Virginia Trip Overview

Hello hello!

Well, it’s official, I am 22 today!

Though I may be a bit older, nothing can stop me from enjoying my two passions in life: history and travelling! And what better way to spend today’s time than sharing with you our official Virginia Trip Overview?

Perhaps in the best birthday gift I could ask for, Virginia has lifted most mask and social distancing restrictions today! Though some sites will still require them, our complete vaccinations will make this process a lot easier.

Our adventure together starts next Monday, so let’s delve right in!

As you can see from this map, there’s a curious distribution of density when it comes to our stops this time around…

As per our last few trips, each mark on the map is associated with a letter or symbol, which is referenced below. Our journey will take us two weeks to complete, and there’s no shortage of things to see!

A/Start) Richmond, Virginia

As the capital of Virginia, and the former capital of the Confederate States, Richmond shines with a rich history that’s imbedded in it’s very identity. As there are also numerous places around Richmond, we expect to stay several days exploring them. Some of them include (but not limited to):

– Hollywood Cemetery: Situated along the James River in downtown Richmond, Hollywood Cemetery is often regarded as the “Arlington of the Confederacy”, as numerous notable confederate generals and statesmen, including President Jefferson Davis, are buried here. In addition, two U.S. Presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, are buried here.

– American Civil War Museum (Richmond): Formerly the Tregedar Ironworks, the American Civil War Museum of Richmond contains one of the largest collections of Civil War artifacts in the world! It’s also associated with two other sites, including the White House of the Confederacy, and the Appomattox Museum location.

– White House of the Confederacy: The former home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis for most of the Civil War, now a house museum, as part of the American Civil War Museum Foundation. They recently opened up the full tour again, so lucky us!

B) Charles City, VA

Home to various historic plantations, Charles City features two different estates with presidential connections!

– John Tyler’s Sherwood Forest Plantation: The plantation home of 10th President John Tyler is still personally managed by his descendents, and is the longest frame house in America!

– Berkeley Plantation: One of the most historic plantations in the former colonies, Berkeley Plantation boasts many firsts in american trivia, and is the ancestral home of the Harrison Political Dynasty.

C) Williamsburg/Jamestown, VA

Colonial America was practically born here, for this area was home to the first european colony in North America!

– Colonial Williamsburg: Longtime capital of Colonial Virginia, and home to it’s famous House of Burgesses, Colonial Williamsburg is an entire working community modeled just like it was in the 1700’s, with dirt roads, brick buildings, and a friendly immersive experience guided by period-style interpreters.

– Jamestown Settlement: As the very first european settlement in North America, the English founded this tiny colony in 1607, beginning the long legacy of colonization throughout the continent. Though little remains of the original settlement today, the site itself still offers various memorials and exhibits to learn about where America all began.

D) Colonial Beach, VA

Westmoreland County is home to various presidential birthplaces (which we will visit), the most famous of which is the George Washington Birthplace National Monument, which enshrines the memory of our nations’ first president, and the Father of our Country.

E) Fredericksburg, VA

Few towns are quite as historically enriched as Fredericksburg, with an abundance of both Colonial and Civil War history in it’s various battlefields and historic buildings. In fact, i’ll leave most of it as a surprise until we get there. 😉

F) Orange, VA

– James Madison’s Montpelier: The home of our 4th President, and the “Father of the U.S. Constitution”, Montpelier Plantation covers the mansion, grounds, and final resting place of President Madison and his family.

G) Charlottesville, VA

Charlottesville could perhaps be considered in the “Heart of Virginia”, for there’s no better place to experience the very culture or cuisine of the “Old Dominion” State. Not to mention, the architecture of the University of Virginia, as well as that of Monticello, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

– Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello: Undisputedly the most famous and iconic of presidential homes (besides the White House of course), Monticello was designed by the elaborate statesman that was our 3rd President, and it is here that his essence, spirit, and innovation is caught through his mansion, multitude of gardens, and in his final resting place.

– James Monroe’s Highland: While not as elaborate as nearby Monticello, 5th President James Monroe’s farmhouse “Highland” provides a good look into his lifestyle, and that of the average 1800’s farmer.

