Prince William County, VA

Potomac National's game
Marine Corp Museum
Marine Corp Museum - Frozen Chosen

Manassas Museum
Historic downtown Manassas
Chocolate dessert at the Foundation - Yummy!

Manassas (Bull Run) Battlefield
Rippon Lodge
Occoquan River Festival

On a warm July day in 1861, two armies of a divided nation clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run, a small stream near the little town of Manassas. So confident that the Northern army under the command of General Irvin McDowell would be victorious, the wealthy elite of nearby Washington came to picnic and watch the battle. The Battle of Bull Run, referred in the South as the Battle of Manassas, was a rude awakening for Americans. Soldiers, mostly raw recruits, were stunned by the horror of battle. When the Union army was driven back in a disorder, panicked civilians attempting to flee in their carriages blocked the roads back to Washington. After 10 hours of heavy fighting, nearly 900 young men were dead and so were any thoughts that the Civil War would be over quickly.

Today, standing on the battlefield looking over the pastoral countryside it is hard to envision the battles but the film in the Visitor’s Center, "Manassas: End of Innocence," vividly depicts the First and Second Battle of Manassas along with a museum with many artifacts on display. A ranger guided walking tour helps bring alive the events that took place on the battlefield. It was during this battle that Gen. Thomas J. Jackson rallied his troops to hold their position, causing Gen. Barnard Bee to shout, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall!" However, Bee did not survive the battle. A statue of Jackson overlooks the battlefield where the rebuilt Henry House stands. It is where the first civilian was killed during the battle. Mrs. Judith Carter Henry, in her 80s and bedridden, refused to leave her home during the battle and was killed by a bullet meant for the snipers.

Manassas was critical during the Civil War because it was at the junction of two railroads that linked Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. with the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond. The Old Town historic district has retained a charming small town feel.

The small Manassas Museum contains a wealth of information regarding the history and culture of Manassas and the Northern Virginia Region with displays of prehistoric tools, Civil War weapons, uniforms, railroad memorabilia, photographic collections, and more. One display highlights the very first peace rally in the US. It was held in Manassas in 1911, fifty years after the First Battle of Bull Run. Pres. William H. Taft commemorated the event with speeches. As part of the annual Fall Jubilee a Peace Jubilee was held bringing together Civil War Veterans, both Union and Confederate. As the guide, Margaret Binning explained, "They shook hands with one another symbolizing the end of animosity."

Exiting the museum a walkway leads to the rail station with a gallery of exhibits representing 150 years of railroad history in Manassas and continues to historic Old Town Manassas. Today the streets are lined with unique shops like the Kilted Nation offering kilts for every occasion. It is also home to the Candy Factory, now the Center for the Arts. And, not to miss is dining at one of the great restaurants like the Okras with a unique Louisiana menu.

From Manassas it is only a short train ride to DC and other great Virginia destinations. For more information check visitpwc.com or call 800-432-1792.