cedar creek & belle grove national historical park visitors contact station

This location is a great place to explore the history of the Shenandoah Valley, The Civil War and The Battle of Cedar Creek. Tour the mansion that was influenced by the architecture of Thomas Jefferson. Inquire about President Madison's visits and his sister Nellie Madison Hite and The Hite Family. Definitely ask about the importance of the Battle of Cedar Creek in the turning point of the Civil War and the revenge that was leveled on the southward advance up the valley. Ask about Sheridan's ride, the final muster and general Custer's involvement along with the curious comingling of sides over the death of General Ramseur of the south. You can tour the site and talk to the park personnel anytime of the year but October is the height of activity. This is when the re-enactment of the battle occurs and 1000's of visitors converge on the town for a historic festival. Also check the website to enjoy the numerous and diverse activities that occur throughout the year. Also ask about the auto tour.

Young park rangers Shannon and Kyle were outstanding and very accommodating. The Visitor station displays of area history were simple and very well done. The lighted topographic map is one of the best I've ever seen for a civil war battlefield. It gave an excellent presentation of the course of the fight before the tour. We were warned that the video monitor accompanying the map had a mind of its own. It didn't work, but in hindsight, we agreed that it would have taken attention away from map anyway. When I think about taxes used for this sort of service, it is gratifying. We had heard Shannon give a brief talk at Belle Grove plantation back in the spring of '14 and it peaked interest for our Old Farts Camp Out fraternity. This past weekend, this group of past youth leaders and dads who gather bi-annually, were treated to a weather conditions abbreviated tour of Middletown, Belle Grove and Cedar Creek battlefield area. While the terrain and the vistas give a great understanding of battle progress, the winter is actually an excellent time for this tour with leaves down. Ranger Kyle was our caravan guide in the field. He was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He gave you personal insight via photos, quotes, soldier letters, records of first hand accounts from that October 1865 to include the subsequent Burning of the Valley campaign. He encouraged questions, delighted in discussion, and gave presentations that a novice could understand and history buffs could appreciate. We discussed Sheridan's rally and its interesting details, but Custer gave us more side discussion.... his essential cavalry in this Yankee success, The Burning and his overwhelming victory later in Waynesboro. 25 years old, brevet Major General , successful aggressive tactician in command of many hundreds of cavalry troopers, and we started to think about our own mid 20 kids these days... wow. .Ranger Kyle's recommendations for local and additional exploring demonstrated his fire for diving into the surrounding countryside of his new station. We even discovered a shared enjoyment of an oatmeal stout of the nearby Backroom Brewery. Thank you to both Rangers

We first were invited to hear a lecture by a park guide, who besides being well-informed was an entertaining speaker. A rope was laid out on the lawn to show the winding course of the Shenendoah River and model houses were brought out to demonstrate farms there. We got good insights into the history of the valley: its Indian occupation, the battle that took place during the Civil War on this spot and the horrors of the burning of the valley. The tour of the manor, which has an imposing view of the valley, was instructive too.

Made plans to visit Cedar Creek Battlefield Visitors Center in May and found out 2 weeks ago that Center is closed on Mondays. Oh Oh. Well, Ranger and Guide Eric Campbell said, No Problemo and opened up for us on Monday. He actually came in on his day off to open the Center for us. We saw the exhibits and watched the light show which explained the battle. Then, to top off his excellent service, he lent us his driving CD and off we went. What a great example for rangers. I hope he is director of the entire Gettysburg battlefield someday. He is an inspiration to all. The Foundation was also closed on Monday and there was NO Way, they were going to open for anyone.

We visited Belle Grove and the Cedar Creek Battlefield Visitor's Center just 2 weeks before their 150 th anniversary weekend. At both places we got wonderful information from the Park Service Rangers helping us understand the battle's importance and the impact the topography had on the battle. At Belle Grove the Ranger used ropes on the ground to show how the rivers in the area twist and turn. Then she had other visuals to show which troops were where, how they moved, how the battle went. At the National Park Visitor Center in Middletown, a topographical map lighted up to coordinate battlefield action with a narrated slide show. In addition there were other displays around the museum part of the center. There is a fee for touring Belle Grove Plantation House. I'm not sure whether there was a fee at the National Park Visitor Center - we have senior citizen lifetime passes, and we did not have to pay.

