Tappahannock, Virginia. I'm headed back on Friday; if I get out early enough I'll hit the parts of Booth's trail that I missed when I was here last year.
The Garrett farm. Dr. Mudd's farm. Surratt's Tavern.
Showing posts with label travel history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel history. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Booth's Trail, Reversed
I started from Port Royal, Virginia. The Garrett Farm, where John Wilkes Booth was caught and shot, is located a few miles south of here. Nothing is left of the farm - just a marker in the Rt. 301 median.
In Port Royal I stood in the front yard of the Peyton House, where Booth and Herold stopped briefly on the afternoon of April 24, 1865. There were no men at home that afternoon and the fugitives made the ladies of the house nervous so they were booted out.
I crossed the Rappahannock, heading north, following the trail in reverse back over the Potomac.
The Pine Thicket where Booth and Herold hid for five days is a short distance to the east of Rt. 301. There isn't much there, except a "Civil War Trails" historical marker. The Bel Alton, Maryland Post Office is across the street, a rustic little building.
I got back onto Rt. 301 and headed north to the Dr. Samuel Mudd farm. Mudd was a southern sympathizer who was acquainted with Booth, although he pretended he wasn't. He set Booth's broken leg early on the morning of April 15, 1865.
The house was closed to visitors, a wide iron gate across the driveway. I peered at the house through the bars, then read the historical markers. The farm is in good shape and sits in a picturesque location. The landscape looks much the same as it would have in 1865.
I skipped the Surratt Tavern. There was too much traffic by this time and I was ready to head home.
I'll back in the area next March so I can fill in the blanks then.
A detailed description of all the stops can be found here, and James Swanson's book Manhunt is well worth the time.
In Port Royal I stood in the front yard of the Peyton House, where Booth and Herold stopped briefly on the afternoon of April 24, 1865. There were no men at home that afternoon and the fugitives made the ladies of the house nervous so they were booted out.
I crossed the Rappahannock, heading north, following the trail in reverse back over the Potomac.The Pine Thicket where Booth and Herold hid for five days is a short distance to the east of Rt. 301. There isn't much there, except a "Civil War Trails" historical marker. The Bel Alton, Maryland Post Office is across the street, a rustic little building.
I got back onto Rt. 301 and headed north to the Dr. Samuel Mudd farm. Mudd was a southern sympathizer who was acquainted with Booth, although he pretended he wasn't. He set Booth's broken leg early on the morning of April 15, 1865.
The house was closed to visitors, a wide iron gate across the driveway. I peered at the house through the bars, then read the historical markers. The farm is in good shape and sits in a picturesque location. The landscape looks much the same as it would have in 1865.
I skipped the Surratt Tavern. There was too much traffic by this time and I was ready to head home.
I'll back in the area next March so I can fill in the blanks then.
A detailed description of all the stops can be found here, and James Swanson's book Manhunt is well worth the time.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Tappahannock, Virginia
The cool part is that my GPS navigator brought me straight down Route 301 in Maryland. This is close to the route John Wilkes Booth took after leaving Dr. Mudd's house in April, 1865. I discovered where I was at a rest stop just before the Rt. 301 bridge across the Potomac.
I must have driven right by the pine thicket where Booth and David Herold camped for the better part of a week, before trying to row across the river to Virginia. They made it on their second try, drifting downstream south of where I crossed. The river is pretty wide at that point and I could see how they lost their bearings, especially at night.
I didn't see any signs for tourist-trap like places, other than the "historical marker" style plaque at the rest stop. Off the main road the landscape probably looks pretty much like it did in 1865. After I crossed into Virginia I was no doubt close by the Garrett farm where Booth was finally caught, though I don't think there's anthing left of it.
Maybe, if I get away early on Friday, I'll have some time to explore.
I must have driven right by the pine thicket where Booth and David Herold camped for the better part of a week, before trying to row across the river to Virginia. They made it on their second try, drifting downstream south of where I crossed. The river is pretty wide at that point and I could see how they lost their bearings, especially at night.
I didn't see any signs for tourist-trap like places, other than the "historical marker" style plaque at the rest stop. Off the main road the landscape probably looks pretty much like it did in 1865. After I crossed into Virginia I was no doubt close by the Garrett farm where Booth was finally caught, though I don't think there's anthing left of it.
Maybe, if I get away early on Friday, I'll have some time to explore.
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