Why History and Working Out is a Great Combination?

Okay, so you might think the title is a little odd but it definitely is not. If you are an avid runner, walker, biker, or anything else I can not think of then you know how hard it is sometimes to find a beautiful, peaceful place to enjoy the outdoors. One such place that I spend a lot of time during the spring and even 1oo degree weather of the summer is Petersburg National Battlefield. For just a ten dollar pass, that lasts not just an entire season but a whole year, anyone can enjoy not only the history of the park but a great five mile jog through a picturesque landscape or a ten mile bike ride through rugged trails. Another great thing about the park that you cant really get in the suburbs is the abundance of wildlife, especially deer, that have made the park its home; the only occasional hassle is that sometimes if you don't look you can step in what they left behind, which can ruin any run. When I first started running there I made sure to stop and check out all the historical landmarks along the way, I have been there so many times that now as I run I can just recount the events in my head, such as the old chimney and the underground mines. Here are a couple of the great sites at Petersburg National Battlefield Park which is where the Union and the Confederate Army fought during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.

Here is an entrance to one of the many tunnels that the Union soldiers built under Confedrate lines during the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg. In those tunnels with the help of former coal miners Grant and Colonel Pleasants placed 8, 000 pounds of explosives directly under the opposing troops. On July 30th 1864 they detonated the explosives creating a crater some 135 feet wide which is still visible today. Some three hundred Confederate soldiers were killed instantly by the blast and another hundred were severely injured.

Here is the great crater at PNBP. .. To your left is the wall of the crater. This event during the Siege of Petersburg can be seen in what recent movie with Oscar winner Nicole Kidman? Can you guess???

This is an actual cannon used from Battery five, the dimmonic line. This cannon was used by the Union army forces during the opening days of the Siege of Petersburg. Around June and July of 1865






This landmark at the battlefield is one of the more visited and more known within the park. This chimney is known as "Taylors Chimney" and was used actually by both sides during the Civil War. Located around the Crater, it was used as an observation point at varying times during the Siege of Petersburg




These are just a couple of the great sites that you can see if you ever visit, jog, walk, or take a bike ride within Petersburg National Battlefield. I can promise you the scenery and the history will not disappoint. Included at the bottom is a couple of sites that you can visit that will give you more information on the history of the Siege of Petersburg and PNBP. Please let me know of any other great jogging and biking places that you love to visit that can be located in Virginia or even those from another state. I would love to hear.


Here are some great sites for more information on PNBP


This link gets you to the actual site for Petersburg National Battlefield Park.
www.nps.gov/pete

This site will give you some information on the Siege of Petersburg.
petersburgsiege.org

Here is a great website for younger kids. It gives an animated history of the Siege of Petersburg. Must have Real Player to view.
http://www.historyanimated.com/Petersburg.html

Thursday March 12, 2009