Belle Boyd was one of the most interesting women of the Civil War. Her story comes to life in this house where she lived.
At age 17, living in Martinsburg, VA (later to become WV), Belle Boyd shot and killed a Federal soldier who attempted to raise a Union flag over her house. She was sent to Front Royal to visit her aunt and uncle, the Stewarts, who operated the Fishback Hotel. Behind the hotel was the cottage where the family lived when Union officers headquartered themselves in the hotel.
From the hotel, vivacious Belle gathered information which she passed on to Stonewall Jackson to help him win the Battle of Front Royal on May 23, 1862. When she couldn't find a man to run the picket lines, she ran them herself to deliver the message that saved the strategically-important bridges over the Shenandoah.
After the Civil War, the cottage was an apartment building until it was donated in 1981 to the Warren Heritage Society, which physically moved it to its current location. It has been restored and furnished as a living history museum depicting Warren County during the Civil War.
Amenities
- Family Friendly
Price Information
- A $10 ticket gets a tour of all properties on the campus. $5 for ages 6-18; under 5 free. Family Plan: Parents with any number of children under 18: only $20.
Region
Last Updated: 01/28/2019
Related Listings
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101 Chester Street
Front Royal, VA 22630 -
101 Chester Street
Front Royal, VA 22630 -
101 Chester Street
Front Royal, VA 22630 -
101 Chester Street
Front Royal, VA 22630 -
101 Chester Street
Front Royal, VA 22630