Encompassing more than 125,000 square feet, Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum is no ordinary museum. It’s cool, combustive, and guaranteed to take you on an exhilarating walk down memory lane.

Experience the last century of agricultural heritage incorporating fully restored antique farm tractors, ongoing restoration projects, and other farm-related equipment. Keystone offers visitors more than the farm with a time warp of antique road trucks, classic cars, vintage gas pumps, oil cans, automotive signage, clocks, advertising posters of yesteryear, and so much more!

Founder Keith Jones and museum curator Alan “Bones” Stone will delight you with their hospitality and appreciation of the rich heritage of agriculture and automotive transport. Hundreds of farm tractors are on display in this private collection dating back to 1917 through 1960. A timeline of agriculture’s heritage, with a beautiful award-winning display of Deere’s features, one of each of the twenty-eight John Deere two-cylinder models from the Waterloo Boy through the 830.

Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum’s stunning collection features rare tractors such as the UDLX Minneapolis Moline (only 25 known restored today), the Sampson Jumbo, Silver Kings, and a Graham Bradley farm tractor that was sold by Sears and Allis-Chalmers. Plus, a lineup of the Massey Harris, Massy Ferguson, Farmall, Case, and Oliver farm tractors. Lastly, the Cockshutt farm tractor showcases the models 30, 40, 50 & 70.

Keystone also features an extensive collection of Antique Road Trucks such as Diamond T, Mack, Brockway, International, Kenworth, and White, just to name a few, and more are constantly rolling in!

The Museum collection is growing; you’ll want to visit often to see what’s been added to this premier private collection! Bring the kids and learn about and experience the evolution of agriculture in America.

Rooms in the museum can also be rented out as event venues and can seat up to 200 people. You can grab a hearty bite to eat during your perusal at the on-site restaurant, the Keystone Grill!

There are RV spaces at Keystone for overnight stays.

The post Keystone Truck & Tractor Museum appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The Park’s facilities and programs appeal to casual visitors, serious students of Civil War-era history, and families alike. Pamplin Historical Park has received accolades from a wide range of national and regional media and has been rated by AAA Automotive Club as a Gem attraction. The Park is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Museums

Visit the Park’s four award-winning museums and: explore the everyday world of Civil War soldiers; discover why for millions of Americans, the Southern way of life in the 1860s was ”A Land Worth Fighting For;” learn why slavery became such a divisive issue in 1850s America; understand why one of the Civil War’s most important battles took place on a seemingly remote Virginia farm.

Historic Homes

Explore the lives of free and enslaved antebellum Southerners in the context of original historic homes and recreated 19th-century environments. For generations, these buildings housed the hopes and dreams of Southern families. When the war came, they served as headquarters for the military leaders on which their future depended.

Battlefields

The campaign for Petersburg lasted 292 days in 1864 and 1865. The battle that determined the outcome of the campaign occurred on April 2, 1865 and involved an attack of more than 14,000 Union troops on a section of Confederate fortifications on the Banks, Hart, and Boisseau farms. Known as ”The Breakthrough” and declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006, this Union victory forced General Robert E. Lee to evacuate both Richmond and Petersburg. One week later, Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox Court House, signaling the virtual end of the Civil War.

and More!

Those who wish to book groups of 10 or more, educational programs or inquire and book facility rentals can call (804) 861-2408 or email generalmailbox@pamplinpark.org. More information is also available for groups on the park’s website at www.pamplinpark.org.

The post Pamplin Historical Park & The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The Church’s fifteen exquisite windows were commissioned by the Ladies’ Memorial Association of Petersburg in memory of soldiers buried at the adjacent Blandford Cemetery. From 1901 to 1912, Tiffany and his team of artists designed, created, and installed the windows.

A guided tour of the Church Museum reveals its history as an 18th-century Anglican house of worship, its eventual abandonment and fall into disrepair, its use as a field hospital during the Siege of Petersburg, and its restoration.

Blandford Cemetery, one of the oldest and largest in America, is the resting place of veterans and many others who are part of the region’s history.  A tour includes monuments and tombs, and funerary art representing outstanding examples of eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth-century gravestones, sculptures, and decorative iron fences.

Did You Know?
America’s Memorial Day Holiday was inspired by events at Blandford Church Museum and Cemetery. Soon after the Civil War ended, Mary Logan, wife of Union Commander General John A. Logan, witnessed a group of schoolgirls placing flowers on the graves of soldiers. Deeply moved when she saw the ritual repeated the next year, she related the story to her husband, who took steps that ultimately led to the observance of Memorial Day as a national holiday.

The post Blandford Church Museum and Cemetery appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The cemetery was originally deeded by William H. and Edith Williams. With one acre in 1840, the cemetery reached a total of 8.2 acres by 1880. It was Petersburg’s first black-owned cemetery and became the largest black cemetery in the city. The graves at People’s Memorial Cemetery include slaves, a 19th-century member of the Virginia House of Delegates, veterans of the Civil War and other wars through World War II.

