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Virginia

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Maine to Georgia, CT,GA,MA,MD,ME,NC,NH,NJ,NY,PA,TN,VA,VT,WV

The People's Path and America's First National Scenic Trail "The body of the Trail is provided by the lands it traverses, and its soul is in the living stewardship of the volunteers and workers of the Appalachian Trail community." -from the Appalachian Trail Management Principles and the A.T. Comprehensive Plan

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations

Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial - Arlington, VA

Photo of Arlington House Arlington House was the home of Robert E. Lee and his family for 30 years and is uniquely associated with the Washington and Custis families. George Washington Parke Custis built the house to be his home and a memorial to George Washington, his step-grandfather. It is now preserved as a memorial to General Lee, who gained the respect of Americans in both the North and the South.

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Blue Ridge Parkway - Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, NC,VA

Double arch bridge over the Parkway A drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway is slow paced and relaxing. Almost any overlook or trail will reveal much of the natural and cultural history here. Explore the many communities along the route that make our region so special. Enjoy the view, but watch the road! The CLOSURES link to the left has details on a few areas of construction.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations

Booker T Washington National Monument - Hardy, VA

Reading of Emancipation On April 5, 1856, Booker T. Washington was born a slave on the 207-arce farm of James Burroughs. After the Civil War, Washington became founder and first principal of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial School. Later as an adviser, author and orator, his past would influence his philosophies as the most influential African American of his era. Come explore his birthplace.

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Cape Henry Memorial - Fort Story, VA

Memorial Cross and Battle of the Capes Exhibit at Cape Henry HERE AT CAPE HENRY FIRST LANDED IN AMERICA, UPON 26 APRIL 1607, THOSE ENGLISH COLONISTS WHO, UPON 13 MAY 1607, ESTABLISHED AT JAMESTOWN VIRGINIA, THE FIRST PERMANENT ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN AMERICA. Upon this inscription rest a granite cross erected in 1935 by the National Society Daughters of the American Colonists, in memory of the wooden cross erected by the English colonists in 1607.

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Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail - Various States, VA,MD,DE,DC

Statue of Captain John Smith in Jamestown, VA. Imagine a world of deep, ancient forests, strong, proud people and water teeming with life. Such was the Chesapeake that Captain John Smith and his fellow travelers encountered on their journeys through this "goodly bay" and its rivers. Follow in the wake of Smith's journeys on the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, America's first national water trail.

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Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park - Middletown and Strasburg, VA

Farm with Signal Knob in background Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park preserves and interprets key historical sites and the rich cultural heritage of the Shenandoah Valley. At present there are no National Park Service operated visitor facilities. Instead, almost all park lands and buildings are owned and administered by the park's partners: local landowners, county governments, and nonprofit organizations.

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Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network - Chesapeake Bay Watershed, DC,MD,NY,PA,VA,WV

Fiddler Crab First thoughts of the Chesapeake Bay often bring up images of crabs and oysters. But, as the largest estuary in North America, the Chesapeake Bay has touched and influenced much of the American story - early settlement, commerce, the military, transportation, recreation and more. The Bay and its surrounding 64,000 square mile watershed hold a treasure trove of historic areas, natural wonders and recreational ...

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Colonial National Historical Park - Jamestown and Yorktown, VA

3rd Infantry Old Guard passing in review It began on the swampy marshes of Jamestown in 1607. It ended on the battle scarred landscape of Yorktown in 1781. It was 174 years of hope, frustration, adventure and growth that saw a lonely settlement of 104 men and boys grow into a nation of 13 colonies of 3 million people, of many races and many beliefs. Jamestown and Yorktown mark the beginning and end of English Colonial America.

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George Washington Memorial Parkway - DC, MD, VA

A hiker at Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove This is the "Road to Adventure" - originally designed as a grand gateway and greenway to the Nation's Capital. Here, you can learn about the First President and the development of America. As an oasis amid urban development, the Parkway has a variety of park sites that provide opportunities for everything from quiet contemplation to nature exploration to active recreation.

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George Washington Birthplace National Monument - Westmoreland County, VA

Orignial birthsite with Memorial House in the background. George Washington, America's first and greatest hero, was crucial to the establishment of the United States as a nation founded on the principles of liberty. George Washington Birthplace preserves the heart of the Washington lands and a memorial plantation. Here, in the peace and beauty of this place untouched by time, the staunch character of our hero comes to the imagination.

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Great Falls Park - McLean, VA

Lock one of the Patowmack Canal At Great Falls, the Potomac River builds up speed and force as it falls over a series of steep, jagged rocks and flows through the narrow Mather Gorge. The Patowmack Canal offers a glimpse into the early history of this country. Great Falls Park has many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park only 15 miles from the Nation's Capital.

