Experience history in Prince William County during September

There are a number of events and special programs in September at several of Prince William County’s historic properties where people can learn about and experience the county’s past.

School is Back in Session (Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) – Going to school was different 100 years ago. On Sept. 9, the Lucasville Schoolhouse at 10516 Godwin Drive in Manassas and the Brentsville Schoolhouse at 12229 Bristow Road in Bristow will be open for people to see the different ways students learned in a one-room schoolhouse in a segregated society. The Lucasville School is the only surviving one-room African American schoolhouse in Prince William County. People who attend the event for a $5 per-person admission will be able to try out the contemporary tools used for teaching and learning. People will also have the chance to make a craft to take home.

Historic Brentsville Schoolhouse Happy Hour (Sept. 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m.) – Explore the 1920s one-room schoolhouse and learn about teaching during the Great Depression. A $15 admission buys tickets for two drinks for an evening at the school, which is located at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre at 12229 Bristow Road in Bristow. The event is open to those 21 years of age and older. Reservations are requested, but not required. Call 703-365-7895.

Potomac Blockade Boat Tour (Sept. 9, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) – Cruise along the Potomac River shoreline to learn about sites that were critical to Confederate forces’ successful blockade of Washington, D.C. between September 1861 and March 1862. The $45 tour will include lunch and leaves from Leesylvania State Park at 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive in Woodbridge. Call 703-792-4754 for reservations.

Manassas Civil War Hospitals Car Caravan Tour (Sept. 16, 8 a.m.) – Two major Civil War battles were fought in Manassas. The First Battle of Manassas was on July 21, 1861, and the Second Battle of Manassas was fought from Aug. 28 through Aug. 30, 1862. The $45 tour will begin at the Ben Lomond Historic Site at 10321 Sudley Manor Drive in Manassas. Those who take the tour will learn about the medical procedures from the Civil War and how soldiers were treated in the hospitals of the time. They will also learn about the families whose houses were commandeered to serve as hospitals. Reservations are required. Call 703-367-7872.

Dance at Rippon Lodge (Sept. 16, 7-10 p.m.) – During WWII, canteens were places where soldiers could relax, enjoy good food, music, entertainment and dancing. Come to Rippon Lodge at 15520 Blackburn Road in Woodbridge, which will be transformed into a dance hall, reminiscent of a WWII canteen with live big band music. Tickets are $30. Reservations are required. Military discounts are available. Call 703-499-9812 for more information.

Museum Kids Monday (Sept. 18, 10-11 a.m.) – Children who attend the event will explore history through sight, sound, smell and touch with hands-on activities and crafts at the Ben Lomond Historic Site, at 10321 Sudley Manor Drive in Manassas. Admission is $5 per child for children eight years old and under. Call 703-367-7872 for information about each month’s subject matter. Adults must be able to participate with children.

Brentsville Day (Sept. 23, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) – The community of Brentsville has been around for nearly 200 years. It served as the social and political center of Prince William County for 100 years. At the inaugural Brentsville Day, people will be able to see historic farm demonstrations and living history, play games, listen to bluegrass music, eat and tour the historic buildings at the Brentsville Historic Centre. The event is free.

Prince William County Farm Tour - Brentsville Stop (Sept. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) – Learn about farm life in Prince William County during the mid-1800s. Tour the 1850s farmhouse and learn about how Prince William Farmers and slaves lived and worked. The event at the Brentsville Historic Center at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, at 12229 Bristow Road in Bristow, is free.

Civil War riders of Northern Virginia Bus Tour (Sept. 30, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) - Join historians from the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division and the Mosby Heritage Area Association for a bus tour that will visit Mosby sites along with other guerilla sites in Northern Virginia. Reservations are required for the $80 tour. Lunch will be included. Call 703-365-7895 for more information.

Regular tours of the county’s historic properties are offered Thursday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For a list of all historic properties and events, visit http://www.pwcgov.org/history.