Built in 1797, the Barnes House is an average Prince William County residence, but the people who lived here were anything but typical. First used as a tavern, in 1899 Eppa Barnes bought the house where he was born into slavery. Join local historians for an open house to explore the exhibits highlighting the site's diverse history and an amazing story of historic preservation in Prince William County. Barnes House Historic Site is located near the Montclair Community Library at 5049 Waterway Dr., Montclair, VA.

For more information, please call 703-792-4754.

Ben Lomond and its outbuildings were constructed for Benjamin Tasker Chinn in 1832. Confederate forces used Ben Lomond as a hospital following the 1861 Battle of First Manassas. Signatures of Federal soldiers who occupied the property in 1862 are still visible inside the house. Tour the house, where you can smell, touch, hear and taste history. Then see the restored slave quarter, smokehouse and dairy and enjoy the fragrant Rose Garden.

Event: Ben Lomond Farm Day
April 22, 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.; free, donations accepted
Ben Lomond was once a thriving farm home to cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep. Activities will include sheep shearing, cooking, planting, historical demonstrations, children’s crafts, and more.
Ben Lomond Historic Site, 10321 Sudley Manor Dr., Manassas, VA.
703-367-7872.

A quiet section of Prince William County for hundreds of years, during the American Civil War two battles and numerous troop encampments occurred at Bristoe Station. While small compared to other Civil War battles, the August 1862 Battle of Kettle Run and the October 1863 Battle of Bristoe Station produced hundreds of casualties that were felt from Minnesota to New York and from North Carolina to Louisiana. Evidence of people who occupied this land remains in the park's road traces, buildings, and cemeteries.
Event: Park Day at Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park

April 15, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; free
Join the staff at Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park and the American Battlefield Trust for Park Day 2023! Park Day is a nationwide event that encourages history enthusiasts to help maintain, restore, and preserve historic sites through volunteerism. Join us for a fun and rewarding day of work at Bristoe Station Battlefield. Projects will include litter pick up, cleaning cemeteries, and trail maintenance throughout the 140-acre park. Wear sturdy work shoes, bring gloves and remember sunscreen. Tools and snacks will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Meet in the parking lot off Iron Brigade Avenue. Please no pets. Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. The parking lot is located off Iron Brigade Unit Ave., Bristow, VA.
703-366-3049.

Catharpin Regional Park is a large baseball and softball complex in Western Prince William County with a new large playground completed in July, 2021.

The new 7,200 square foot playground features:

• 4 shaded seating areas
• Swings
• Climbing bars
• 2 large slides
• Bridge
• Music instruments
• ShadowPlay pieces
• Spinning wave seat
• Picnic table

Located off Minnieville Road in Lake Ridge, the long awaited Harbor Drive Wellness Park is the first dedicated wellness park in the county's Occoquan District and provides residents with universal fitness equipment accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities. Situated on 2.5 beautiful acres, the Harbor Drive Wellness Park includes the county's first fully-accessible playground, meadows, a pollinator garden and a looped walking trail. The park, converted from an underutilized community parking lot, is connected to Kaiser Permanente's new medical campus off Caton Hill Road via a 1.4 multi-use pedestrian trail.

James Long Regional Park is a 230 acre park in Haymarket that houses several options for active and passive recreation. There are 7 soccer fields, 3 of which are lighted and feature a turf surface. There are also 4 diamond fields with manual batting cages for training and warmup. Check league schedules for field availability. Rounding out the sports facilities, there are 2 basketball courts, 2 tennis courts, and a large covered playground. For a more passive experience, there is over 4 miles of wooded, natural surface trails through the park.

Located directly on the Occoquan Reservoir, in the Lake Ridge community, this 74-acre park maintains unencumbered public access to the Occoquan Water Trail with breathtaking views. The Lake Ridge Park Marina offers three-season boat rentals, with a universal access boat launch and dock access. For land recreation, visitors will enjoy playground areas, horseshoe pits and nature trails.

