Chatham and Pope's Creek ( Really long, Sorry)

Yesterday, I had a day off so Jon and I drove down to see where George Washington and Robert E Lee were born. Its about a two and a half hour drive from here. We headed down the 95 until we got to Stafford County. Wednesday night, we watched an episode of Restaurant: Impossible and they renovated a restaurant in Stafford County. Jon drove by it and since I was hungry, we decided to stop and eat. The restaurant was called County Fare and it was so cool. The owner greeted us and sat us in one of the booths. It wasn't that busy at first because we were a little early for lunch. People started to come in as we waited for food and soon all the booths were full. I got the burger and Jon got the Philly sandwich. The food was really good and it was kind of cool. We felt like we knew the people because we had seen them on TV and listened to them talk. But we would definitely go back and eat there again.

So we headed south towards Fredricksburg. We drove past the entrance to Chatham and decided it check it out. Chatham is part of the Fredricksburg battlefield but on the day we came to visit, it had already closed for the day.

Chatham was the Union troops base during the Civil War. Gen. McDowell used the house as a base many months before the siege on Fredricksburg began. The Lacy family who owned the house at the time, abandoned the house as the Union troops drew close. Mr. Lacy was a staff sergeant in the Confederate Army. As the Union troops built the platoon bridge to Fredricksburg, the Confederate sharpshooters would pick them off. Chatham so became a hospital for the wounded. Clara Barton helped care for the wounded here.

Statue at the Gates of Chatham

Jon standing in front of the gates to Chatham

Chatham

Chatham Sculpture Garden

Gardens

Telegraph in Chatham

Main Room in Chatham

Drawing of Chatham during the Civil War over one of the fireplaces.

Burnside's Battle Flag

Chair rumored to be sat in by Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Lee

Chatham from the River's side. The tour guide told us that this was the "front" of the house until the invention of the automobile when the other side became the "front."

Left Wing

Right Wing

Trees from the Civil War Era

Platoon Boat bridge piece replica.

View of Fredricksburg. The Church spires were also there at the time of the Civil War.

Far away shot of platoon bridge

Chatham House again

One of three unknown soldiers buried on the grounds

Saturn's Temple

Grove. The path leads to the second unknown soldiers burial site.

Unknown soldier grave

Jon being a cheese!

Chatham house from the east

We were walking by one of the outbuilding that said "Dairy Barn."

The door was open and through it I saw the above, a cannon, It amused me and Jon made a comment about no one stealing their milk. As I was taking the picture below...

One of the National Park service employees came by and asked if I wanted to see their cannon.

He told us this is a replica built after one of the cannons at Gettysburg and that they periodically shoot off the cannon during special events. Normally guest only see this cannon during those events. It was pretty cool to see it.

As we were driving off the grounds, we saw this guy. We have hardly ever seen groundhogs in the past but this summer we have seen about four. This one was a little poser.

After Chatham, we headed to George Washington's Birthplace National Monument. It's about 30 miles from Chatham down Highway 3.

Obelisk at the entrance of the Park. The obelisk was once at the site where it was believed that Washington was born. It was moved in the 1930s when Memorial house was built.

View of the Potomac from the Farm.

This is the actual site of the house that George Washington was born in. This site was discovered in an archaeological dig in 1936. It is believed that George was born in the upper left corner of the home. The original house burned to the ground on Christmas Day in 1779.