It’s time for tea!

This weekend I’m in Virginia and with the warm and thunderstormy weather, let’s make it sweet iced tea at this “party”…

Since I’m in the Old Dominion for the second time this year, I thought it might be fun to talk about historic sites and travels in that state. Have you visited Virginia? I’d love to hear about your adventures in a comment!

My Dad: “Do you just go to Virginia to eat?”

No, of course not. But I do have a few favorite restaurants near battlefields or research sites, and I love trying local cuisine.

A few of my all time favorites are Carl’s Frozen Custard in Fredericksburg and The Depot Grill in Staunton, Virginia. And if you’re ever in New Market in the Shenandoah Valley, the fried chicken at Southern Kitchen is pretty amazing!

Do you have a favorite place to eat in your favorite state?

What seasons have you visited Virginia?

Only spring and summer. Some year I’m going to enjoy an autumn trip!

Have you visited Virginia? What season?

Best Civil War battlefield to visit?

That’s one I can’t answer authoritatively or without bias. But here are a few that are particularly nice to visit.

Fredericksburg-Spotsylvania National Military Park.

Includes the battlefields of First and Second Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. With so many battlefields so close together, this is a good option for historians…or those folks dragging unwilling family members on a trip. You can see a lot or a little in a relatively close area. The Park Service offers excellent maps and detailed tour pamphlets for different areas of the battlefield complex.

New Market State Military Park

On of my favorites…and I’m writing a nonfiction book about this battle, so I just might be partial. Good interpretation and a nice museum help visitors understand the basics of this battle quickly. The core area of the battlefield is well preserved and easy to walk and understand.

Manassas National Battlefield

Protecting fighting ground from the first and second battles of Bill Run (Manassas), this national park is just a short drive from Washington D. C. and has been a starting point for many of my trips. There’s nothing quite like standing on Henry House Hill and knowing you’re back on the fields and in the place you love. Who cares about the heat? Bugs? Just get out the bug spray. At least that’s this California girl’s perspective when there’s a battlefield in sight!

Do you have a favorite Virginia battlefield or historic site? 

What are you doing in Virginia this trip?

Attending the Fifth Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium. It’s been really nice to attend the lectures, help with the event, and visit with friends and colleagues in the history field. Check Gazette665’s Facebook page or my Twitter account @sarahkaybierle for photos and updates.

That’s all for this week, ’cause I’ve got some lecture notes to take! Give us some conversation in the comments and don’t forget you can send some questions for our next tea at Gazette665.

Your Historian,

Miss Sarah