Tucked at the end of a small strip Mall in Middletown VA is this most important starting point for the area. Rangers and Volunteers are most informative. Everything is within just a few minutes drive and try to avail yourself of the Belle Grove Plantation tour. Well worth it.

The Contact Station is located in a mini-shopping center along Route 11 in Middletown, VA. There is a small museum that gives the background of the Battle of Cedar Creek. The Park Rangers and Volunteers are very helpful in providing orientation and tour information to visitors. This is a must-stop if you want to visit the Cedar Creek/Belle Grove Battlefield.

We spent four days in the area for the Cedar Creek 150th Anniversary. First stop was the visitor center. Hard to find if you don't have good directions. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but larger and nicer inside. Very helpful rangers and interpretative map with the outline of the battle. Over the next 3 days we attended numerous park ranger talks at the various sites. The rangers were well informed and the talks presented with enthusiasm, well noted by the number of attendees. We as visitors are privileged to have been part of this great occassion.

Stopped in on a Friday morning. Got a good understanding of the battle from the electric map and the staff. A nice Jr ranger program is present. Received good information on the various partners that make up this park.

This is a very enjoyable and informative place to visit. The mansion is beautiful and the surrounding scenery outstanding.

We visited the Belle Grove Plantation during Virginia's Historic Open House Weekend. The is situated in a pastoral setting with views of great views of the Massanutten and Allegheny Mountains. The limestone house is beautiful, furnished with period pieces. Our tour guide was organized and knowledgeable. They have picnic tables available, which we took advantage of. When passing through this lovely area, this estate is well worth visiting.

This visitor center was a little hard to find even with my GPS, but it was a nice little museum with a well done light up map display that explains the intricacies of a complicated Civil War battle. It is only about a 20 minute stop, but they can give you info about other sites in the area.

National Park properties come in many forms. This one is a Partnership Park, with four different elements: the park headquarters which houses their administration, the Visitor Contact Station, the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation down the road, and Belle Grove Inc., which operates the plantation. Each of the latter three is interesting. The battlefield is interesting as the site of one of the pivotal battles late in the Civil War, which was also a remarkable come-from-behind win for the Union. Belle Grove is interesting as a fairly intact plantation, the home of President Madison's sister, and the quickly lost headquarters of the Union at the Battle of Cedar Creek. The NPS has a 2.2-hour free tour and some other programs. For those with limited time, or who aren't real Civil War buffs, the Visitor Contact Station is the best place to stop. It has excellent displays interpreting the history of the area, the battle and the plantation, as well as an audio-visual display that very clearly shows and describes the course of the battle.This is a worthwhile stop for educational purposes, and it is one of the most accessible, being a very short drive, less than 3/4-mile, off of Exit 302, I-81.The plantation has a fee for tours. The rest is free.

When I can, I try to stop at the visitor centers that are run by the National Park Service, for I usually find them well worth the time. What's nice about this one is that you are not really going out of your way, if you are visiting either the battlefield or the plantation--you can get clear directions/info. here, including ranger programs. However, I was disappointed somewhat, because there's not a lot to see at this visitor center itself, although I was told it was recently renovated. (The days/hours listed in the AAA guidebook are wrong; they are open 7 days a week, 8:30 am -- 4:30 pm; check the NPS website; it offers a good deal of info.) Nevertheless I did learn about the Cedar Creek battle, which I had never heard of before. There isn't a movie or slide show, but there is a model that lights up in appropriate places when the audio commentary describes the battle--how each side advanced over the countryside, etc. It was very effective. There's also some placards that provide information about key individuals and the agricultural and religious background of this part of the country. I hope as time goes on more information will be added in this center. There's slight mention of Native Americans, but I would have liked far more. As it's free, I do recommend a short stop; you only need about 30 minutes, if that. You can also get a passport stamp here, for your NPS booklet.