The cemetery is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places.

The post People’s Cemetery appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

Weston Manor is the very essence of the eighteenth-century Tidewater mansion. Built in 1789 by William and Christian Eppes Gilliam, it is notable for retaining much of its original interior. The distinctive moldings, wainscotings and chair rails are mostly original and the spiral stairway features concave paneling. The tour includes all three floors, grounds and gardens.

Visitors learn about the generations of families who resided at Weston, the Civil War adventures of young Emma and George Wood based on her own journal. She recounts the time when the yard of the house was caught in a crossfire between Union gunboats and Confederate cavalrymen. When Emma’s sister was stricken with a debilitating illness, she recalls, President Lincoln’s own physician Dr. Joseph K. Barnes personally saw to her care. Today, the lives of the children are interpreted during Weston’s annual “Emma and George Days”, a two-day event during which visitors can learn about how children lived during the conflict that tore our nation apart. Through activities, exploration, crafts, and games, students gain an appreciation for history and life in a time long past.

Did You Know
Even though the Civil War is long over, soldiers still wander the halls of Weston Plantation! The home is famously haunted by the specters of fallen soldiers.

The post Weston Manor appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The quarter-mile drag strip offers a variety of racing events featuring dragsters, funny cars, jet cars, street rods, motorcycles, and monster trucks. It seats 23,000 spectators and has 60 acres of pit space.

The Mud Bog is home to some of the dirtiest action in racing. Its two tracks feature over 200 feet of mud-slinging challenges. Events sanctioned by the National Mud Bog Association include the Spring Fling Mud Sling, Dinwiddie Mud Bash, and Mud Mania.

The new Family All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Park offers over 250 acres of riding space, a pavilion, a picnic area, a snack bar, and showers. There are three trails for all skill levels.

VMP hosts events nearly every weekend from March through November. Check out upcoming events: https://racevmp.com/events/list/.

For the third consecutive season, the stars and cars of Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings return to Virginia Motorsports Park on Friday and Saturday, June 9-10, 2023. VIP No Limit/Super Fan, Super Seating, and Suite ticket upgrades are available along with general admission tickets to the event. RV Campground spots are for sale now as well.

https://tickets.thefoat.com/StreetOutlaws/event-241292/clear_cart-1

The post Virginia Motorsports Park appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The post Cedar Lane Farm appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The 2,700 acre park contains a 16-stop driving tour which takes visitors through all four units of the Battlefield: Grant’s Headquarters at City Point (present day Hopewell); the Eastern Front, where the initial assaults and the battles of the Crater and Fort Stedman occurred; the Western Front, where intense fighting continued as Grant’s Army encircled the city while struggling to destroy the last of Lee’s supply lines; and the Five Forks Battlefield, a battle in which the outcome would eventually lead to the Confederates’ retreat to Appomattox and Lee’s surrender.

General Grant’s Headquarters at City Point
While laying siege to Petersburg, Grant established his headquarters at City Point, a small port town at the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers. Overnight, the town and adjacent Appomattox Plantation became one of the busiest ports in the world as hundreds of ships delivered food, clothing and ammunition. Huge warehouses built along the waterway stored food for 100,000 men and forage for 65,000 horses and mules. Seven hospitals covering an area of 200 acres could treat up to 10,000 patients.

While running the war from City Point, General Grant received many notable political and military visitors, including President Abraham Lincoln (visit walkinlincolnsfinalfootsteps) and General William T. Sherman. The most welcome visitors were his wife and son, who stayed with him in his cabin for the last three months of the siege.

Eastern Front Visitor Center and Driving Tour
The Eastern Front Visitor Center features exhibits and audio-visual programs that introduce the story of the siege and its impact on the course of the Civil War. A driving tour of the battlefields includes 13 separate sites with three contact stations along a 37-mile route. http://www.nps.gov/pete/planyourvisit/upload/PETEmap1.pdf  Park staff will answer questions and provide information to help you make the best use of your time.

Battle of the Crater
A highlight of the Eastern Front driving tour is the scene of one of the war’s most spectacular events, the Battle of the Crater.

In an effort to punch a hole in the Confederate’s defensive fortifications and capture Petersburg, a Union regiment from a coal mining region of Pennsylvania dug a tunnel 510 feet long under a part of Lee’s line call Elliott’s Salient. On July 30, 1864 they lit the fuse and four tons of gun powder roared to life, instantly killing and wounding 278 Confederate soldiers and creating a crater 25 feet deep and 180 feet long. A Union infantry attack soon followed, but it immediately ran into trouble. Instead of skirting the hole, many of the unprepared and ill-led troops pulled up short and ran right into the still smoldering crater. A Confederate counter-attack forced more Federals into the “horrid pit” where they were shot, bayoneted and blown to bits by mortars. The Confederate lines held and the Union’s opportunity to shorten the siege was lost. General Grant said of the catastrophe at the Crater, “It was the saddest affair I have ever witnessed in the war.”’

