cedar creek & belle grove national historical park visitors contact station
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cedar creek & belle grove national historical park visitors contact station印象
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This location is a great place to explore the history of the Shenandoah Valley, The Civil War and The Battle of Cedar Creek. Tour the mansion that was influenced by the architecture of Thomas Jefferson. Inquire about President Madison's visits and his sister Nellie Madison Hite and The Hite Family. Definitely ask about the importance of the Battle of Cedar Creek in the turning point of the Civil War and the revenge that was leveled on the southward advance up the valley. Ask about Sheridan's ride, the final muster and general Custer's involvement along with the curious comingling of sides over the death of General Ramseur of the south. You can tour the site and talk to the park personnel anytime of the year but October is the height of activity. This is when the re-enactment of the battle occurs and 1000's of visitors converge on the town for a historic festival. Also check the website to enjoy the numerous and diverse activities that occur throughout the year. Also ask about the auto tour.
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The Contact Station is located in a mini-shopping center along Route 11 in Middletown, VA. There is a small museum that gives the background of the Battle of Cedar Creek. The Park Rangers and Volunteers are very helpful in providing orientation and tour information to visitors. This is a must-stop if you want to visit the Cedar Creek/Belle Grove Battlefield.
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When I can, I try to stop at the visitor centers that are run by the National Park Service, for I usually find them well worth the time. What's nice about this one is that you are not really going out of your way, if you are visiting either the battlefield or the plantation--you can get clear directions/info. here, including ranger programs. However, I was disappointed somewhat, because there's not a lot to see at this visitor center itself, although I was told it was recently renovated. (The days/hours listed in the AAA guidebook are wrong; they are open 7 days a week, 8:30 am -- 4:30 pm; check the NPS website; it offers a good deal of info.) Nevertheless I did learn about the Cedar Creek battle, which I had never heard of before. There isn't a movie or slide show, but there is a model that lights up in appropriate places when the audio commentary describes the battle--how each side advanced over the countryside, etc. It was very effective. There's also some placards that provide information about key individuals and the agricultural and religious background of this part of the country. I hope as time goes on more information will be added in this center. There's slight mention of Native Americans, but I would have liked far more. As it's free, I do recommend a short stop; you only need about 30 minutes, if that. You can also get a passport stamp here, for your NPS booklet.
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National Park properties come in many forms. This one is a Partnership Park, with four different elements: the park headquarters which houses their administration, the Visitor Contact Station, the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation down the road, and Belle Grove Inc., which operates the plantation. Each of the latter three is interesting. The battlefield is interesting as the site of one of the pivotal battles late in the Civil War, which was also a remarkable come-from-behind win for the Union. Belle Grove is interesting as a fairly intact plantation, the home of President Madison's sister, and the quickly lost headquarters of the Union at the Battle of Cedar Creek. The NPS has a 2.2-hour free tour and some other programs. For those with limited time, or who aren't real Civil War buffs, the Visitor Contact Station is the best place to stop. It has excellent displays interpreting the history of the area, the battle and the plantation, as well as an audio-visual display that very clearly shows and describes the course of the battle.This is a worthwhile stop for educational purposes, and it is one of the most accessible, being a very short drive, less than 3/4-mile, off of Exit 302, I-81.The plantation has a fee for tours. The rest is free.
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Made plans to visit Cedar Creek Battlefield Visitors Center in May and found out 2 weeks ago that Center is closed on Mondays. Oh Oh. Well, Ranger and Guide Eric Campbell said, No Problemo and opened up for us on Monday. He actually came in on his day off to open the Center for us. We saw the exhibits and watched the light show which explained the battle. Then, to top off his excellent service, he lent us his driving CD and off we went. What a great example for rangers. I hope he is director of the entire Gettysburg battlefield someday. He is an inspiration to all. The Foundation was also closed on Monday and there was NO Way, they were going to open for anyone.
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Tucked at the end of a small strip Mall in Middletown VA is this most important starting point for the area. Rangers and Volunteers are most informative. Everything is within just a few minutes drive and try to avail yourself of the Belle Grove Plantation tour. Well worth it.
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This visitor center was a little hard to find even with my GPS, but it was a nice little museum with a well done light up map display that explains the intricacies of a complicated Civil War battle. It is only about a 20 minute stop, but they can give you info about other sites in the area.
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Young park rangers Shannon and Kyle were outstanding and very accommodating. The Visitor station displays of area history were simple and very well done. The lighted topographic map is one of the best I've ever seen for a civil war battlefield. It gave an excellent presentation of the course of the fight before the tour. We were warned that the video monitor accompanying the map had a mind of its own. It didn't work, but in hindsight, we agreed that it would have taken attention away from map anyway. When I think about taxes used for this sort of service, it is gratifying. We had heard Shannon give a brief talk at Belle Grove plantation back in the spring of '14 and it peaked interest for our Old Farts Camp Out fraternity. This past weekend, this group of past youth leaders and dads who gather bi-annually, were treated to a weather conditions abbreviated tour of Middletown, Belle Grove and Cedar Creek battlefield area. While the terrain and the vistas give a great understanding of battle progress, the winter is actually an excellent time for this tour with leaves down. Ranger Kyle was our caravan guide in the field. He was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He gave you personal insight via photos, quotes, soldier letters, records of first hand accounts from that October 1865 to include the subsequent Burning of the Valley campaign. He encouraged questions, delighted in discussion, and gave presentations that a novice could understand and history buffs could appreciate. We discussed Sheridan's rally and its interesting details, but Custer gave us more side discussion.... his essential cavalry in this Yankee success, The Burning and his overwhelming victory later in Waynesboro. 25 years old, brevet Major General , successful aggressive tactician in command of many hundreds of cavalry troopers, and we started to think about our own mid 20 kids these days... wow. .Ranger Kyle's recommendations for local and additional exploring demonstrated his fire for diving into the surrounding countryside of his new station. We even discovered a shared enjoyment of an oatmeal stout of the nearby Backroom Brewery. Thank you to both Rangers
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Stopped in on a Friday morning. Got a good understanding of the battle from the electric map and the staff. A nice Jr ranger program is present. Received good information on the various partners that make up this park.
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This is a very enjoyable and informative place to visit. The mansion is beautiful and the surrounding scenery outstanding.