you get there, and there is just no way you will believe the Union actually tried to cross the Rappahannock river right in front of Marye's Heights. For planning purposes...http://www.nps.gov/frsp/fredhist.htm

But first, consider Manassas...or Bull run to the Northerners present. First true action of both armies and not exactly a happy event for the union army. http://www.nps.gov/mana/index.htm

Like I said, you are within a hundred miles of most of the eastern battles...I didn't even get into the Shenandoah Campaign, The Wilderness, and Appomattox...enjoy yourself.
 

LAR

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Thanks for all the responses. I'm beginning to narrow this down to Gettysburg on my way down to Fairfax and a visit to Manassas before returning... That's mostly based on geography and your reactions but I'm not sure that I'm going there because its particularly alluring for children or anything. Now to look for ways to approach these sites: guides, tours, books to read in advance, etc...

Thanks again!
 

BoaterMike

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Now to look for ways to approach these sites: guides, tours, books to read in advance, etc...

Thanks again!

I can "address" Gettysburg. I would suggest a registered Park Service guides that will do personal tours with your family. The buses are ok, but the one-on-one is hard to beat. That's about the best way to see and learn more or less at your own pace. You'll see some places that you might take the kids to after a formal tour, for example, Devils Den and Little Round Top. Active kids will love climbing and walking on the rocks.

There are many books, but you might want to consider showing them the movie "Gettysburg" based on the book "The Killer Angels". While not 100% historically accurate it provides a bit of a background as to why they were there in the first place. I would also consider showing them the appropriate Ken Burns segments from his Civil War piece.

Personally, I would avoid the ghost tours. They are expensive entertainment.

Mike
 

14thMed

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I can "address" Gettysburg. I would suggest a registered Park Service guides that will do personal tours with your family. The buses are ok, but the one-on-one is hard to beat. That's about the best way to see and learn more or less at your own pace. You'll see some places that you might take the kids to after a formal tour, for example, Devils Den and Little Round Top. Active kids will love climbing and walking on the rocks.

There are many books, but you might want to consider showing them the movie "Gettysburg" based on the book "The Killer Angels". While not 100% historically accurate it provides a bit of a background as to why they were there in the first place. I would also consider showing them the appropriate Ken Burns segments from his Civil War piece.

Personally, I would avoid the ghost tours. They are expensive entertainment.

Mike

Agree with mike on all points. Also suggest that when you hire guide that you ask him/her to point out your states contributions and monuments during your tour. Kids might "get it" better.
 

hibbeln

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We did Manassas/Bull Run quite a few years back (both boys were in elementary school) as an afternoon trip while visiting family in Fairfax, VA. Nice little place. Kids got a kick out of it. Doesn't take long to visit. I remember them liking the little museum.

2 summers ago we went to Gettysburg while driving to Virginia Beach from the Detroit area. My boys were....hmmm......15 and 12. The older one is a war buff and the younger one expresses NO interest in war history. But they BOTH totally enjoyed Gettysburg. There is a lot to see here. I set up for a private tour with one of the park service guides on the park service website before we went. I figured this would be better so it could be tailored to the kids. Worked GREAT! These tour guides are HUGE history buffs. They make sure you see things the kids will think are interesting, and tailor it to their level of knowledge. They also make sure to show you memorials and battle sites that included soldiers from your area of the country. My kids thought this was really neat.

Both kids commented afterwards that if you went to the Gettysburg battlefield on your own, you would be scratching your head looking at just field after field and literally hundreds of vague, random monuments. And they are absolutely correct! But with the guide, it came alive. The guides will drive in your car, or drive your car for you if you're fine with that.
Plan for a whole day at Gettysburg between the museums, movie, guided tour, etc. We drove in (leaving early in the morning) from just west of Pittsburgh and then drove on to Fairfax, VA that night. This was absolutely fine. Our guide told us an historic restaurant to eat at in town, can't remember which one, and we thought that was fun.
 

BoaterMike

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Our guide told us an historic restaurant to eat at in town, can't remember which one, and we thought that was fun.

Farnsworth House or Dobbin House ring a bell? Dobbin House was a underground railroad location back at the time.

Mike
 

DJensen

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Manassas and beyond

Just came through the area on business and was bummed not to have time to spend checking out the history. Did have dinner in Manassas Old Town - the railroad station is located here (significance is that the railroad trasnported troops, first time done in warfare). The Old Town at night looked like a fun place to wander - Philidelphia Tavern had a good Philly Steak & Cheese sandwich too!
 
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