Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Trip Report Trip report--Fredericksburg, VA

Fredericksburg is an attractive small city worth a stop for a couple days on the way to Virginia’s Historic Triangle region. It's known primarily for its historic houses and Civil War history. The downtown area is charming, with lots of old buildings containing things like antique shops, knickknack stores, restaurants, coffee houses, and such – reminds a little bit of Cape Cod or Annapolis.

Day one

Started the day at the Fredericksburg Civil War battle headquarters, located on the western edge of town. There's a thumbnail account of the battle and its lead-up and aftermath, told via a short film and wall placards in the small museum. After that, headed out to walk the battleground area. Had I any respect for Ambrose Burnside (the Union's commanding general of this battle), it would have vanished after seeing how badly he fouled up tactics here. The primary fighting area contains a road fronted by a thick stone wall ca. 4-5 feet high above which stands a hill. Confederate soldiers positioned themselves behind the stone wall, backed up by cannons on the hill behind. Burnside’s sending wave after wave of Union troops up an incline towards the stone wall and hill behind was sheer folly. What was he thinking? It was chilling to walk this battlefield knowing the background here. One house remains near the stone wall, pockmarked inside and out with bullet damage. There are also a couple of large cannons on the hill above and a large military cemetery (most of the markers had only numbers, initials, or nothing). Quite the experience.

Walked next to the plantation home of Chatham Manor. The large house and its two flanking buildings (Georgian style for the main home) are original, and apparently took a beating when used as an army hospital after the Battle of Fredericksburg. It took some time to restore, and today is pleasingly tasteful with nice understated detailing inside and out. There are also some enjoyable gardens and a great view of the town across the river. The tour was given by a ranger and was really good, with lots of interesting information on the home’s owners and history.

Hiked out next to the George Washington Ferry Farm, which was a bit of a bust. They're building a reproduction of the house based on best research, which is nearly done on the outside. But it's currently a construction zone, so can only be seen from a distance. The visitors center has a parched little garden out back and a small exhibit of unearthed artifacts and information about the family; George was a youngster here, and this is where the probably apocryphal cherry tree chop-down story supposedly happened. The pickings here were pretty slim, though.

Trudged back into town to see some of the old town's odds and ends. The old Courthouse is pretty, looking a bit like castle and designed by the same architect who built St. Patrick's Cathedral and the main Smithsonian Building. It's closed to visitors now, and its tiny collection of dug up pottery shards and such has been moved to the new courthouse down the street -- a quick visit. The Fredericksburg Area History Museum has all kinds of local historic stuff: Civil War art and artifacts, World War II propaganda posters and curios, World War I mementos, PNC Bank items, guns and swords, toys, sports memorabilia, angling gear, and a Native American hut. Not bad. St. George's Episcopal Church has arguably the most iconic spire in town. Inside, there's plenty of tasteful ornament, plus nice woodwork and stained glass, including some Tiffany panes. The graveyard next door has old headstones, but they're pretty plain. The Presbyterian Church across the street is a lot more functional looking (especially inside) but has some artillery nicks and an embedded cannonball near the front entrance. There are also a few monuments west of the immediate city center, a statue of Hugh Mercer, a pedestal honoring Thomas Jefferson, and a large obelisk marking where George Washington's mother is buried.

Day two

Spent most of the day seeing historic homes near the town center, beginning at the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop. Long thought to be his shop's actual location, it was later discovered otherwise. But the house is plenty old and atmospheric in its own right, more functional than ornate in any way. The tour dealt with the good doctor's remedies and duties, partly explaining his "cures” (nowadays herbal or folk remedies) and partly describing what he did (leech application, bloodletting, dental work, putting bones back together -- I asked them to skip the description of amputations). There were minimal artifacts other than medically related ones.

Went next to the Rising Sun Tavern and again, function was the rule. The tour guide provided plenty of information about how the tavern was run (one section for the genteel class, one for the poor folks) including a separate parlor for the wealthy women. Upstairs were the various lodging options, for well-to-do and not; apparently group sleeping was the norm to save space. Lots of furnishings and artifacts of the period were found here. The house originally belonged to a Washington relative before becoming an inn.

Walked through this pleasant historic neighborhood to find the Mary Washington House, where George's mother spent her remaining years after leaving the Ferry Farm. It's an enjoyable place, not fancy, but just decorative enough to tell that a woman of means lived here. There are some furnishings and artifacts, but not to excess. The tour was good, as was the plain but charming garden with sundial out back.

The last home seen was the best, Kenmore, originally the residence of George Washington's sister and her husband, the latter a noted businessman and patriot who lost most of his fortune supporting the Revolutionary War and died within days of its end. Like Chatham, it has a brick exterior. Inside is a wealth of furniture and some stunning detail work, especially the carved fireplaces and heavily stuccoed ceilings and areas above the fireplaces, the last beautifully ornate and intricate. There's also a good amount of information about and a few artifacts belonging to the couple, plus a detailed diorama of Fredericksburg back in the early 1800s, in the small adjacent visitors center. The garden out back is really nice as well, and the tour was excellent.

Finished up at the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library. Housed in an old building on the site of Monroe's law offices, it contains a goodly amount of personal artifacts for Monroe and his family: furniture, clothing, jewelry, and much more. There's also lots of information on Monroe's life, Revolutionary War service, and public service career including his stint as president. Nicely presented, with plenty of explanatory information.