blenheim

You could drive by this place fifty times and not know what it is. Stop sometime and see what's hidden in Fairfax. You can't go in the original house, but the modern interpretive center does a good job telling the story. And the prople working there are very helpful. You can also walk down the trails and see the other buildings there. It's a short stop, but worth the trip.

Not much to see after you gave seen the real Blenheim. It is easy to find in Fairfax not too far for the Beltway. There Are plenty of good restaurants in the area. I was disappointed after driving to see it plus I took out of state visitors.

I don't know what Tessa C is talking about........Blenheim is a hidden gem! The volunteers are among the most enthusiastic and informative I've ever encountered. No one can expect to learn all about the Civil War in a hour. But immerse yourself in the writings left by these Union soldiers and you will feel history coming alive like you've never experienced it before! No other historical site has given me a sense of what the people were actually feeling and experiencing as Blenheim does. I've been in many museums, churches, and historical houses around the world, but never felt I was experiencing how the people "thought" at that particular time in history. My husband and I spent three hours examining the graffiti, also totally in awe realizing the labor of love performed by the archeologists who have for years been painstakingly uncovering the paint and wallpaper to reveal these hidden messages of war and all the feelings they unearthed. Blenheim is so good, I'm bringing friends back here soon to share this treasure with them.

This restored home has a small museum and interpretive signs all in the heart of Fairfax. Gives a nice glimpse into a family's history and a house's role in the war. And it's free...

Blenheim offers visitors a look at Civil War grafitti written by wounded soldiers housed in the historic home. Because of fire safety regulations, you can't visit the actual upstairs rooms and attic where the grafitti appears. However, the onsite interpretive center features full-size photo images of the grafitti as well as helpful commentary, giving visitors a look into the personal thoughts and feelings of men caught up in the war and fighting pain and boredom while recuperating. This area is also the site of Civil War re-enactments featuring authentically garbed and equipped volunteers who turn their love of history into a living history lesson for visitors.

I visited this historic site with a friend. It is free to visit, and there are free guided tours led by volunteers. It is an interesting site, and the Civil War soldier graffiti is worth the look. You will get more out of this visit if you are somewhat educated on Civil War history. The tour guides are volunteers, and not really very informative, so don't expect to learn much from the tour. Their job is more to escort you thru the property. We were only allowed on the first floor of the house, but the reproduction of the attic in the visitor center is the main attraction. You cannot see this actual part of the house on the tour due to instability of the home. You can see the entire site in less than one hour.

This unassuming farmhouse contains a treasure trove of over 100 original signatures and pieces of graffiti drawn by union soldiers during the Cival War. While being treated for wounds and sickness, many soldiers left their names and drawings (some a bit risque) in the attic and other walls of the farmhouse. Some have only recently been revealed through the painstaking process of the removal of 8 layers of paint and wallpaper. Hilde, our guide, was very pleasant and informative as she led us over the grounds to visit the learning center (which can be rented), Grandma Farr's Cottage, and family cemetary.