The cool thing about Fairfax County is that, at any given moment, you could be standing on hallowed ground and not even know it. You could be walking your dog through a wealthy neighborhood, attending church services or kicking back at a local winery, completely unaware of the Civil War history beneath your feet.
With two of the war’s most significant battles fought in our midst at Manassas National Battlefield Park, some important local sites slip into its shadow. You may not even know about the Civil War graffiti, notable heroes, colorful tales and historic markers that add dimension to the history you already know.
So we’ve unearthed our 15 favorite hidden Civil War sites for your touring pleasure.
1. Pohick Church (Lorton)
Courtesy Pohick Church
Pohick Church is a lesser-known site that has big Civil War history. Soldiers scrawled their names on the inside walls. They carved graffiti onto the doorposts. And they pockmarked the exterior with bullet holes. But that’s not even the biggest story. During the war, a balloonist named Thaddeus Lowe became the father of aerial reconnaissance, taking his hot air balloon 2,000 feet above the ground to look for approaching Confederate troublemakers. Pohick Church became his HQ. Other church history includes founding fathers George Mason and George Washington serving as vestrymen—both lived nearby—and a 12th-century baptismal font.
2. Blackburn’s Ford (Centreville)
On July 18, 1861, Union General Irvin McDowell’s troops were attempting to cross Blackburn’s Ford at Bull Run on their way to Richmond. Confederate fire held them back and McDowell was angry, seeking to fight the Confederates at a different point along the way. He got his wish three days later at The Battle of First Manassas where the Union suffered a very public and crushing loss. While in the area, visit Manassas National Battlefield Park and the Old Stone Church where they nursed the wounded.
3. The Winery at Bull Run (Centreville)
The Winery at Bull Run was built on land adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park. While developing the site, they unearthed a collection of over 200,000 artifacts. Customers can access their Civil War Museum in the barrel room, hear stories about the relics and explore historic markers on the site telling tales of war. The winery also offers tours where you can dive deeper into the Civil War history.
4. Freeman Store and Museum (Vienna)
The Freeman Store and Museum was used as a makeshift hospital during the Civil War. Today, it’s a general store, gift shop and museum telling the tale of the soldiers who passed through. The store is in the charming, historic and walkable town of Vienna.
5. Ox Hill Battlefield Park (Fairfax)
It may not be the biggest battle fought locally (First and Second Manassas bear that crown) but the Battle of Ox Hill was significant because two Union generals died in that battle and thousands were injured on both sides. The park bears two monuments, one for Union General Philip Kearney and the other for Union General Isaac Stevens.
6. Historic Blenheim (Fairfax)
Historic Blenheim and the Civil War Interpretive Center is a must visit. The estate was occupied by the Union during the war and was used both as an encampment and as a hospital. But the visitors were impolite, leaving over 120 scrawls of graffiti on the walls. Visitors can view a full-sized 3-D replica of the home’s attic, where most of the graffiti exists, in the Interpretive Center. Blenheim has the most Civil War graffiti on display in Fairfax County and it’s a fascinating visit.
7. Sully Historic Site (Chantilly)
Perhaps not Civil War specific, but Sully Historic Site is relevant because it is on the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The site tells the stories of escaped slaves and enslaved slaves on a plantation just miles from reaching freedom across the Potomac River.
8. St Mary's of Sorrows (Fairfax Station)
In 1964, a skirmish broke out at St. Mary’s of Sorrows. The church was on an important road connecting north and south, so it was desirable to both sides. Led by Confederate Col. John S. Mosby (aka the Gray Ghost), the fighting left 5 Union soldiers dead, 8 wounded and 20 captured. Mosby was heard to cry out, “C’mon men! Victory or death!”
9. Woodlawn (Alexandria/Mount Vernon area)
Woodlawn was gifted by George Washington for Martha’s granddaughter from a previous marriage. It’s also a site that brings some context to the issues of wartime slavery and freedom. During the Civil War, the site was owned by Quakers who were conscientious objectors to the war. And they hired African Americans from nearby Gum Springs, a free Black community in Confederate territory. Also at Woodlawn, you’ll find Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House, which sits on the same grounds.
10. Historic Fairfax Courthouse (Fairfax)
Fairfax Courthouse switched hands during the war but was occupied by the Union from the spring of 1862 on. An early skirmish there in 1861 claimed the life of Capt. John Marr, the first Confederate officer killed by the Union in the war. While many documents in the courthouse were pillaged and destroyed during the war, George and Martha Washington’s wills survived intact and are still housed there.
11. Riverbend Park (Great Falls)
Riverbend Park is on the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom because it served as a river crossing site to freedom in Maryland. Today you can stand in the exact spot where slaves like Ellick stood, contemplating the swim to freedom across a fast and dangerous river.
12. Fairfax Station
Fairfax Station played a big role in the Civil War, acting as both an encampment and a medical evacuation point, primarily for the Battle of Second Manassas. The soldiers were attended to by a fledgling nurse, Clara Barton, who would go on to found the American Red Cross.
13. Flint Hill Cemetery (Oakton)
Flint Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for many prominent civilian and military figures from the mid-1800s. Among them are at least 26 Civil War veterans, including four of Col. John S. Mosby’s Rangers.
14. Female Spies
Credit/courtesy to J.J. Prats / HMDB.org
This region tells the stories of female spies who risked their lives to aid the war. One was Laura Ratcliffe who lived at Merrybrook. She spied for both Confederate Col. John S. Mosby (the Gray Ghost) and General J.E.B Stuart, who wrote her poems of affection. Laura is buried surreptitiously within a hedge of what is now a hotel.
15. Hidden Forts
Fort Hunt Park; Courtesy Wikimedia user: Antony-22
Washington, DC was surrounded by a network of forts that successfully defended the city during the war. Some of them are well preserved, but hidden in neighborhoods or in other spots you wouldn’t think to look.
One final local story to learn about is Mosby’s Midnight Raid. With nothing left but a historic marker to tell the colorful tale, it’s worth learning about to give you an idea of the character and mood of the day in and around the hotly contested grounds of Fairfax, VA. When you visit on your Hidden Civil War Sites adventure, be sure to take lots of pictures and share them with us!