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Green Springs - Louisa County, VA

??? house in Green Springs Green Springs National Historic Landmark District encompasses over 14,000 acres in the piedmont of central Virginia. The homes and farms are a continuum of Virginia rural vernacular architecture, reflective and respectful of their location, preserved in their original context with little alteration. Here the landscape has been enhanced, rather than despoiled, by the presence of civilization.

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Jamestown National Historic Site - James City County, VA

Sturcture 17 Rowhouse foundation Come, walk in the steps of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas as we explore America's beginnings. Here is where the successful English colonization of North America began. Here is where the first English representative government met and where the first arrival of Africans to English North American was recorded in 1619. Jamestown, the Beginning of America.

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Maggie L Walker National Historic Site - Richmond, VA

Buildings on Leigh Street, Maggie Walker's home has green and white striped awnings. Richmond, VA. is home to many famous Americans including one of the nation's great entrepreneurial spirits, Maggie Lena Walker. Come visit her home in the Jackson Ward community. Through exhibits and guided tours you will experience the life of this great African American woman, who was born during slavery and achieved success despite segregation and the limited opportunities offered to her race.

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Manassas National Battlefield Park - Manassas, VA

Bluebells In the summer of 1861, enthusiastic volunteers in colorful uniforms gathered to fight the first major land battle of the war. Confident that their foes would turn and run, neither side anticipated the smoke, din and death of battle. Nearly one year later, both sides met again on the same battlefield with the Confederates winning a solid victory bringing them to the height of their power.

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Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail - NC,SC,TN,VA

Overland Victory Trail The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail travels through VA, TN, NC & SC, retracing the route of patriot militia as they tracked down the British. Eventually the two forces clashed, ending in patriot victory at the battle of Kings Mountain. The trail is still under development through partnerships, but the public has many places to visit and walk today.

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Petersburg National Battlefield - Petersburg, VA

Union soldiers sitting in camp "Dear Mother, we remained in the broiling sun in little pits the size of a common grave though not half so well furnished. There we lay and everytime a man Show his head Zip would come a minnie." This pressure was central to a soldier's experience in a 292 day siege. Here, Union forces slowly cut off Petersburg from the world and brought the fall of the Confederacy.

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Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail - the corridor between the Chesapeake Bay and the Allegheny Highlands, DC,MD,PA,VA

Equestrian and Bicyclists The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a partnership to develop a network of locally-managed trails in a corridor between the mouth of the Potomac River and the Allegheny Highlands. As of mid-2009, 830 miles of existing and planned trails have been recognized as segments of the National Scenic Trail.

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Prince William Forest Park - Triangle, VA

Fall at Breckenridge Resevoir Prince William Forest Park is an oasis of natural beauty and human history located only 35 miles south of Washington, DC. 37 miles of hiking trails and 21 miles of bicycle-accessible roads and trails traverse this 15,000 acre piedmont forest. Beneath its canopy lies evidence of human history reaching back to 8,000 B.C.

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Richmond National Battlefield Park - Richmond, VA

Sunlight filters through the trees above a trench at Cold Harbor Richmond's story is not just the tale of one large Civil War battle, nor even one important campaign. Instead, the park's resources include a naval battle, a key industrial complex, the Confederacy's largest hospital, dozens of miles of elaborate original fortifications, and the evocative spots where determined soldiers stood paces apart and fought with rifles, reaping a staggering human cost.

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Shenandoah National Park - the Blue Ridge Mountains near Luray, VA

Ice covered Stony Man summit. Gazing across the horizon from the peaks of Shenandoah National Park it's hard to believe you are just 75 miles from the bustle of our nation’s capital. Take Skyline Drive along the crest of the mountains through the woods and past spectacular vistas. Hike in the shade of oak trees along the Appalachian Trail, discover the stories from Shenandoah’s past, or just relax in the wonder of wilderness.

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Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail - DC, MD, VA

Fort McHenry Come on a journey to remember and commemorate the dramatic chain of events, people and places that led to the birth of our National Anthem. The story of the Star-Spangled Banner was shaped by the events of the Chesapeake Campaign during the War of 1812. From February 1813 until February 1815, the Chesapeake Bay was the center of a fierce struggle between the British and Americans.

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Yorktown National Cemetery - Yorktown, VA

Grand French Battery On October 19, 1781, a British army under General Charles Lord Cornwallis was forced to surrender to General Washington's combined American and French army. Upon hearing of their defeat, British Prime Minister Frederick Lord North is reputed to have said, "Oh God, it's all over." And it was. The victory secured independence for the United States and significantly changed the course of world history.

Directions, Operating Hours & Seasons, Fees & Reservations