Petersburg Who Knew...

Well, the house has finally said good bye to the stomach flu. Life is so much more nicer now without the 2am sick call. Whew!!

The kids resumed their Virginia Legacy travel today and they decided to go to Petersburg. The first stop......

The Petersburg Visitor's Center where they purchased a block ticket which paid their entrance to the Siege Museum, Centre Hill Mansion and Blandford Church. Children 7 and under are free and kids ages 8 and up, pay $9 and adults are $10. Seniors pay $9. For a total of $18, a family of 4 visited the following:

The Siege Museum, a great place to learn about the Civil War. Joseph Cotton, a former Petersburg native, narrated a movie regarding the Civil War. Then the kids were given a scavenger hunt to do throughout the museum. What was going to be a 1/2 hour visit turned into an hour of fun and delight. They had such a blast that it was a good portion of our dinnertime discussion.

Next Stop......

Centre Hill Mansion. This is a wonderful gem hidden in the midst of the city. Centre Hill receives a grant to help with the upkeep and use the entrance fee as well. They do not have the knowledge or the staff to search out grants to keep this mansion going and depend solely on their own. They would love a benefactor or someone with grant writing knowledge to help donate their time. Centre Hill Mansion belonged to a descendant of Pocahontas and they boast of actual ghost sightings. The life size portrait of Pocahontas is on loan until the end of the year. The children enjoyed the furniture and life style of this federal style house. Our kids are 8, 6, and 4. They enjoyed talking with the tour guide and learning about the underground tunnel that runs throughout the grounds. They also learned that the only source of heat was the fireplace which was generally lit when they had guests. Otherwise, they would live in the attic which is the warmest part of the house. They really enjoyed listening to the tall tales of the house and want to go back again. The last owners of the mansion made bad investments and had to sell the surrounding land in order to survive. He donated it to the Federal Government with the provision that it be used as a museum. The Federal Government later gave it to the City of Petersburg with a provision of their own that the mansion would reflect how people during the civil war actually lived.

The final leg of the tour today......


Blandford Church. The children weren't too thrilled driving through the cemetery but they did see a headstone marked 1702 and got excited. Once they go into the church, the guide told them the history of the church and they marvelled at the stain glass windows. The windows, I am told, were amazing as it has a 3 D effect. They enjoyed talking and learning about the church and the area.

My mom and kids enjoyed their day. They left the house at 11am and didn't return until 4pm. Having spent a short time having lunch. They couldn't stop talking about it and can't wait until their next adventure.

If you want something fun to do with your family, go to Petersburg and see these sights. You won't be disappointed and you will be treated like the rock star you wanted to be.

Take Care,

Beamer 319