Guide to 175 Historic Sites in Virginia: Virginia Is For. History Lovers! in These Pages, You'll Find the Unlocking Old Dominion's Rich Past

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PICK A SUNNY SPRING AFTERNOON to wander the streets of Colonial Williamsburg or the pathways of the Frontier Culture Museum. Choose a summer day to climb the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse or descend into the cool labyrinth of Luray. Spend the next cold or rainy day indoors at the Chrysler Museum of Art or Mount Vernon.

Virginia boasts so many rich historical sites that it's often difficult to know where to go. This guide presents the 175 best places--a mix of the famous and obscure, the large and the small--sites well worth visiting. We've made hard choices and left out many fine sites. We chose not to include Virginia's historic courthouses, churches, parks, cemeteries, theaters, mills, jails, libraries, memorials, monuments, or sites where something "once stood." While walking tours and historic downtowns are wonderful, they did not make the cut. Nor did we include cultural centers, children's museums, or any museum not opened regular hours. We recommend that you call or check the websites before heading out.

When you come back from your trip, send us an email about your experiences to editor@americanheritage.com.

Safe travels!

~The Editors

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

ALEXANDRIA

1. Carlyle House

Located in Old Town Alexandria, Carlyle House was completed in 1753 by a wealthy Scottish merchant for his bride, Sarah Fairfax of Belvoir. It quickly became a center of social and political life and served as General Braddock's headquarters during the French and Indian War. (703) 549-2997 or www.nvrpa.org/parks/carlylehouse/index.php

2. Christ Church

Located in Old Town Alexandria, this beautiful Engfish country-style church was built between 1767-1773. George Washington worshipped here--his pew is marked with a silver plaque--as did Robert E. Lee. (703) 549-1450 or www.historicchristchurch.org

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3. Fort Ward Museum

During the Civil War, Washington, DC was the most fortified city in the world. Of the 160 Union forts and batteries that once stood guard, Fort Ward is the best preserved. Visitors learn about Alexandria when it was occupied by Union troops, the town's role as a vital Union Army crossroads, life within the defensive perimeter of Washington, and the day-to-day lives of soldiers and civilians. (703) 838-4848 or oha.alexandriava.gov/fortward

4. Gadsby's Tavern

Enjoy a meal where George Washington used to drink and dine. Before heading home, visit the exhibits next door. The museum consists of a 1785 tavern and the 1792 City Hotel, both operated by Englishman John Gadsby from 1796 to 1808. Other prominent patrons included John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette. (703) 838-4242 or www.gadsbystavern.org

5. Mount Vernon

The home of the nation's first president, Mount Vernon was the first-and most important--historic housemuseum in the nation. A brand new museum contains 25 galleries with hundreds of artifacts. State of the art theaters and interactive displays, plus a library for researchers and students, provide a memorable experience. The gardens, riverside fields, and four-acre farm with heritage breed animals give a sense of plantation life. Fine restaurants, cafeterias, and shops round out the experience. Don't miss the reconstructed whiskey distillery and gristmill located three miles from the mansion. (703) 780-2000 or www.mountvernon.org

6. Woodlawn

George Washington gave 2,000 acres of his Mount Vernon estate as a wedding gift to Nelly Custis, Martha's granddaughter, and her husband, Lawrence Lewis, Washington's nephew, in 1799. Spacious rooms and formal gardens reflect Virginia plantation life in the early 1800s. (703) 780-4000 or www.woodlawn1805.org

ARLINGTON

7. Arlington House and National Cemetery & Robert E. Lee Memorial

Built in the early 1800s in the Greek Revival style, the plantation home of General Lee was confiscated by Union troops when its owner chose to fight for the South. Soon after, Civil War dead were buried in the rose garden. Today almost a quarter of a million men and women are buried on the 600-acre campus, representing every conflict in which the United States has fought. Most visited sites include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the graves of President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy, and the Challenger Space Shuttle Memorial. (703) 557-0613 or www.arlingtoncemetery.org

8. Iwo Jima Memorial

Dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775, this is the largest cast-bronze statue in the world. Marine Corps Sunset Parades featuring the Drum and Bugle Corp and the Silent Drill Team are held on summer evenings. (703) 289-2500 or www.nps.gov/archive/gwmp/usmc.htm

CULPEPER

9. The Museum of Culpeper History

This museum tells the story of Culpeper's rich heritage, featuring local dinosaur fossils and artifacts from native Americans, European setters, and American revolutionaries, It also includes material from the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and a wide variety of 20th-century displays on social life, sports, and events unique to Culpeper. (540) 829-1749 or www.culpepermuseum.com

