Loudoun’s Civil War Rallying Point Opens in Leesburg (VIDEO)
New brochure highlights Loudoun Civil War sites, markers, offers contest for a stay in a place Robert E. Lee’s called home, for at least one night
This year marks the second year in the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War. It touched many lives and communities, especially here in Virginia. Loudoun was a community that saw numerous conflicts, passing of armies north and south, and neighbors fighting neighbors. Two new developments will make your experience exploring Loudoun’s Civil War past easier and more enjoyable. On March 3rd, historic Morven Park, a historic estate just outside Leesburg, opened its doors for the season, and opened its “Rallying Point,” a Loudoun Civil War interpretive center. It features an on-site docent knowledgeable about Loudoun’s Civil War history, videos, artifacts found on the estate, brochures, and more. The Rallying Point is free, but other areas on the estate, including the mansion and reconstructed soldier huts, are extra. For an overview of the opening event, watch the video here:
Visitors can also pick up a copy of a new “Loudoun County in the Civil War” brochure, which provides a county-wide map of Loudoun’s Civil War attractions, as well as an overview of the war in Loudoun, short histories of significant battles, and descriptions of sites and Civil War-related historic markers. A contest is also incorporated, and gives one lucky winner the opportunity to stay the weekend in a historic Leesburg home that Robert E. Lee stayed in and planned his invasion of the North with his high command in September of 1862. To register for the contest, go to the Visit Loudoun Facebook page.
For more information on Loudoun in the Civil War, check out CivilWar.VisitLoudoun.org. It’s worth a look, too. You can watch it snow, explore the interactive timeline, watch videos, and immerse yourself in 360 degree images of Civil War locations.
