Virginia State marketing would have you believe that “Virginia is for Lovers” but only now do I know what they mean. If you love history, if you love the outdoors, if you love variety then Virginia is for you. This little four-day trip based out of Charlottesville drove this point home for me.

On my way back from UVA in Charlottesville I drove up the same road I usually drive when visiting Courtney at college: the James Madison Hwy AKA U.S. Hwy 29. However, this time I opened my eyes along the way and found the corridor rich with history. After biking around UVA for a couple hours I hit the road. I’d driven by the Prince Michel Vinyards a dozen times intending to stop; this time I did. Culpepper and it’s History Museum offer tremendous promise as did the Manassas with it’s Museum. Both sites are particularly rich in Civil War history.

My favorite stop was probably the Graffiti House where during restoration a few years ago they found Civil War soldier graffiti under wallpaper. That in itself wasn’t as remarkable as the fact that it was graffiti from BOTH sides. As  control of the house shifted from Union to Confederate, the tradition continued of marking the boring passage of winter with wall scrawling. Fascinating to think that so long after the war this was rediscovered!

My first three days on this Charlottesville-based outing were:

1. ★Another Three President Day
   

2. ★My Civil War Arc is Complete
   

3. ★Along Virginia’s Highway 11
   

All this history in just a tiny corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia!