150th Brings Detours and Street Closures

The Battle of Fredericksburg Commemoration Committee hosts Fire on the Rappahannock this weekend, a commemoration of the Battle of Fredericksburg on its 150th Anniversary. 

The events from Friday through Sunday (Dec. 7 - 9) will affect traffic and parking. "Travel by shuttle is advised, especially for Saturday events," the city's Public Works Department said in a press release.

Street closure and shuttle maps are attached to this article, and are also on the City's website.

On Dec. 8, detours and street closures will run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. from Sophia to Marye Heights, the Public Works department said.  These will accommodate two City of Fredericksburg sponsored battle reenactments. 

"At 10 a.m., cannon posted at Ferry Farm will fire toward the city, as they did a century and a half earlier when Union soldiers attempted to cross the river,"  Donald Pfanz of the National Park Service said.

Shortly thereafter, reenactors will recreate fighting that occurred in the streets of the town, Pfanz said. 

At 3 p.m., the fighting will move to Trench Hill behind the University of Mary Washington’s Jepson Center, where living historians will reenact the assaults on Marye’s Heights.

Street closures and detours are scheduled as follows:

Morning Battle 8 a.m. - Noon

• Sophia Street will be closed from the 200 block to the 800 block.
• The 200 and 300 blocks of Caroline Street will be closed.
• The 100 blocks of George Street, Hanover Street, Charlotte Street, Lafayette Blvd. and Frederick Street will be closed.

Between Noon and 3 p.m.

There will be rolling closures on Hanover Street — from the 100 block of Hanover St. to Sunken Road, and on the 800 and 900 blocks of Kenmore Avenue -- as reenactors proceed to the battle of Marye's Heights. 

Afternoon Battle 1pm-5pm

• The 800 and 900 blocks of Brompton and Marye Streets will be closed.
• The 800 and 900 blocks of Sunken Road will be closed.
• The 900 and 1000 blocks of Hanover Street will be closed.

There will be a large amount of pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the downtown area for the events. Residents are warned there will be artillery and gunfire sounds accompanying the events.

Visit Battle of Fredericksburg 150th for information about and coverage of the week's events by Fredericksburg Patch.

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