"1861: Preparation for War"

Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
1020 Caroline Street

Friday & Saturday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

Tour the Apothecary to learn of Dr. Mercer's treatments for ills and injuries and stroll through the shop's physic garden to learn about the medicinal plants Dr. Mercer would have used.

In 1861, with their men preparing to go to war, the ladies of Fredericksburg are busily using their needles, spinning wheels and looms to provide them with the clothing they will need.

Saturday from 12 to 4 pm and Sunday from 2 to 4pm observe members of the Frederickburg Spinners and Weavers Guild as they demonstrate various skills which show how women in the 19th century aided their loved ones and their cause.

The herbs you see in the garden would also have been used in the Civil War era by medical personnel and by families at home.

Rising Sun Tavern
1304 Caroline Street

Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

George Washington's youngest brother, Charles, built this landmark in 1760 as his private residence. The building became a tavern in 1792. Today, "tavern wenches" and male "indentured servants" tell of a typical stay for upper, middling, & lower classes at a colonial tavern.

As both sides prepared for war, many "firsts" of the Civil War were ushered in, such as the first aerial reconnaissance, the first use of blackouts and camouflage due to balloon spying, and the first donations of silk dress material by the ladies of the South for making balloons. Northern balloons were of cotton. Visit us on Saturday & Sunday to see examples of each and meet Union Gen. Joe Hooker who was so interested in the value of aerial warfare that he actually tried it himself.

As medical preparations were made in the South, President Jefferson Davis commissioned the first woman to rank in her own right. Capt. Sally Tompkins ran the Confederate hospital in Richmond which was so clean only a few died from infection. Listen to historian Dal Mallory talk about this remarkable woman on Saturday from 11-11:30 a.m. and from 2-2:30 p.m. on the tavern porch.

One of the things which helped to prepare people for worship as well as for war was the writing of many songs both sacred and secular. They served to uplift the hearts of military and civilian alike. Come hear the beautiful September Serenade of the Mary Washington Civil War Reenactors each day.

Samples of coffee and hard tack will be available.

Mary Washington House
1200 Charles Street

Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

Tour the home where Mary Ball Washington, mother of our first President, lived for the last seventeen years of her life. Among the period furnishings are some of Mary's personal possessions, including her "best dressing glass" willed at her death to George. Then enjoy a leisurely walk through the garden which was re-created by the Garden Club of Virginia in 1969.

The exhibit here will feature a quilt display upstairs. One room will highlight quilts from the general time period of the Civil War. All are owned by local quilt collectors. In addition, a small collection of quilts made by local Preservation Virginia members will be shown.

On Saturday plan to visit the garden and kitchen where the focus will be on life in the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania area during the Civil War. Civil War Civilians of Spotsylvania (CWCS) will be discussing what was going on from the fall of 1860 to the fall of 1861. They will be emphasizing the lives of citizens in the area and the movement to secede from the United States. The vote to secede was taken in May 1861.

For a lighter note, there will also be demonstrations of Civil War dancing Saturday afternoon.

St. James House
1300 Charles Street

The St. James' House will be open Monday, October 3 through Saturday October 8 from 1-4 pm. Plan to visit this splendid example of an 18th-century gentleman's home which dates from the 1760's. St. James' has been lovingly restored and filled with an outstanding collection of antiques.

Raffle

Raffle Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and are available at the Mary Washington House Gift Shop, the Rising Sun Tavern, and the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop.
The raffle drawing will be at the Mary Washington House on Sunday, September 18 at 3:30 p.m. You need not be present to win.

Silent Auction

Civil War Dinner
Minimum Bid - $80 per table of 4
Four tables available for bidding
The dinners will be on November 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Rising Sun Tavern
Bidding sheets and further details at the Rising Sun Tavern

75 minute Signature Massage from Rae of Light Massage Therapy
Minimum Bid $30
Bidding sheet and further details at the Mary Washington House

Ticket Information
A block discount admission ticket to the properties is available at each site.

Adults - $10
Age 6 – 18 - $5
The block discount tickets are valid only September 16, 17 and 18, 2011.

Tickets honored for admission:
Block Discount Ticket
Individual Site Admission
Day Pass
Timeless Ticket

Find the Perfect Gift at the Mary Washington House Museum Shop!

English porcelain
Assorted teas
Dionis and Baudelaire soaps and lotion
Historic books for adults and children
Signature preserves and jams
And much more!

All proceeds from sales in the Gift Shop fund restoration projects for our local Preservation Virginia properties.