A loop walking trail leads from the parking lot to the tunnel entrance then follows the Union mine shaft to Elliott’s Salient where the explosion and battle occurred.

Western Front Driving Tour
This driving tour explores where the fighting took place for the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad and the Union Army’s attempts to sever the South Side rail line. Poplar Grove National Cemetery, the final resting place of over 6,000 Federal soldiers who fell in battles from Petersburg to Lynchburg, is a highlight of the tour.

Five Forks Battlefield
By the spring of 1865, the last remaining supply line into Petersburg was the South Side Railroad. On March 29, 1865, Grant sent his forces on a westward movement to cut this major artery, knowing that it would cause Lee to abandon Petersburg and Richmond. Countering this move, Lee sent 10,000 troops under Major General George E. Pickett to an important road junction called Five Forks, which protected the railroad. On April 1, 22,000 Union troops under Major General Philip H. Sheridan attacked and defeated Pickett’s force at Five Forks. The fall of Richmond was assured. The next day Grant assaulted Petersburg, which along with Richmond was evacuated that night. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House just seven days later.

A short driving tour is available to explore the battlefield in more detail.

Did You Know?
The Union army was able to produce 100,000 rations of bread a day in bakeries it had built at City Point.

Equestrian
The National Park Service’s Petersburg National Battlefield offer miles of multi-use public trails available to horseback riders at the Eastern Front and at Five Forks Battlefield. Horse trailer parking is available.

The post Petersburg National Battlefield appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

One of Virginia’s Most Historic Counties

The artifacts and exhibits in the Prince George County Regional Heritage Center tell the story of the county from its earliest beginnings to the present day. Founded in 1702, the county’s borders originally stretched to North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition to being noteworthy for its large land area, Prince George has produced many fascinating people and possesses a rich and immersive history.

Native son, Edmund Ruffin was a noted scientist and agriculturalist who is credited with new farming methods that saved farmland throughout the region. Ruffin was also an ardent secessionist who was present at Fort Sumpter when the first shot of the Civil War was fired. During that war, much of what now comprises the city of Petersburg and Dinwiddie County was within the borders of Prince George.  Much of the fighting in the Petersburg Campaign occurred on Prince George County soil. The “Beefsteak Raid”, a daring cavalry attack orchestrated by Confederate General Wade Hampton to capture 2,500 head of cattle from the Union Army, took place along the shores of the James River in Prince George. This epic story and others like it are represented and related in the Heritage Center by illustrative and explanatory artifacts and exhibits.

The Center’s exhibits tell the fascinating story of the County’s history from prehistoric, through first inhabitants to 20th century immigration, and all of the wars that have touched its soils.  African-American history, Czech and Slovak heritage, religions, education, many generations, all represented and presented in the Heritage Center state-of-the art exhibits and programs. Located in the 1883 courthouse, the old courtroom is also open to visitors.

Did You Know?
Prince George County is named after Prince George of Denmark, the consort of Queen Anne. Together they ruled Great Britain until his death in 1708.

The post Prince George County Regional Heritage Center appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

Shortly before the beginning of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, a television reporter asked a retired Army general to speculate on the tactics that would be used to drive Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait. The general responded, “Amateurs focus on tactics, but professionals focus on logistics.”

Logistics, the art, and science of moving tons of food, fuel, clothing, and ammunition to troops thousands of miles from home, has been the genius of the U.S. Army throughout its history. And this fascinating story is told only at Fort Gregg-Adams (formerly Fort Lee) U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum.

Since its birth during the Revolutionary War in 1775, the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps has fed, clothed, and equipped the U.S. Army. The Museum’s many exhibit galleries tell the stories of how the Quartermasters have provided logistical support from Valley Forge and Little Big Horn to Vietnam and the present day.

Some of the Museum’s significant artifacts include the nation’s first 50-star flag, General George Patton’s World War II jeep, General Grant’s Civil War saddle, and General Eisenhower’s World War II field quarters. Others include uniforms, flags, weapons, horse equipment; food preparation, mortuary affairs, water, petroleum, and air delivery equipment. The Museum has more than 30,000 artifacts.

Admission free. Gift shop on-site. Visitors must use the Sisisky Gate on Route 36 (picture ID, vehicle registration/ insurance required).

The post U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

Overlooking Lake Chesdin in the heart of Virginia, our waterfront Tasting Room and event spaces offer the perfect blend of grandeur & comfort for any occasion. Escape into the countryside for a glass of estate-grown wine, fine cuisine to share with friends, private events, or a sunset over the lake and enjoy the drive through our 170-acre farm & vineyard on your way down to see us.

