Manassas National Battlefield Park
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Manassas National Battlefield Park | |
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| IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) | |
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| Location | Prince William County, Virginia |
| Nearest city | Manassas, Virginia |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 5,073 acres (20.53 km²) |
| Established | May 10, 1940 |
| Visitors | 715,622 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
Manassas National Battlefield Park, located north of Manassas, Virginia, preserves the site of two major American Civil War battles: the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and the Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought between August 28 and August 30, 1862 (also known as the First Battle of Manassas and the Second Battle of Manassas, respectively). The peaceful Virginia countryside bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North (Union) and South (Confederacy), and it was here that Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson acquired his nickname "Stonewall."
Today the National Battlefield Park provides the opportunity for visitors to explore the historic terrain where men fought and died for their beliefs more than a century ago. As an historic area under the National Park Service, the park was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.
The Henry Hill Visitor Center, on Sudley Road by the south entrance to the park, offers exhibits and interpretation regarding the First Battle of Bull Run, including civil war era uniforms, weapons, field gear and an electronic battle map. The center offers the orientation film "Manassas: End of Innocence", as well as a bookstore.
The Stuart's Hill Center (currently closed) on the west side of the park does the same regarding the Second Battle. Also encompassed within the park are the remnants of the extinct Civil War era village of Groveton.
The Stone House, at the junction of Lee Highway and the Manassas-Sudley Road, is the best preserved and most conspicuous landmark in the park. During the Civil War the house was twice engulfed in battle, serving alternately as hospital for the wounded of each side. Shells are still to be seen embedded in the walls, although those were placed there by post-war owners of the house.[citation needed]
[edit] References
- The National Parks: Index 2001-2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.
- Survey No. HABS VA-144. Historic American Buildings Survey.
[edit] External links
- National Park Service: Manassas National Battlefield Park
- First Battle of Manassas: An End to Innocence, a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) lesson plan
