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Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters will hold an open house in honor of Stonewall Jackson’s 200th birthday.
Tours of the historic house museum will be offered for free of charge from 12pm-4pm.
Second Battle of Kernstown Author’s Tour
On Saturday, July 22nd, 2023, the Kernstown Battlefield Association (KBA) will host a walking and driving tour of the Second Battle of Kernstown. The tour will include a strategic overview followed by a battlefield walking and driving tour. The battlefield tour will start and finish on the Kernstown Battlefield “main campus”, but will also include a visit to our newly acquired Sandy Ridge property along with a stop in the vicinity of the Confederate flanking attack to the southeast of the main Kernstown Battlefield property.
There will be an hour lunch break; however, lunch will not be provided so plan accordingly.
Also be advised, this tour can accommodate people with mobility issues. Please let the Kernstown Battlefield Association personnel know if you need mobility assistance when you sign-in for the tour.
Finally, this tour is free, but donations will be graciously accepted.
Civil War Tour at Fort Collier
As part of the McCormick Civil War Institute’s ongoing partnership with the Fort Collier Civil War Center, MCWI’s director Jonathan Noyalas will conduct a special tour on Saturday, Sept. 16, “‘The Scene as I Remember It’: Reflections on Experiences at Fort Collier During the Civil War,” in observance of the 159th anniversary of the Third Battle of Winchester.
The tour, which will begin at 9:30 a.m., will explore various personalities, soldiers, and civilians, connected to Fort Collier. The tour will last approximately 75 minutes. The event is free and open to the public. No pre-registration is required.
Second Battle of Winchester 160th Anniversary Programs
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation is presenting a series of programs to commemorate the 160th Anniversary of the Second Battle of Winchester.
The programs are free, but pre-registration is requested. Registrants will receive additional information, including maps and driving and parking directions, prior to the event.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
· 11am: Civil War Walking Tour
· Noon-7pm: Living History
· 3pm: Star Fort Program
· 4pm: Artillery Demonstration and Battle Overview
· 5pm: Carter’s Woods Program
· 6pm: Artillery Demonstration and Battle Overview
· 7pm: Historic Winchester Walking Tour
Event will be held at multiple locations, including Old Town Winchester, Third Winchester Battlefield, and Star Fort.
Detailed schedule and registration at: https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/second-winchester-anniversary
FIRST BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN 161st Anniversary Tour
FIRST BATTLE OF KERNSTOWN
161st Anniversary Tour
Local history at its best! On Saturday, March 25, 2023, the Kernstown Battlefield Association (KBA) will host a walking and driving tour of the First Battle of Kernstown. This tour will be lead by Gary L. Ecelbarger, renowned author of “We are in for it !: the first Battle of Kernstown, March 23, 1862”, and supported by KBA docents.
The morning portion of this event will consist of a walking tour of the Kernstown Battlefield property for the morning action of the battle as viewed from the Union artillery on Pritchard Hill and the initial Confederate infantry attack across our southern fields out of Barton’s Woods.
After a break for lunch, the afternoon portion of the tour will begin at 1:30 pm at the KBA Visitor Center. The tour group will then travel to Rose Hill Park and Sandy Ridge for continued detailed discussions of the afternoon and early evening climatic stages of this intense battle.
Attendees should initially meet at the KBA Artillery Building at 9:00am and dress appropriately for walking across field pastures and woods. The tour should end by 4:00pm. The KBA will have suggestions for lunch, but attendees should plan their own. It is also suggested that you bring water and any other personal needs.
There is no fee for this tour. However, your donations are graciously accepted as a way of continuing these programs. Please pre-register through our website at www.kernstownbattle.org so we have a head count. Any questions you have can be sent to our website or call 540-450-3785 to leave a message.
Sunset at Kernstown Battlefield Tour
Come join our team of highly motivated docents for the presentation titled “A Mixed (North and South) Marriage in Turbulent Times”, the story of the marriage of Samuel Reese (SR) Pritchard and Helen Johnson.
This special evening tour will start off in our Conference Center where you will be introduced to SR, a fourth generation Kernstown farmer and businessman, and his wife Helen, born and raised in New Jersey. It will include a very short walking tour around the Visitor Center area, a visit to their 1854 house and then up to Pritchard’s Hill to watch the sunset over Little North Mountain.
