Jackson Death Site Tour

Panorama with small white structure on left and wide green field with sky stretching into a sunset on left.
The Jackson Death Site today sits on a location with a long history that stretches back well before the Civil War.

NPS Photo

 
On May 10, 1863 Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson died in the office building of the Fairfield Plantation. Today, this location is most associated with the death of Jackson, but the history here spans a much wider period before and after the Civil War. Follow along and discover the history of this complex place.

This tour of the Stonewall Jackson Death Site can listened to at home or used as a guide onsite. If following this tour onsite, the distance covered will be less than a quarter of a mile and the tour will take about 30 minutes to complete.

This audio tour is also available via the National Park Service app (available at the Apple Store and on Google Play).
 

1. Guinea Station

In the aftermath of the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson died here in Guinea Station, Virginia on May 10th, 1863. This tour explores the history of Guinea Station and the people who lived and visited here during the Civil War. Explore the grounds of Fairfield, a historic slave plantation, where Jackson died and discover how the memory of his death was forged over time. Before leaving the parking lot, learn about the creation of the community of Guinea Station to understand why Jackson was here in 1863.

 
 

Walking Directions to the Chandler House Site, Stop #2

Leave the parking lot and walk past the office building until you reach the outlined area in front of you.


2. Chandler House Site

During the early 1800s, the Thornton family established Fairfield Plantation here along the Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac Railroad. At the time of the Civil War, the plantation was home to the Chandler family and roughly 70 enslaved people and the Chandler family. What was life at Fairfield like during the Antebellum period? How did the lives of the enslaved people and the Chandlers differ? What type of changes would war bring to this place?

 
 

Walking Directions to the Fairfield Office, Stop #3

The next stop on the tour is the plantation office building, the only historic structure still standing on the site today. The building is open to the public during summer months when staffing is available.


3. Fairfield Office

Located along the Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac Railroad, Fairfield Plantation was frequented by soldiers from both sides during the Civil War. Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson spent his final moments in the plantation’s office building. What important events took place here during the war? How were civilians impacted by the repeated arrival of armies? Check our Operating Hours & Seasons to learn if the building will be open during your visit.

 
 

Walking Directions to the Smith Marker, Stop #4

Continue back toward the parking lot to the rectangular granite stone marker.


4. Smith Marker

During the early 1900s, former Confederates preserved the building where Thomas Jackson died. His death became central to the Lost Cause, an ideology created by former Confederates that argued the Civil War was not fought over the issue of slavery. The landscape they forged during the early 1900s placed Jackson’s death at the forefront and overlooked the plantation that existed here for four decades. What does this site tell us about the people who created it? How should we remember the death of Jackson today?

 
 

Last updated: October 13, 2023

Park footer

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

120 Chatham Ln
Fredericksburg, VA 22405

Phone:

540 693-3200

Contact Us