Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park

The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is a 5,500-acre park located 50 miles South of Washington, DC and 50 miles North of Richmond, Virginia. It is the second largest military park in the world.

The park’s main point of interests is the four major battlefields; the Fredericksburg battlefield, Chancellorsville battlefield, Wilderness battlefield and the Spotsylvania Court House—along with the four historic buildings; the Stonewall Jackson Shrine, the Old Salem Church and the Chatham are maintained in the park.

Four battles were fought in and around the Fredericksburg between 1862 and 1864. There were 110,000 casualties, making it the bloodiest ground in the country.

A self-guided historic tour of the four battlefields and the three historic buildings begin at Fredericksburg battlefield visitor center. Knowledgeable park historians are available at each visitor’s center and at Chatham to provide information about the park.

The park was established as Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on February 14, 1927 to commemorate the heroic actions of the men who fought those battles. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Three Historic Buildings

The Stonewall Jackson Shrine (pictured) is the Chandler Plantation office building where General Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson died. It is one of the outbuildings in these 740-acre plantation owned by Thomas C. Chandler. Open daily from 9am - 5pm during summer and Saturday-Monday other times. For information, call 540.373.6122.

The Chatham Manor is these gorgeous Georgian Mansion, which today, is a part of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Out of the ten rooms in the manor, five of them have exhibits and the rest are park offices. Open daily from 9am - 4: 30pm.

The Salem Church was a site of fighting during the Battle of Chancellorsville. It was also used as a refuge for civilians during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Local Baptists built the Salem Church in 1844, with John Billingsley as the first pastor. The church is open on weekends on summer season.

Historians will also want to visit the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

This is one of the best historic American Civil War venues to experience in Central Virginia. American Civil War buffs and those who care about history will want to the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park to the itinerary.