H) Staunton, VA

– Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum: Home to the presidential archives and museum of our 28th President, the site also preserves Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace for public tours. Due to the pandemic however, it’s uncertain whether the birthplace portion will be open in time for our arrival.

I) Lexington, VA

Lexington may prove to be a brief stop, but only because of two famous Confederate individuals buried here.

– Lee Chapel and Museum: Maintained by the University of Washington and Lee, the Chapel contains the final resting place of Robert E. Lee, famed general of the Confederate Army during the Civil War, as well as other members of the Lee family. As of now however, it is closed to the public due to the pandemic, and its doubtful that it will reopen in time for our visit. Still, we shall try…

– Oak Grove Cemetery: Though a small confederate cemetery, the legendary confederate general Stonewall Jackson is buried here. This will naturally be a very quick stop.

J) Appomattox, VA

– American Civil War Museum (Appomattox): Part of the previosly mentioned American Civil War Museum Association, this particular location focuses heavily on the Appomattox experience, surrounding the final surrender that ended the Civil War.

– Appomattox Court House Natonal Historical Park: Encompassing Appomattox Village, this National Historical Park also preserves the reconstructed McLean House, the site of the official surrender of Robert E. Lee to Union general and future president Ulysses S. Grant.

K) Forest, VA

– Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: The summer retreat of Thomas Jefferson, while not as well-preserved or remarkable as Monticello, was still designed by him, and may prove to yield some valuable insight into Jefferson that Monticello might not.

L) Bedford, VA

– National D-Day Memorial: For those not able to visit the actual beaches of Normandy in France, this impressive memorial enshrines the memory of the brave souls who weathered the stormy offensive of D-Day, which sparked the turning point of victory in World War II.

M) Greeneville, Tennessee

Lightyears away, we begin our “Tennessee Tenure” in Greeneville.

– Andrew Johnson National Historic Site: Though geographically an outlier from other presidential sites, the park serves as the best place to learn about our 17th President, including at it’s visitor center, the Johnson Homestead, and the final resting place of President Johnson and his family. Visiting his grave will finally complete my long quest to visit every single presidential gravesite!

N) Gatlinburg, TN

Taking a short rest from history, the small town of Gatlinburg is famous for one chief reason…

– Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Nestled within the Appalachian Mountains, the Great Smoky Mountains provides a welcome respite in nature for the residents of both Tennessee and North Carolina. We’ll spend some time here to unwind, and later visit nearby Pigeon Forge for some exciting entertainment!

O) Columbia, TN

– James K. Polk Presidential Home & Museum: Just an hour south of Nashville is the the only museum dedicated to our 11th President! The site is home to a hodgepodge of Polk artifacts and history that we somehow missed on our 2018 Summer Trip.

P/Finish) Nashville, TN

We revisit Nashville once again, to relive the sounds and sights found nowhere else! With my mom by our side this time, we’ll be sure to have just as good a time as we did last time! Along with visiting some sights downtown new and old, we also will revisit:

– Andrew Jackson’s “The Hermitage”: The Hermitage plantation is famous for being the home of general and 7th President Andrew Jackson! I wonder how much has changed since last time…?

– Ryman Auditorium: The original home of the Grand Ole Opry, and perhaps considered the birthplace of country music, the Ryman is a must-see stop for visitors to Nashville! We’ll have to squeeze this in on the day we fly home, but no harm done.

– Country Music Hall of Fame: A shrine to country music, and indeed anything into it’s culture, one could take something new away with each visit (which I hope is our case).

Phew.. and that’s our trip in a nutshell! Before we kick off on Monday however, I would like to address one minor thing, just to get it out of the way.

I’m sure that you all are aware of the political and ethical controversies that have occured within the past few years, particularly concerning the debate of historical commemoration (especially confederate monuments). As always, I try to ensure that my blog and my writing is free of political partisanship, so I will not delve into those arguements at all. I believe that no matter what opinions we might have, we can all have mutual respect for other people and their convictions.

The purpose of my blog has always been to simply share my enjoyment of travel and history with all of you, so together we could learn both about our history, as well as ourselves. And that of course, is what I intend to do.

Thank you all for tuning in once again! I hope to see you on Monday for the first daily post of our 2021 Virginia Trip! Take care!