Yesterday I went to Fredericksburg Battlefield for the 161st Anniversary. I was headed for a ranger presentation at Prospect Hill. I've been a few times. The last time I went was in 2021 and Lee Drive was closed near the visitor center. The thing that struck me this time was the amount of development near the battlefield.
This is the scene two years ago around the time of my visit, on Lafayette Blvd not far from the Coolidge marker and the entrance to Lee Drive.
(Coolidge marker in the background just to the right of the tree)
As I headed to Prospect Hill, I noticed there were a lot of houses just visible off of Drive. This is certainly different from Gettysburg or Antietam were the actual battlefield is pretty well preserved. This this National Park Service (NPS) report notes as early as 1940 park officials expressed concerns about development
encroaching on the park.
I continued down Lee Drive to Prospect Hill. This was the area where Stonewall Jackson defended the area against attacks from Union troops. A few minutes after I arrived, the ranger started the presentation. It was a bit chilly but the weather was great and the sun was out.
(presentation by NPS ranger)
He did a great job explaining the fighting in the area. This link provides an overview. After the presentation I walked around the area and looked at the markers and plaques. After the war, one of Jackson's aides James Power Smith,
placed several stone markers around the Fredericksburg area relating to Lee and his Generals.
This wasn't far from where the talk was given. After I finished my walk around Prospect Hill, I headed back to Maryland. Over all it was a great day.
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