Located next to the Marine Corps Heritage Museum, and minutes from I-95, Locust Shade park offers much more than scenic beauty, tranquil water, and picturesque trails. Amenities include seven pavilions (available to rent), playgrounds, tennis courts, volleyball courts, 3.2 miles of scenic nature trails, a 15-station fitness trail, batting Cages, a driving range, an 18-hole miniature golf course, fishing in an eight-acre pond and the Jean C. Smith Amphitheater, an outdoor performance venue that presents family entertainment during the summer season.

Lucasville School Served local African-American students, grades 1 through 6. Originally built in 1885, it operated until 1926. In 2007, the school was reconstructed through a partnership with Prince William County and Pulte Homes. The school existed as the last one-room school in Prince William County that was used solely by African-American students.

The Old Manassas Courthouse located at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Lee Avenue in Old Town Manassas is the fifth County courthouse and County seat in Prince William County. The courthouse and County seat was moved to Manassas in 1897 and this building was used as the County courthouse until 1982. The Old Manassas Courthouse was the site of the 1911 Peace Festival where President Taft stood on the grounds of the courthouse to kick off the week-long festivities. The 1911 Peace Festival marked the 50th anniversary of the First Battle of Manassas.

March 23
Event: Prince William Historic Preservation Lecture Series: Mosby’s War on the Orange & Alexandria Railroad
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; free, $5 suggested donation
Mosby's Rangers constantly targeted the Orange & Alexandria Railroad during the Civil War and attempted to damage the Federal war effort. Historian Eric Buckland will share Mosby’s attempts to disrupt the railroad and the measures taken to stop him.
Old Manassas Courthouse, 9248 Lee Ave., Manassas, VA. 703-367-7872.

April 27
Event: Prince William Historic Preservation Lecture Series: Rise of a Region: A Developmental History of Northern Virginia
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.; free, $5 suggested donation
Learn how the built environment of Northern Virginia developed into the places we live, work, and entertain in today. Andrew Painter has researched and written articles examining the region’s land development history.
Old Manassas Courthouse, 9248 Lee Ave., Manassas, VA. 703-367-7872.

Sponsored by the Prince William County Arts Council and JBG Smith, the Open Space Arts Gallery at Stonebridge features a diverse art show approximately every month, including local artists and art groups
from all around Prince William County.

Event: Paint and Draw at Open
Space Arts
Every Sunday, 5-9 PM; free
Free sketching paper and art
supplies provided!

In 1747, construction began on Rippon Lodge, one of the area’s oldest homes. For this anniversary celebration, Rippon Lodge Historic Site welcomes you to experience a day full of colonial living history demonstrations and impressions, military encampments from European and North American regiments, civilian and enslaved life in Virginia, tours the lodge, crafts, games, and more. Lodge tours limited to 15 people at a time.

Rippon Lodge Historic Site
15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge, VA.
703-499-9812

Event: Rippon Lodge Garden Day Prep

March 25, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Volunteers welcome, ages 13 and older; free
What does it take to plant a historic garden? Come gain some hands-on experience as staff and volunteers work on preparing the vegetable garden for 2023. Tools provide, however, bringing your own gloves and hand tools is encouraged. Advanced registration at www.pwcparks.org/historicprograms

Silver Lake Regional Park features a 23-acre lake is fed by the Little Bull Run, is a fisherman’s delight with bluegill and largemouth bass. The lake is open for bank fishing and non-motorized boats. Additionally, the park has 4 miles of multipurpose trails which are used with equal enthusiasm by equestrians and hikers alike. There are two designated picnic areas with wooden tables, permanent grills and restroom facilities.

Williams-Dawe House
12320 Bristow Road
Bristow, VA 20136

April 8
Event: Williams-Dawe House Volunteer Clean-Up Day
10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; free, registration is required.
Join the staff at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre for a spring clean-up day on the grounds of the Williams-Dawe House! Spend a fun and rewarding morning of volunteering at the Office of Historic Preservation’s newest historic property. Projects will include litter pick up, cleaning up plant debris, and clearing stones. Wear sturdy work shoes, bring gloves, and remember sunscreen. Tools and snacks will be provided, but feel free to bring your own. Please register in advance by emailing Historic Site Manager, Paige Gibbons Backus and pgibbonsbackus@pwcgov.org or by calling 703-365-7895.
Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, 12229 Bristow Rd., Bristow, VA. 703-365-7895.