A Welcome from our Vice President

Welcome to our website.

One of our goals is to encourage visitors to the Manassas Battlefield to spend a whole day here. So many vacationers stop by the Visitor Center, browse a few minutes in the museum, take a short walk in the field where the battle of First Manassas was decided, and then leave. We know from our own experience that there is so much more to appreciate here, and we want to introduce you to this valued memorial in such a way that you will want to explore and experience it for yourselves.

We invite you to listen to noted historians describing the dramatic events that occurred here [our site is still under construction, and this section will be ready soon]. You will want to hear Edwin Bearss' (the eminent Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service) vivid interpretations of First and Second Manassas. Our website will introduce you to the two battles fought here, and to the Civil War in general. However, no internet experience can quite compare with actually being here, with standing where Stonewall Jackson made his stands, with taking a tour guided by an experienced Park Ranger...

We also invite you to explore our region's history, compliments of a network of local museums and historical organizations who are striving to preserve and present our mutual heritage. Northern Virginia offers a nearly unique perspective on the panoramic sweep of American history, from the earliest colonial settlements, to rural and small town development, to the hi-tech present. While the Civil War stands by itself as our Nation's most tragic episode, we cannot fully appreciate how that terrible conflict occurred or how it still affects all of us today unless we view it in the context of this panoramic sweep of history. We encourage you to browse our sister organizations' websites, and then to come on down and to personally experience their interpretations of and insights into our history.

We know that family vacations require catering to different tastes. Not everyone is as enthusiastic as you are about tramping across battlefields, or as obsessed with relics and museums. So our site also introduces you to beautiful and challenging golf courses, Virginia's largest discount mall, and many other opportunities for recreation and entertainment. In addition, this locale offers convenient access to our Nation's Capital, to Mount Vernon, and to many other vacation destinations.

So, enjoy our website, and just maybe we will see you soon...

Harvey Simon
Vice President
Friends of MNBP