Plantation history museum in Fredericksburg, Virginia

The Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center is a must-visit tourist attraction and travel agency located at 1013 Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg, Virginia, United States. This institution serves as a gateway to the historic battlefields of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania, where the Civil War reached its bloody climax. Visitors can explore the town that was bombarded and looted, the farms that were ruined, and the stories of the thousands of refugees who were forced into the countryside. The Visitor Center offers resources for teachers planning field trips, including lesson plans and trail maps for self-guided tours of each battlefield. Families can engage in educational activities with the Junior Ranger books, which provide a fun way to learn about the history of the area. Visitors can also watch park films and browse through a library of videos to enhance their understanding of the Civil War era.

Ellwood Manor, located at 36380 Constitution Highway in Locust Grove, Virginia, is a historic museum and tourist attraction that offers a glimpse into the antebellum agricultural operations of the 19th century. Unlike the grandeur of Chatham, Ellwood was a functional plantation of middling size, owned by the prominent Jones-Lacy clan. Enslaved people played a crucial role in sustaining the plantation, working the fields and maintaining the property. The house itself has a rich history, with notable visitors such as Marquis de Lafayette and legends of "Light Horse Harry" Lee writing his memoirs there. The Lacys, who owned Ellwood during the Civil War, used it as a summer home while preferring the grandeur of Chatham as their primary residence. The house served as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War and was occupied by Union troops, witnessing the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. The property faced neglect after the war but was eventually acquired by Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park in 1977. Visitors can explore the history of Ellwood by downloading the Ellwood Cultural Landscape Report and learning about the clash of US and Confederate forces during the Overland Campaign.

The Sunken Road, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a historic institution that showcases America's battleground during the Civil War. This area, which includes Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania, is where the war reached its bloody climax, leaving a tragic cost in its wake. The town was bombarded and looted, farms were destroyed, and thousands of refugees were forced into the countryside. Over 85,000 men were wounded and 15,000 killed, with many of them in graves unknown. For teachers planning a field trip or looking for a lesson plan, The Sunken Road offers assistance. Visitors can download trail maps to explore each battlefield at their own pace. There are also four Junior Ranger books available for educational fun. Additionally, visitors can watch park films or browse through a library of park videos to learn more about the history of the area.