Middletown Travel Guide

the heater house was located in the center of the battle of cedar creek. this circa 1800 house is a log cabin covered in clapboard. during the civil war the house was owned by solomon and caroline heater. two of the heater's sons joined the confederate army and were killed in the war. despite her son's deaths caroline heater was a comitted unionist and helped union soldiers during the battle of cedar creek. the heater house is not open to the public but you can view it from a parking area on VA 11.

cedar creek national battlefield is located just south of middletown on valley pike road. the battle of cedar creek was fought on october 19 th 1864 and was the culminating battle of the valley campaign of 1864. on the morning of the 19 th confederate jubal s. early launched a surprise attack against the encamped army of union general phillip sheridan. during the morning fighting, seven union divisions were forced to fall back and lost numerous prisoners and cannon. early failed to continue his advance north of middletown and sheridan was able to rally his troops and hold a new defensive line. a union counterattack that afternoon routed early's army. at cedar creek the final confederate invasion of the north was effectively ended. the confederacy was never again able to threaten washington through the shenandoah valley. this stunning union victory made general sheridan nationally famous.

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Belle Grove is a grain plantation that was right in the middle of one of the pivotal Civil War battles (the battle of Cedar Creek). The plantation home, barn and fields are open to visitors (for a fee of $12). The tours are all guided and you have to wait around for a quorum (enough people to make it worth the hostess's time). The tour guides (hostesses) are all historians in the county who are very knowledgeable about every aspect of life in the mid-nineteenth century in Virginia.

You can take pictures but your camera cannot have a flash (flash light tends to damage some of the antiques). The tour takes over two hours without a break (in the summer the house is only cooled by a breeze from outside, if a breeze exists.... otherwise it is sweltering).
After the official tour, you are allowed to revisit some of the rooms for about another 30 minutes before the next tour starts. (See the webpage below for the description of the nine rooms you get to visit in all).

There is a giftshop with some unique, handcrafted items that replicate items from the 19th century. They also have the usual teeshirts and cups and magnets.

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Annually, in October, volunteers get together and dress and act like Civil War soldiers. They relive the Battle of Cedar Creek with canons and rifles and horses and wagons, columns of men trooping through the fields and backroads of the area. They try to be as realistic as possible (given the change of the property in the last 150 years) and get permission from the present land owners to "trespass" through their property.

The re-enactments are done over a two day period. They have encampments and drills.
See the website for the time and place for each battle.

To get upclose vantage views of the action, you can buy a two-day-pass ($15). It doesn't cost you anything to just go and see the encampments, but the re-enactments are on private property and having the pass is less of a problem than trying to see the battles without it.

Stopped in here for a late lunch after visiting Belle Grove.

French Dip was delicious and my wife enjoyed the Chicken Salad platter. We had some iced tea because it was very hot outside. Finished it off with a dish of ice cream. It cost us about $15 per person.

The decor is very late 19th century with heavy wood and stone look. Cozy and comfortable.
The service was pure southern hospitality. It was a little crowded so the food was a little slow in coming but well worth waiting for.

Good food, good service, convenientlylocated near I-81..... what more can you ask for.