Sites and Scenes Around the City

Although the monuments that draw visitors to the District are national icons, many places not far from the city and Maryland and Virginia also have stories to tell.

Visitors can sample 18th-century town life at Maryland's first capital or learn about colonial agriculture at a farm or plantation of the era.

Other places are very much of the 21st century, with displays on unmanned space exploration and aviation from airplanes to orbiters.

The nation's military conflicts and those who fought them are remembered on Civil War battlefields in Northern Virginia, at monuments across the region and at Arlington National Cemetery.

In the Washington region, one is never far from a connection with the nation's founders, and many of their homes are open for visitors.

Following is a list of attractions outside the District. For information on others, visit these Web sites: www.mdisfun.org or www.virginia.org.

Arlington National Cemetery
Memorial Drive Southern end of Memorial Bridge
Arlington, Va. 22211
Phone: 703-607-8000
Web site: www.arlingtoncemetery.org

Major attractions include the Tomb of the Unknowns, where a formal changing of the guard ceremony happens every half-hour in the summer and on the hour the rest of the year. The tomb contains the remains of unidentified U.S. service members from world wars I and II and the Korean War. Each was presented with the Medal of Honor at the time of interment, and the medals, as well as the flags that covered their caskets, are displayed inside the Memorial Amphitheater, to the rear of the tomb. The tomb is guarded at all times by the Army's Old Guard. Changing of the guard occurs on the hour Oct. 1-March 14 and every half-hour March 15-Sept. 30. The Women's Memorial, dedicated in 1997, pays tribute to all servicewomen in the U.S. armed forces. It is at the ceremonial entrance to the cemetery. Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily April 1-Sept. 30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. the rest of the year. Closed on Christmas.

Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre
12229 Bristow Rd.
Brentsville, Va. 20136
Phone: 703-365-7895
Web site: www.pwcgov.org

The center dates from the 1820s, when the county seat was established there. Today, Brentsville is the county's oldest surviving courthouse. The site also contains a jail, a one-room schoolhouse, a log cabin and the Brentsville Union Church. The jail and the log cabin are closed for renovations. The 24-acre grounds, which include hiking trails and a picnic area, are open from sunrise to sunset daily.

Calvert Marine Museum
14200 Solomons Island Rd. P.O. Box 97
Solomons, Md. 20688
Phone: 410-326-2042
Fax: 410-326-6691
Web site: www.calvertmarinemuseum.com
Email: information@calvertmarinemuseum.com

This public, nonprofit museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, research and interpretation of the culture and natural history of Southern Maryland. Its mission is to interpret three maritime themes: regional Miocene paleontology, estuarine life on the tidal Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay, and the maritime histories of these waters. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. Adults, $7; seniors, $6; ages 5-12, $2; 4 and younger, free; members, free.

Cannon Branch Fort
10509 Wakeman Dr.
Manassas, Va. 20110
Phone: 703-368-1873
Web site: www.manassasmuseum.org

This is one of two remaining Civil War earthworks fortifications in Manassas. Historians think they were built by Union troops in 1863 and 1864 as part of a series of forts meant to defend supply lines along the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The fort is under renovation.

Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory
9419 Battle St.
Manassas, Va. 20110
Phone: 703-330-ARTS (2787)
Web site: www.center-for-the-arts.org
Email: info@center-for-the-arts.org

The 1908 Hopkins Candy Factory was restored in 2001 and 2002 and a variety of arts programs.

Charles Carroll House
107 Duke of Gloucester St.
Annapolis, Md. 21401
Phone: 410-269-1737
Web site: www.charlescarrollhouse.com

Three generations of Carrolls, including Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived here. Hours: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays, May-October. Group and school tours by appointment.

Chase-Lloyd House
22 Maryland Ave.
Annapolis, Md. 21401
Phone: 410-263-2723

Built by Samuel Chase, an 18th-century lawyer and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, this Georgian-style townhouse is known for its interior detail. Hours: 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; 2-4 p.m. most Saturdays (call first), March-December. Admission: $2.

Fort Washington Park
13551 Fort Washington Rd.
Fort Washington, Md. 20744
Phone: 301-763-4600
Web site: www.nps.gov/fowa

This is one of the few seacoast forts in its original form. The 341-acre national park has hiking and biking trails and overlooks the Potomac River and Mount Vernon. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. April-Oct. 26; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Oct. 27-April 5, 2009. Park grounds are open 8 a.m.-dark. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. $3 per individual, $5 per vehicle.

Glen Echo Park
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, Md. 20812
Phone: 301-634-2222Phone: Fax: 301-634-2260
Recorded information: 301-320-2330
Web site: www.glenechopark.org+www.nps.gov/glec
Email:

The site features a historic carousel and ballroom. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-6 p.m. Sundays.

