Provided by Prince William County
There are summer camps, free movies and lots more happening this month at historic sites throughout the county!
WWII Weekend at Rippon Lodge
The WWII Weekend at Rippon Lodge is this weekend, July 13 and 14, from 11:00 a. m. to 4:00 p. m. This free event will cover the lives of WWII soldiers in the European and Pacific Theatres, with living historians playing Allied and Axis troops. Visitors will see how people on the home front supported the war effort and artifacts will be on display. Visitors will also learn about Admiral Black, a WWII veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, who was the last private owner of Rippon Lodge. There will be tours, crafts and demonstrations at the house, at 15520 Blackburn Road in Woodbridge.
Museum Kids Monday
Museum Kids Monday will be at Ben Lomond Historic Site on July 15 from 10:00 to 11:00 a. m. Kids will be able to explore history through sight, sound, touch and smell with hands-on activities and crafts. Varying topics each month include archaeology, farming and 19th-century toys. Adults must be able to participate with the children ages nine and under. Call the Ben Lomond Historic Site at 703-376-7872 to learn about the subject of the month. Reservations are not required. The cost is $5 per child. The site is at 10321 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas.
Civil War Basic Summer Camp
The Civil War Basic Summer Camp at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre is the place for children aged 8-12 who want to learn more about the Civil War. The camp is full of hands-on activities as children learn about and experience an enlistment, drill and tactics, uniforms, equipment, flags, food and shelters used by Confederate and Union soldiers during the American Civil War. The camp, which costs $130 per child, runs from 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 noon, July 15-19. It will include a field trip to the 1861 portion of the Manassas National Battlefield Park. Call 703-365-7895 for more information.
158th Anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas
The Ben Lomond Civil War Anniversary Weekend is July 20 and 21, the 158th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas. Visitors will learn how the house, at 10321 Sudley Manor Drive, Manassas, served as a field hospital to treat the wounded after the battle. Civil War historic interpreters will show how soldiers were treated during the war. There will be demonstrations, tours, children’s activities and special evening tours. Historian and blogger Harry Smeltzer will give a lecture titled “McDowell’s Plan at Bull Run” at 11:00 a. m. on Saturday. The programs run Saturday between 10″00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. and again between 6:30 p. m. and 8:30 p. m. Hours on Sunday are from 10″00 a. m. to 3:00 p. m. The event is free.
The Battle of Bull Run Bus Tour is also held in remembrance of the 158th anniversary of the Battle of First Manassas. The bus will leave Ben Lomond Historic Site at 9:00 a. m. on July 21 for a special tour of the Manassas Battlefield. The $90 tour will include Blackburn’s Ford, Signal Hill, Stonebridge and more. Lunch will be included. Advance registration is required. Call 703-367-7872.
Camps
The Civil War Homefront Camp is for children aged 8-13 and is designed to give participants a feel for the life of a young person who stayed at home while fathers and older brothers were off fighting in the Civil War. Farm chores, 19th-century fishing, writing letters to loved ones, sewing and needlework will be among the activities at the camp. On the last day, participants will enjoy a community picnic with homemade ice cream. The camp runs from 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 noon each day from July 22 through July 26 at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, 12239 Bristow Road, Bristow . The cost is $150. Advance registration is required. Call 703-365-7895.
For children aged 8-15, the Life at Historic Rippon Lodge Summer Camp offers the chance to learn what it was like to live at the lodge 270 years ago. Campers will participate in crafts, chores and hands-on activities related to colonial life. The camp runs from 9:00 a. m. to 12:00 noon, July 29- Aug. 1, and the cost is $80 per participant. Call 703-499-9812 to register.
Movie
The free, classic movie night at the Brentsville Courthouse will show “The Apple Dumpling Gang” starting at 8:30 p. m. on July 27. Bring blankets and chairs to the courthouse for the annual event. Activities for children begin at 7:30 p. m. and concessions will be available for purchase.
