The tour will visit Civil War sites in Lexington, home of the Virginia Military Institute. Lexington’s Civil War stories include Stonewall Jackson’s pre-war life in town; the dispatch of the VMI Cadets to events such as John Brown’s execution and the Battle of New Market; Hunter’s Raid, where Union Gen. David Hunter’s troops shelled the city, looted homes and businesses, and burned the Virginia Military Institute; and Robert E. Lee’s post-war leadership of Washington College (today Washington and Lee University) and, after his death, burial at Lee Chapel. The tour will be led by Dr. John Maass, a historian and education staff member at the National Museum of the United States Army, and Battlefields Foundation CEO Keven Walker.
October 6th / 10 AM – Noon: The tour will be a walking tour and include visit to the Virginia Military Institute Museum. The total walking distance will be between 1.5 to 2 miles. Starting Location: Lexington Visitor Center (106 E. Washington Street)
Parking Options:
Lexington Visitor Center (106 E. Washington Street)
Court House Parking Garage (20 S. Randolph Street)
Roy Smith Parking Lot (134 S. Randolph Street)
“Fridays at the Front” are special complimentary tours of Civil War battlefields and historic sites in the Shenandoah Valley. These tours cover stories great and small, from the accounts of huge armies moving across the landscape to the individual stories of loyalty, determination, and sacrifice involving soldiers and civilians alike.
Come alone or bring a friend, your family, or a group. Discover the dramatic history of these sites — and the incredible stories — history and stories that the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, thanks to your help and support, continue to fight to preserve today.
