Fairfax County, VA - May 3, 2011 - The summer of 2011 will bring history to life in Northern Virginia, and visitors making Fairfax County their base camp to experience it all can now do more than just be a witness to the events surrounding the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. It's not often that travelers can create a legacy just by booking a hotel room, but thanks to a unique partnership forged by Visit Fairfax with the Civil War Trust, now they can!
"The Civil War Trust is delighted to work closely with Visit Fairfax and the participating network of hotels to encourage heritage tourists to take advantage of all of the great resources in this history-rich area during the Sesquicentennial," says David N. Duncan, Director of Membership and Development, Civil War Trust. "We have long known that heritage tourists are the best-they stay longer, they spend more and they are respectful of the sites they visit. Now, every visitor who stays at a participating hotel can also claim to be a bona fide battlefield preservationist, helping to save hallowed ground so that it can be appreciated by future generations."
To mark the sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War, more than a dozen hotels in Fairfax County have pledged to donate five dollars to the Civil War Trust (www.civilwar.org) from the room rate for every night booked under this special package. Offers are subject to room and rate availability at the time of request. To see a list of participating hotels, visit http://www.fxva.com/150/hotels.
Fairfax County is also teaming up with the City of Fairfax to mark the anniversary of the June 1, 1861 "Skirmish at Fairfax Court House," the first organized land engagement between Union and Confederate forces, with two events on June 1st and June 4th. The skirmish also saw the death of the first Confederate officer-Captain John Quincy Marr.
On June 1st, there will be wreath-laying ceremonies and remarks by local elected officials starting at 6 pm in front of the Massey Building (4100 Chain Bridge Road) at the historical marker placed on the spot where Marr's body was found and at the nearby 1904 Marr Monument at the Historic Fairfax County Courthouse. The evening will conclude with a living history presentation of "The Skirmish at Fairfax Court House" inside the courthouse and a reception. The event is free, but seating inside the courthouse is limited; reserve seats by calling 703-385-8415.
The event continues that Saturday, June 4th, with a reenactment of the "Skirmish at Fairfax Court House" west of the Courthouse grounds at the corner of North and Main Streets in downtown Fairfax. The event begins at noon, and is free to the public.
More information on Fairfax County Civil War events, regional events including the highly-anticipated commemoration of the Battle of First Manassas/Bull Run on July 21-24th, and other special travel deals surrounding the sesquicentennial of the Civil War can be found online at www.fairfaxcivilwar.com or follow along on Twitter @FairfaxCivilWar.
ABOUT VISIT FAIRFAX
Visit Fairfax is the official tourism organization for Fairfax County, Virginia. Charged with destination marketing and tourism promotion, it is directed by many of the County's top tourism and hospitality leaders. For more information about Visit Fairfax, please visit www.fxva.com, and for more details on more summer specials, visit www.fxva.com/summerfun.
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