FAIRFAX

10. National Firearms Museum

With more than 2,000 historic firearms spanning 600 years, the museum is located in the headquarters of the National Rifle Association (703) 267-1600 or www.nationalfirearmsmuseum.org/default.asp

FREDERICKSBURG

11. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania Battlefields

Four major battles fought in the vicinity of Fredericksburg--Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, and Fredericksburg--created approximately 110,000 casualties, making this the bloodiest ground on the North American continent. The park also includes the historic structures of Chatham, Ellwood, Salem Church, and the "Stonewall" Jackson Shrine. The military park encompasses more than 8,000 acres. (540) 373-4510 or www.nps.gov/frsp The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center is located at the base of historic Marye's Heights on the battlefield. Museum exhibits, a film strip, artifacts, and self-guided walking and driving tours are available. (540) 373-6122 or www.nps.gov/frsp/fred.htm

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12. Gari Melchers Home and Studio

This colonial-era home known as Belmont was built on a hill outside Fredericksburg during the 1790s. It is furnished, however, not to the colonial period, but as it looked during the early twentieth century when internationally-famous artist Gari Melchers lived there. The stone studio where Melchers worked looks as if the artist had just stepped outside. (540) 654-1015 or www.garimelchers.org

13. Historic Kenmore Plantation

One of Virginia's most elegant colonial mansions, Kenmore was built in the 1770s by Fielding Lewis for his wife Betty, the sister of George Washington. An ardent patriot, Lewis spent his entire fortune building and operating an arms manufactory to supply Washington's soldiers and died before the war had been won. His Fredericksburg house has been restored to its original appearance and filled with period antiques. (540) 373-3381 or www.kenmore.org

14. Hugh Mercer Apothecary and Rising Sun Tavern

In this restored apothecary shop, 18th-centory medicinal practices are revealed with vivid riving history. (540) 373-3362 or www.apva.org/hughmercerapothecary The nearby tavern was originally home to Washington's brother Charles. (540) 371-1494 or www.apva.org/risingsuntavern

GREAT FALLS

15. Colvin Run Mill

This early 19th-century operating grist mill and miller's house features exhibits, blacksmith demonstrations: and outdoor concerts. Located in Great Falls. (703 759-2771 or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/crm

16. Great Falls Park/Patowmack Canal

George Washington dreamed of opening up the undeveloped Ohio territory by making the Potomac River navigable. The remains of his Patowmack Canal around Great Falls can be found on the Virginia side of the river. (703) 285-2965 or www.nps.gov/grfa

LEESBURG

17. Dodona Manor

The only home that General George C. Marshall ever owned, this Federal house is furnished with the general's belongings exactly as it looked during World War II. He is most remembered as the architect of the Marshall Plan, an economic undertaking that rebuilt Europe after the devastation of the war. (703) 777-1880 or www.georgecmarshalLorg

18. Loudoun Museum

Located in historic downtown Leesburg, this museum explores the county's cultural history through changing exhibits, a children's garden and discovery room, tours, and a 1767 log cabin. (703) 777-7327 or www.loudounmuseum.org

19. Morven Park

This Greek Revival mansion and extensive gardens located outside Leesburg was once home to two governors, but the draw for most people is the estate's connection to horses. A fox hunting museum is located on the grounds: as well as a collection of 70 horse-drawn carriages and an equestrian center. (703) 777-2414 or www.morven.org

20. Oatlands Plantation

Construction of this magnificent estate began in 1803 in the Federal style and finished in the 1820s in the Greek Revival style. The plantation features beautiful furnishings and unique architecture. Oatlands' formal gardens are among the finest examples of early Virginia landscape design. (703) 777-3174 or www.oatlands.org

MCLEAN

21. The Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run

At this riving history farm, visitors can see how the average family lived in 1771. Children can pitch in with colonial chores, such as hoeing the garden, making johnnycake, and carding wool. (703) 442-7557 or www.1771.org

MANASSAS

22. Manassas Museum, Manassas Railroad Depot, and Liberia

Featuring a wide array of artifacts illustrating the area's history, especially the Civil War era, the museum also includes several off-site buildings, such as the Manassas Railroad Depot of 1914 and the 1825 brick farm house, Liberia, once the home of the largest number of enslaved African Americans in the Manassas area. Several Confederate generals made Liberia their headquarters. Abraham Lincoln visited in 1862. (703) 368-1873 or www.manassasmuseum.org

23. Manassas National Park

The first major battle of the Civil War (also known as the Battle of Bull Run) was fought here, as well as …