Civil War
Even though the area is best known for colonial history, the Williamsburg area’s Civil War heritage is just as rich. The hard-fought Peninsula Campaign was waged as Union troops maneuvered to attack the Confederate capital of Richmond, and today, many of these battlefields are still preserved. Learn more about the Civil War siege of Yorktown and the Battle of Williamsburg; or take a short drive to The Mariners’ Museum, where the famous ironclad USS Monitor is on display.
You’ll find that Williamsburg is the perfect base from which to explore the nearby National Battlefields of Richmond and Petersburg, as well as other Civil War historic sites like the White House of the Confederacy in Richmond and the Union Army’s Fort Monroe. Civil War re-enactments and events also are popular. Click here for more information.