The Glen Echo Park carousel is prepped for a season opening. Photo by Katherine Frey/Special to TWP

Gunston Hall Plantation
10709 Gunston Rd.
Mason Neck, Va. 22079
Phone: 703-550-9220Phone: Fax: 703-550-9480
Web site: www.gunstonhall.org

This was the plantation home of George Mason, a framer of the U.S. Constitution. The home, built about 1755, is on 550 acres and is open for tours. Many special events take place here throughout the year. Hours: 9:30 a.m-5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Historic London Town and Gardens
839 Londontown Rd.
Edgewater, Md. 21037
Phone: 410-222-1919
Web site: www.historiclondontown.org
Email: londontown@historiclondontown.org

This 23-acre park and historic site on the South River in Edgewater is owned by Anne Arundel County and managed by the London Town Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Created in 1683, the town became an important tobacco port and ferry crossing. Today, London Town features the state's largest ongoing archaeological excavation, the National Historic Landmark William Brown House and reconstructed buildings of the "lost town," including the Lord Mayor's Tenement and Carpenter Shop. The site showcases several historic gardens and an eight-acre woodland garden. The foundation offers special events and educational programs throughout the year.
Hours: April-December, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays. House tours are given hourly, with the last tour beginning at 3 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays. January-March, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission: Guided historic area and self-guided garden tour, $12; seniors, $10; youths 7-18, $5; age 6 and younger, free. Self-guided historic area and garden tour, $8; seniors, $6; youths 7-18, $3; age 6 and younger, free. Reservations required for group tours of 10 or more. Free to members of the London Town Foundation.

Historic St. Mary's City
18751 Hogaboom Lane,
off Rosecroft Road
St. Mary's City, Md.
Phone: 240-895-4990
Phone: 800-762-1634
Web site: www.stmaryscity.org
Email: hsmc@smcm.edu

This outdoor living history museum and archaeological park documents the life of Maryland's first permanent colony and the first Colonial capital (1634-95), Godiah Spray Plantation, Woodland Indian Hamlet, 1676 State House, historic town center and the Dove, a replica of one of the two vessels that brought the original colonists. Exhibitions are open from mid-March through November, with special events on weekends through December. Adults, $10; seniors, $8; college students and students, 13-18, $6; children 6-12, $3.50; and children 5 and younger, free.

Manassas National Battlefield Park
6511 Sudley Rd.
Manassas, Va. 20109
Phone: 703-361-1339
Web site: www.nps.gov/mana

The 5,000-acre park was established in 1940 to preserve the scene of two major Civil War battles, including the first major engagement of the war in 1861. Visitors center hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Mormon Temple
9900 Stoneybrook Dr.
Kensington, Md. 20895
Phone: 301-587-0144Phone: 301-588-0650
Web site: www.lds.org/placestovisit

The world's third-largest Mormon temple is on 57 acres near the Capital Beltway. Visitors center hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily except in December, when it is open nightly until 10.

Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy.
Mount Vernon, Va. 22121
Phone: 703-780-2000
Web site: www.mountvernon.org

The estate of George Washington is open daily, year-round. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. April-August; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March, September and October; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February.

Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy.
Mount Vernon, Va. 22121
Phone: 703-780-2000
Web site: www.mountvernon.org

The estate, home and burial place of George Washington is eight miles south of the city of Alexandria. Hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily April-August; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March, September and October; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February. Adults, $13; seniors, $12; ages 6-11, $6; 5 and younger, free.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center
Soil Conservation Road and Explorer Drive
Greenbelt, Md. 20771
Phone: 301-286-9041
Fax: 301-286-1781
Web site: www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor
Email: gsfc-pao@listserv.gsfc.nasa.gov

The hub of all NASA tracking activities, Goddard is also responsible for the development of unmanned scientific spacecraft and research in space and earth sciences, including NASA's Mission to Planet Earth. Collections include space flight artifacts and photographs.
Visitors center hours: September-June, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays; noon-4 p.m. weekends; closed Mondays. July-August, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, noon-4 p.m., Saturdays; closed Sundays and Mondays. Closed on all federal holidays. Free.

National Colonial Farm at the Accokeek Foundation
3400 Bryan Point Rd.
Accokeek, Md. 20607
Phone: 301-283-2113, Ext. 15
Fax: 301-283-2049
Web site: www.accokeek.org
Email: programs@accokeek.org

The farm, an agricultural-historical museum project of the Accokeek Foundation, has exhibitions and demonstrations of the agricultural methods, crops and livestock of a modest Tidewater farm of the mid-18th century. Open throughout the school year for guided tours scheduled in advance. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, mid-March through mid-December; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, mid-December through mid-March. Guided tours available at 1 p.m. on weekends. $2; 50 cents, ages 4 to 11.

