Stone Bridge at Manassas National Battlefield Park

Saturday, 4 June

After a run of "it-feels-like-105F (41C)" hot and humid days, we simply could not let today’s beautiful, late-spring weather go to waste. After breakfast, we jumped in the car, ran a few quick errands, and then headed to the Stone Bridge, one of several Civil War landmarks on the grounds of the Manassas National Battlefield Park (MNBP) [map to the left].

This wasn’t our first visit to the park, which was the site of two Civil War battles — First and Second Manassas (aka First and Second Bull Run) — fought in 1861 and 1862, respectively. Located about 20 minutes from where we live, this is a favorite place for a stroll that takes us back into history even as we get some exercise. Usually, we start at the Visitor Center, stop off at Henry House, and make our way to Stone House. With now-silent guns that once spewed death and destruction placed throughout the grounds, there is more to see in that area of the park. (Click here for photos from a previous visit.)

This time, we decided to wander around the Stone Bridge area. There were quite a few cars in the parking lot when we arrived at 9:30a, and a few small groups of people were loitering on the bridge, but we had the trail to ourselves ... no complaints in the too-many-people department. The temperature was just past the 70F (21C) mark, there was no humidity, the sky was blue, a light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees that had greened out nicely to provide shade on the trail ... no complaints in the weather department either.

For those interested, here’s a bit of information about the Stone Bridge (from the National Park Service website):

The Fauquier and Alexandria Turnpike bridge over Bull Run, known simply as "the Stone Bridge," was originally built in 1825. Its ability to carry traffic across the steep sided stream even at times of high water gave the Stone Bridge a key role in the Civil War. Both sides recognized its strategic importance.

The first shots of the First Battle of Manassas, fired by Union artillery on the ridge to the east, flew over the bridge but there was little more than heavy skirmishing in its vicinity on July 21, 1861. The Union Army made only a diversionary attack here. It had been rumored (falsely) that the Confederates had mined the bridge so Union forces chose to cross Bull Run at fords farther upstream. The approaches to the bridge were cleared of obstacles in time for the Union retreat but the vast majority of Union refugees used the upstream fords they were more familiar with.

The Stone Bridge served the needs of the Confederate Army through 1861. On March 9, 1862, the Confederates evacuated their winter camps in Centreville and Manassas in anticipation of fighting closer to Richmond. On orders from General Joseph E. Johnston, the Confederate rear guard blew up the Stone Bridge to prevent its use by the Union forces that soon occupied the area.

Union Army engineers eventually constructed a temporary wooden span across Bull Run using the remaining bridge abutments. This bridge served Union General John Pope's army at Second Manassas, August 28-30, 1862. After suffering another costly defeat, Union forces used the Warrenton Turnpike bridge as their primary line of retreat. In the early hours of August 31, the bridge was again destroyed, this time by the Union rear guard.

from signage near the Stone Bridge;
the wooden span built by the Union Army engineers is visible to the right.

By 1884, the Stone Bridge was fully rebuilt. The new bridge, very similar to the original bridge, remained open to traffic until 1926. In that year the road was realigned and a modern highway bridge constructed just downstream. The National park Service acquired the Stone Bridge in 1959.

[You can see a bit of the modern highway bridge in the background of the first bridge picture above; it's nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing.]

Once we left the immediate area around the Stone Bridge, the trail had little entertainment value — that is, no scenery. The relatively level path wound its way through the woods. Butterflies flitted about and we saw two tortoises ponderously making their way to the stream running far below the path. We came across some wildflowers here and there that prompted me to stop and click the shutter, but there wasn’t much color left this late in the season.

All in all, we had a pleasant spring day outing. We assuaged any guilt we felt for playing hooky from the last of the move-related chores — namely, hanging my cross-stitch art — by returning home after our picnic lunch and taking care of business. Now that we’re fully settled into the condo, we can start playing again — assuming the weather cooperates. The weather forecast today was hinting at some unseasonably hot and humid days heading our way (again), so I guess we’ll just have to play it by ear.