ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Today’s walk included an appearance by my special guest, the lovely Thurraya. The weather was beautiful and so was the company.

Completed in September 1861, Fort Ward was one of the 164 earthwork forts and batteries known as the Defenses of Washington designed to protect the Union capital city during the U.S. Civil War. Named for Commander James H. Ward, the first Union naval officer to die in the Civil War, the original fort had a 540-yard perimeter and emplacements for 24 guns.

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GREAT FALLS, Va. — Located along the Potomac River, upstream of Great Falls National Park, Riverbend Park is a 400-acre park operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority. The remote river setting includes a 2.5-mile portion of the Potomac Heritage Trail.

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TRIANGLE, Va. — I took advantage of the beautiful weather today for another visit to Prince William Forest Park.

Throughout its history, the park served as the home of Native Americans, colonists, and American Revolutionary and Civil War troops. Oak Ridge, known as the Prince William County Poorhouse, and Batestown, founded by free and former enslaved African-Americans, were also located in this area.

The current park was originally established In 1936 as the Chopawamsic Recreation Demonstration Area and served as the home of children's 'relief' camps during the Great Depression. During this period, the U.S. Civilian Conservation Corps constructed five cabin camp units to support the program. During World War II, the Office of Strategic Services was headquartered on the site and it served as a spy and radio operator training ground. The area was officially renamed Prince William Forest Park in 1948.

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MANASSAS, Va. — I finally got the family to join me as I did today's walk at Manassas National Battlefield Park. Together, we walked the Stone Bridge Loop Trail, a moderate 1.3 mile along Bull Run, past the site of the Van Pelt home, and a wooden boardwalk through a marsh.
The original Stone Bridge, built in 1825, played a key role in the area before and during the U.S. Civil War. The Confederates destroyed the bridge in March 1862 to prevent its use by the Union forces. Union Army engineers constructed a temporary wooden span, but after suffering a defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) the bridge was the primary line of retreat for Union forces who destroyed it after they crossed the river. The current bridge was fully rebuilt by 1884.

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