Battle of Chancellorsville

Chancellorsville is a historic site and unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, United States, about ten miles west of Fredericksburg. The name of the locale derives from the mid-19th century inn operated by the family of George Chancellor at the intersection of the Orange Turnpike and Orange Plank Road. The Battle of Chancellorsville occurred there during the American Civil War in May 1863, and the Battle of the Wilderness was fought nearby in May 1864. During the 1863 battle, Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was wounded by friendly fire, dying eight days later on May 10, 1863, from pneumonia. Portions of both the Chancellorsville and Wilderness battlefields are protected within Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, although both battlefields have come under threat from development in recent years. The site of the Chancellorsville Inn, where Union Gen. Joseph Hooker had his headquarters during the 1863 battle, is preserved in the national military park, as is the site of Jackson's wounding. The site of Jackson's death is located at Guinea Station in Caroline County, south of Fredericksburg, and is also preserved as part of the park.

Catharine Furnace is a historic iron furnace in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, near Chancellorsville in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. It was built in 1837 and closed down ten years later. During the American Civil War the furnace came into use again. John S. Wellford was the manager, principal owner and driving force of Catharine Furnace from its foundation to his death in 1846. His success in obtaining government ordnance contracts for the furnace was based on his personal social network. Relying on these contracts, the company neglected to expand on the open market. When Wellford died in 1846, the loss of his network therefore led to its failure.In 1861, the furnace was taken over by a new company. It began its operations by restoring and updating the furnace. During the Overland Campaign, the furnace was at least partly destroyed by Union troops, yet being rebuilt again in November 1864 and in full operation in February 1865. The furnace operated under contract with the Confederate government and enjoyed the release of skilled workers from the Confederate army for service at the furnace. After the end of the war, the demand for Virginia iron products ceased due to loss of government contract and competition from western Pennsylvania.

Brockroad is an unincorporated community named after a local road in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, in the United States.

Dunavant is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County north of Chancellorsville, running along the Rapidan River and bordering Culpeper County in the state of Virginia, United States. The Dunavant area comprises the extreme northern tip of Spotsylvania County. There are roughly 1,000 people in this community as of 2010.

Chancellor is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally named Screamersville, the community was established as a railroad whistle stop west of Fredericksburg. The name was changed to Chancellor around 1927 by agreement of the railroad and the local community.

Cookstown is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.

The Rapidan Dam Canal of the Rappahannock Navigation is a canal intended to safely carry Batteaus, sturdy flat-bottomed boats used primarily for transporting cargo, around the rapids at the confluence of the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers. The Rapidan Canal, funded and constructed by The Rappahannock Company, consists of two different canals (the Old Rapidan Canal and the Rapidan Canal) built at different times. All of the Rappahannock Navigation, of which the Rapidan Canal is a part, is located in the Piedmont region of Virginia. The Confluence, the name used on maps of the day and sometimes maps of today to denote where the two rivers meet, is located where the borders of the Virginia Counties of Spotsylvania, Stafford and Culpeper meet but is owned by the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Rapidan Canal was listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) on June 19, 1973, and on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1973.

The Rapidan River, flowing 88 miles (142 km) through north-central Virginia in the United States, is the largest tributary of the Rappahannock River. The two rivers converge just west of the city of Fredericksburg. The Rapidan River begins west of Doubletop Mountain in Shenandoah National Park where the Mill Prong meets the Laurel Prong at Rapidan Camp, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Big Meadows. The river defines the border of Orange County with Culpeper and Madison Counties. Sections of the lower Rapidan River are preserved by a conservation easement.The Rapidan River was the scene of severe fighting in the American Civil War, and historic sites such as Ely's Ford, Chancellorsville, Brandy Station, Kelly's Ford, and the Battle of the Wilderness are nearby. The name is a combination of the word "rapids" with the name of Queen Anne of England. Originally, it was known as the Rapid Ann River. The Rapidan River ranks #38 in Trout Unlimited's Guide to America's 100 Best Trout Streams. In 2000, the upper Rapidan River was nominated for EPA designation as a Tier III Exceptional Waterway. In 2001, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality rejected the application, citing uncertainty about the impact of the designation.

Todds Tavern is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, United States, and was the site of the Battle of Todd's Tavern.

The Commonwealth Governor's School (CGS) is one of 18 magnet Governor's Schools in Virginia. The Commonwealth Governor's School is a half-day program for gifted and highly motivated students based on a school-within-a-school model. Admissions are competitive (involving an interview, a review of school history and teacher recommendations) and students are selected from Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, and King George counties. Students may attend CGS grades 9 through 12.

Riverbend High School is a public secondary school located in Spotsylvania, Virginia, and is part of Spotsylvania County Public Schools. Opened in 2004, Riverbend is Spotsylvania County's newest high school. The school mascot is a bear and the school colors are royal blue and emerald green. The high school has an enrollment of around 2,000 students in grades 9–12.

Wilderness is an unincorporated community on the border of Orange and Spotsylvania counties in Virginia, United States. The community is centered at the intersection of Virginia primary 20 and Virginia primary 3.The name likely comes from the nearby thick forest known as The Wilderness Forest, where a Civil War battle nearby known as the Battle of the Wilderness occurred. Locust Grove is the official mailing address for Wilderness. Pilgrim Baptist Church is a historically Black church in Wilderness, in 1974 Rev. Earl Bledsoe was pastor.