The post Riverside Vines Winery appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The U.S. Army Women’s Museum honors women’s contributions to the Army from the Revolutionary War to the present, telling their stories with artifacts, interactive exhibits, educational programs, videos, dioramas, historical displays, and photographs throughout the galleries, and film presentations in the theater.

Among the many fascinating women you will learn about are Margaret Corbin who took up arms and fought in place of her fallen husband during the Revolutionary War, and Cathay Williams, who hid her true identity and changed her name to William Cathay in order to fight as a Buffalo Soldier.

The museum has an exhibit that interprets the many roles of women in support of the Union and Confederate Soldiers. The fascinating stories of nurses and spies are highlighted and a special section on the lengths to which women went to serve–even disguising themselves as men–are explored.

Enter a World War II barracks scene and join the ranks for a “GI” or Government Issue clothing inspection. Trace the history of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and the Women’s Army Corps from its beginning in 1942.

Learn about the important work of the Women’s Army Corps during the 1950s-1970s and the expanding opportunities afforded women in the decades after.

Women continue to play a vital role in today’s Army, having reached the top of the Army’s officer and enlisted ranks. They have commanded soldiers and fought on the front line in the Global War on Terrorism. American women have served on division staff, led convoys, laid miles of fuel pipelines across the desert, and patrolled the streets of foreign countries. In the last decade, the role of Army women has greatly expanded and continues to do so. Exhibits about their role in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan interpret their contributions.

Admission is free. Gift shop on-site. Visitors must use the Sisisky Gate on Route 36 (picture ID, vehicle registration/ insurance required).

The post U.S. Army Women’s Museum appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The basement galleries feature exhibitions on the history of Petersburg, including memorabilia and photographs from Centre Hill’s archives, a turn-of-the-century aviary of stuffed birds from Australia, and furnishings from First Baptist Church in Petersburg, the oldest African-American congregation in the United States.

Centre Hill has been used as a set for many feature films and TV series, including Killing Lincoln, Turn, and Mercy Street.

Admission fee charged. Gift shop on-site.

Did You Know?
For several years on the evening of January 24, residents of Centre Hill heard what they believed to be ghosts of Civil War soldiers marching up and down the home’s staircase. A ghost watch is held annually on that date.

The post Centre Hill Museum appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The post Tree Time Adventures appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

Group tours can be scheduled during May – October and watch the calendar for other special events. This is a Virginia farm that’s all about using Virginia products.

The post Richlands Dairy Farm & Creamery appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The post Hopewell Riverwalk appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

Each year in November, Battersea is the setting of the annual BBQ, Oysters, Battersea Festival featuring vintage British cars, music and fine drink. Other special events and tours are held throughout the year.

The post Battersea appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The post Willows Bend Farm appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

A beloved addition to Dinwiddie County, the store has delighted thousands with its fresh, made-to-order sandwiches. They also serve breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and gourmet sodas, making it a perfect spot to start your day or grab a quick bite. By sourcing many of their deli meats and market items from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the store offers an impressive selection of high-quality products, including jams, pickles, candy, spices, and grass-fed/pasture-raised beef and pork.

The bread for their sandwiches is baked fresh daily in-house and is available for purchase, along with an array of cookies, pies, cakes, and fruit breads. This dedication to freshness and quality is just one of the many reasons customers keep coming back.

Run by Mark and Beverly Webb, the Route 1 Country Store is truly a family affair. You might be served by one of their delightful children or even a friend from church, all of whom contribute to the warm, welcoming atmosphere. The service is friendly and efficient, and the store is impeccably clean.

Conveniently located just off I-85, this is an outstanding establishment for both locals and travelers. It’s an ideal lunch stop for those looking to avoid fast-food chains and enjoy a freshly made sandwich or homemade soup. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, the Route 1 Country Store is well worth a visit.

The post Route 1 Country Store appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.

The Beacon is also home to the Old Dominion Barn Dance featuring producer Donna Meade who is a former Mercury-Polygram recording artist and a member of Virginia’s Country Music Hall of Fame. Meade was married to Jimmy Dean. Since Dean’s passing in 2010, Donna is enjoying performing again as well as producing the Old Dominion Barn Dance. She is the writer of the Barn Dance theme, and her childhood sweetheart and husband of 8 years, Jayson Stevens, serves as production manager. Donna is proud to revive and preserve Virginia’s venerable country music show by presenting the best in traditional country and Bluegrass entertainment, and is honored to be serving as hostess!

The Beacon has two (2) beautifully appointed ballrooms for special events (weddings, reunions, receptions, socials, conferences, luncheons, corporate events, product launches, etc). The theater proper steadily features live music showcasing the intimacy of the venue and its status as a first-rate entertainment/corporate event facility.

The post Beacon Theatre appeared first on The Best Part of Virginia.