When visiting the historic towns of Middletown and Strasburg Virginia, you should make time to visit Belle Grove Plantation. The theatre was the first professional live theater in Virginia, and was open from 1961 to 2013. The area is also home to Lord Fairfax Community College. There are numerous things to do in and around Middletown, including shopping, dining, and taking in a movie. For entertainment, there are several museums, parks, and historical sites.
While in Middletown and Strasburg, you should visit Belle Grove Plantation, which was built in the early eighteenth century by President James Madison’s sister and later became a national historic site. A few miles south, you can see the site where Gen. Stonewall Jackson rolled locomotives stolen from the Union during the Great Train Raid of Martinsburg. This train station is now a local museum. Visiting this site is one way to remember the Civil War and the area’s rich antebellum history.
The Valley Pike was the transportation link during the Valley Campaign in 1862 and 1864. In 1862, Gordon’s brigade was positioned on the Union’s right on Bower’s Hill with a battery of artillery in tow. Jackson’s men marched 40 miles in 36 hours despite heavy rains and deep mud. A monument commemorating this battle is located about 150 yards east of the Valley Pike on U. S. Route 11.
Visitors to Middletown and Strasburg can also visit the Arlington National Cemetery, which is the final resting place of many notable Virginians. It is also the site where the Northern Virginia Army surrendered to the Union army, ending the Civil War. Whether you’re interested in the history of Virginia, its historic landmarks, or its rich culture, you will be able to find something in Middletown and Strasburg.
Historic sites in the Middletown and Strasburg area are both interesting and educational. Fort Monroe was where Jefferson Davis was imprisoned for two years. It later became a proving ground for freedom for slaves, and today, the Casemate Museum tells the history of the fort, starting in the early 1600s. The town also contains four major Civil War battlefields, including Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. There are several unknown mass graves, so be sure to visit the Battlefield.
In addition to its historic sites, visitors can enjoy the beautiful countryside just south of town. Jimmy Stewart shot a movie here. Located near the interstate highway, the town is surrounded by scenic countryside. Nearby, the Golden Mile is a mile-long stretch of road between the interstate highway and the town. This stretch of road became the town’s new center when businesses sprang up along the farmland.