National Museum of the Marine Corps
18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
Triangle, Va. 22172
Phone: 877-653-1775
Web site: www.usmcmuseum.org
Email: info@usmcmuseum.org

The museum was completed in 2006 on a 135-acre site adjacent to the Marine Corps base in Quantico. Interactive exhibits using artifacts and innovative technology are designed to immerse visitors in the sights and sounds of Marines in action. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Closed Christmas. Free.

Oatlands Plantation
20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane
Leesburg, Va. 20175
Phone: 703-777-3174
Fax: 703-777-4427
Web site: www.oatlands.org

Oatlands, owned and maintained by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers guided tours of its antebellum plantation, including a 22-room mansion built in 1804 by George Carter, great-grandson of Robert "King" Carter, who in the early 1700s was said to be the richest man in the English colonies. Afternoon tea is served in the carriage house Thursday through Saturday until the end of June and again after Labor Day. Candlelight tours are conducted at Christmastime.

Point Lookout State Park
11175 Point Lookout Rd.
Route 5
Scotland, Md. 20687
Phone: 301-872-5688Phone: Fax: 301-872-5084
Web site: www.dnr.maryland.gov

The Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay join here. The area served as a watch post to warn of British ships during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. During the Civil War, it was a Union military district in which the federal government established a hospital and prisoner-of-war camp. Hours: sunrise-sunset year-round. The park is open to night fishing with a valid license.

The Barracks
43 Pinkney St.
Annapolis, Md. 21401
Phone: 410-267-7619Phone: Fax: 410-267-6189
Web site: www.annapolis.org

Similar to the residences used to house troops during the Revolutionary War, the building has two main rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor. It is maintained by the Historic Annapolis Foundation. Hours: by appointment only as well as during Maryland Day celebrations in March.

Thomas Stone National Historic Site
6655 Rose Hill Rd.
Port Tobacco, Md. 20677
Phone: 301-392-1776
Fax: 301-934-8793
Web site: www.nps.gov/thst

This is the site of Haberdeventure, home of Thomas Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Stone and his wife, Margaret Brown, built the home in the early 1770s, and it remained the Stone family home until 1936. The National Park Service, which finished restoring the site in 1997, offers hiking and birding trails, as well as guided tours of the house.
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Memorial Day-Labor Day; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, Labor Day-Memorial Day. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. Free.

U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr.
Reston, Va. 20192
Phone: 703-648-4748
Web site: www.usgs.gov/visitors/building.html

A visitors center at the federal agency offers an introduction to such topics as volcanoes, earthquakes, disaster preparedness and flooding. Hours: self-guided tours 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; call ahead for guided tours.

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial
Just north of Arlington National Cemetery, at Route 50 and North Meade Street
Arlington, Va.
Phone: 703-289-2500
Web site: www.nps.gov/gwmp/usmc.htm

The memorial honoring all fallen Marines depicts one of the most famous images of World War II: Marines raising the U.S. flag while fighting the Japanese on the West Pacific Ocean island of Iwo Jima. The memorial is also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial.

U.S. Naval Academy
Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center
52 King George St.
Annapolis, Md. 21402
Phone: 410-293-8687
Web site: www.usna.edu/visit.htm
Email: tourinfo@usna.edu

The academy was founded in 1845 by Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft. The visitors center offers walking tours, including a visit to a sample midshipman's room, and exhibitions.
Visitors center hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March-December, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. January-February. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. Visitors older than 16 must have a valid photo ID. Adults, $8.50; older than 62, $7.50; students, $6.50; 5 and younger, free.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Museum
600 Dulany St.
Suite 0100
Alexandria, Va. 22314
Phone: 571-272-0095
Web site: www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/museum

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays. Closed all federal holidays. Free.

White's Ferry
24801 White's Ferry Rd.
Dickerson, Md. 20842
Phone: 301-349-5200
Web site: www.historicwhitesferry.com+www.mcmullans.org/canal/whites_ferry.htm

This is the only regularly operating ferry on the Potomac River. Hours: 5 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, weather permitting. $4 one way, $6 round trip.

Woodlawn
9000 Richmond Hwy. (Route 1)
Alexandria, Va. 22309
Phone: 703-780-4000
Web site: www.woodlawn1805.org

Woodlawn was built between 1800 and 1805 as a wedding gift from George Washington for Lawrence and Eleanor "Nelly" Custis Lewis (George Washington's nephew and Martha Washington's granddaughter) on acreage from the founding father's Mount Vernon estate. It is a National Trust for Historic Preservation site. Open March-December 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Fees: Adults $7.50, children $3, or $13 for adults and $5 for children to also visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House, which shares the location. The estate can be rented for events.

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