History
Civil War History is Alive in Stafford County, Pt. I
The War Between the States. The War of Northern Aggression. The Civil War...whatever you wish to call it, there's no denying that those five years in the mid nineteenth represented one of the darkest times in our nation's history. More than a century later, the turmoil of brothers pitted against brothers, and a people's desire for freedom, continues to hold a fascination for some. Books and films about this time remain popular, and vacations are planned around Civil War sightseeing. Nowhere better can one absorb the experience of this bygone era than in Stafford County.
The next time you plan an historical tour for your vacation, consider making a few detours at these Stafford County attractions on the way to Gettysburg or Washington, DC:
Aquia Landing
If you think of the Civil War and sea battles, the Monitor and Merrimac most likely come to mind. However, Union gunboats were also active fighting Rebel forces along the creek beds of Aquia Landing. Here is where the first torpedos of the war were used, too. Aquia Landing is now a popular county park, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day with many landmarks to pinpoint pivotal battles of the war.
Cornstalks and Beanpoles Bridge
Though the original bridge built in 1862 no longer exists, you can still see its stone foundation where Union engineers had to quickly build a connection over Potomac Creek. The bridge gets is name from President Lincoln, who compared the original bridge to "beanpoles and cornstalks," given the hurriedness with which the bridge was contructed. The bridge is located near some of the Civil War trails found in Stafford.
Hartwood Presbyterian Church
This red brick church is included on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. At this site the Confederate army enjoyed a victory over Union troops in 1863, capturing over 150 men. The church was utilized as a post by both sides during the war.
Part two of this article will feature the area highway markers where significant events of the Civil War took place in Stafford County.
Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer whose articles on travel have appeared on many websites, including GoStaffordVA.com, the official website of Stafford County, Virginia Economic Development and Tourism. |
Kathryn Lively
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