The tour concludes with a short visit to the family cemetery on the way back to the Conference Center where light refreshments will be served.
Please note, this tour is not our standard family/farm tour as it will be entirely focused on SR and Helen’s relatively short (1857-1875) time together in midst of the most turbulent time in the Lower Valley, where the war literally came to their door step.
Also be advised, this tour involves some walking along with one set of stairs. Golf cart assistance will be available for participants with mobility issues for the Pritchard Hill – cemetery portion of the tour.
This event is free (donations gladly accepted) and open to the public.
Light desert refreshments will be served at the conclusion of this event.
5:45pm – Meeting at Kernstown Battlefield Conference Center
6:00pm – Tour Begins
Register HERE: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSerU4jzYs5YJC3sAIt6irj65URh6OGuqkchXAEK2CuuTiYXNA/viewform
Civil War Kids Camp
The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation’s Civil War Kids Camp is perfect for veteran campers or youngsters trying it for the first time.
Come see the daily life of a Civil War soldier, watch a live cannon demonstration, learn about Civil War spies, play Civil War era games, and much more!
Check-In and Drop off: 9 – 9:30 am
Camp: 9:30 – 11:30 am
Pick up: 11:30 am – 12 pm
Open to children ages 6 to 14. Space is limited so register early! Pre-registration is required. The cost is $20. To register, or for more information, call 540-740-4545 or click the link below.
Bourbon on the Battlefield
Join the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation at Vault & Cellar on Thursday, June 23rd, at 6:00PM, for a history speakers series right here in Middletown, Virginia! Order food or drinks and take part in a conversation style presentation with a historian, battlefield guide, author, or historical figure! Good food, history, preservation, and bourbon… Sounds like the perfect combination!
This month’s topic is titled, The Haversack Diet: Food in Civil War Armies
We often hear about the chaos of battle, the grand strategies behind a campaign, or the reasons men fought. For many of us, these thoughts and ideas are not parallel with our own experiences. However, one thing that we may connect with over the generations is a desire for good food and plenty of it! In this presentation, you’ll learn what the Civil War soldier ate, how he prepared his meals, and what receiving and ingesting those rations did for morale and his stamina.
Meet the speaker!
John Heckman is a digital historian who is best known to online audiences as The Tattooed Historian. John has an M.A. in History with a specialization in War and Society. He has worked alongside the U.S. Army, the National Park Service, and numerous universities and non-profits to bring history to the masses in new and dynamic ways. John will be an adjunct professor at Shenandoah University in the fall, and you can often find him conducting live-stream discussions on various social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.
This monthly program is free, though food or drink orders are highly recommended and encouraged since the menu is delicious! Suggested arrival time of 5:30PM to allow for seating and food or drink orders prior to the start of the event. Donations will also gladly be accepted to benefit the Heater House Restoration Fund hosted by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation. A percentage of the cost of each pour of bourbon from the evening’s activities will generously be donated by Vault & Cellar to benefit the Heater House restoration projects as well. Please drink responsibly.
Fort Collier Civil War Tour
Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute in partnership with the Fort Collier Civil War Center will offer a tour with Prof. Jonathan A. Noyalas, “They Have Completely Surrounded Stine’s House”: The Construction and Early Use of Fort Collier during the Civil War.
The one-hour tour, beginning at 9:30 a.m., will be held at Fort Collier, 922 Martinsburg Pike, Winchester, VA. Event is free and open to the public.
No pre-registration required.
Questions: jnoyalas01@su.edu or 540-665-4501.
Fridays at the Front: First Winchester
“One of the Most Stirring Scenes of My Life”: The First Battle of Winchester
A tour of sites related to the May 25, 1862, battle where Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s troops routed Union Gen. Nathaniel Bank’s forces, driving the Federals through the city and ultimately north of the Potomac. As Jackson and the Confederates entered Winchester, they were mobbed by pro-Confederate civilians “nearly frantic with joy.” One of the decisive points of the battle was a flanking assault by the Louisiana Tigers, which Confederate Sgt. John Worsham called “The grandest I saw during the war.” Tour led by Gary Ecelbarger, historian and author of Three Days in the Shenandoah: Stonewall Jackson at Front Royal and Winchester, and SVBF CEO Keven Walker.
You must register in advance: https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/fridays-at-the-front/
or call the Battlefields Foundation at 540-740-4545