
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 1
oo 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 rid
e 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 30
th 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
PetersburgThese 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
PNBPThis link gets you to the actual site for
Petersburg National Battlefield Park.
www.nps.gov/peteThis site will give you some information on the Siege of
Petersburg.
petersburgsiege.orgHere 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.htmlThursday March 12, 2009