4th of July at Port Royal, VA

My first 4th of July in Virginia found me attending the 15th annual Independence Day in Historic Fort Royal festival.  Port Royal is a charming town on located on the banks of the Rappahannock River and dates back to 1744.  Several famous individuals have based through Port Royal, including George Washington who stayed three times at the Fox Tavern and John Wilkes Booth who was turned away from the Peyton House while he was on the run following his assassination of President Lincoln.  Booth continued on his journey and was welcomed to stay at the Garret Farm (the Garret's did not know who their guest really was) three miles outside of town.  It was at the Garret Farm on April 26, 1865, that Booth was killed and his co-conspirator David Harold was arrested.  The town is charming with several historic buildings, many dating to before the Revolutionary War.  Though I was distressed to see that most of the buildings are in a shabby condition--particularly the Peyton/Brockenbrough House.

I attended the event as part of my new Civil War reenacting group the Civil War Civilians of Spotyslvania

If you are interested in Port Royal, VA and its historic structures please visit: http://www.historicportroyal.net/