Today, we took a walk on a Trail through Time in Alum Spring Park. We walked where Captain John Smith (1608) walked along Hazel Run. We saw the remains of an old Ice House (1800’s) and Grist Mill (1753). We stood in the spot where a tragic pistol duel took place between 2 cousins (1803).
We stood beneath the cliffs where women and children sought refuge during the Civil War (1862). We drank from Alum Spring. We saw where huge boulders had fallen off the cliffs during an earthquake (1885). We stopped by Fat Annie’s Swimming Hole (1920’s favorite skinny dipping spot) — though it was too chilly for a dip. Then, we walked down an old railroad bed (completed in 1877) as we headed back toward the park.
Historic Alum Spring Park is located in Fredericksburg, VA off Greenbriar Drive. The 34-acre woodland park features a playground, picnic areas, and hiking trails. It also hosts a large number of historic sites that can be explored and enjoyed by all ages.
