Categories: Arts & Culture; Sports & Recreation; Outdoor Adventures; History & Heritage; Local Highlights
Overview. When the Civil War began, both the Confederate and Union forces were overconfident, assuming an easy victory. On July 21, 1861, the two armies met on the banks of Bull Run, a river southwest of Washington. Nine hundred young men died here, as did the illusion that the war would end quickly. Thirteen months later, in August 1862, the armies returned to Manassas for the Second Battle of Bull Run. After a three-day fight, the Confederate army won again, this time at the cost of 3,300 Union and Confederate men. This park covers over 5,000 acres thick with the history of national dissension.What to see and do. At the visitor center, open 8:30 AM to 5 PM (until 6 PM in summer), prepare for your battlefield tours by watching a 13-minute slide program and a five-minute battlefield map program (both captioned). A small museum exhibits artifacts from the site. Your walking shoes will be welcome on the one-mile self-guided foot tour through key sites of the first battle. Because the second battle covered much more ground, these sites are located along a self-guided auto tour. Information on the tours of First and Second Manassas can be obtained at the visitors center. During summertime, special programs (including guided walking tours) are given at the park. Along your way, you'll see the Stone House, which has been restored to its 1860s appearance and furnished to reflect the pre-Civil War era. Stone Bridge is a reconstruction of the bridge from which the first shots were fired in 1861. Call ahead for exact details. You may stay on the grounds until dusk. Picnic areas are available, and pets should be kept on leash.
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