brandy station foundation

Commemorating Civil War battles fought around Bandy Station, Virginia, the house has been saved from demolition. Its big attraction is the marvelous collection of autographs and drawings left on the walls by soldiers, many of whom were wounded patients. Quite fortuitously we were there on a day of a special event. Many re-enactors in their uniforms and dresses brought the historical period to life. Tents, suttlers, and the firing of a cannon added color and sound. A gentleman gave a thorough tour of the house and stories behind the names and drawings on the upstairs walls. His descriptions gave a verbal picture of the nearby battles and those who fought there.

The Graffiti House is a niche Civil War site located just off Rte 29 in Brandy Station, VA. It is owned/operated by the private Brandy Station Foundation.It is known as "The Graffiti House" because Union and Confederate soldiers used charcoal to write and draw on the walls of the home. The writings were later covered the with plaster and wall paper, preserving them for discovery when the house was being prepared for demolition.The small staff are wonderfully friendly and helpful. The small museum displays are clear and concise. And the rooms full of graffiti are priceless. and the fact that you can get up close and personal with such intimate artifacts is wonderful.This was a great facility and worth a visit by the civil war buff or casual historian.PS: Gas in the Remington/Brandy Station area was $3.03 a gallon so tank up while you are in the area.

Anytime I am even remotely near the D.C. area I am compelled to re visit this site. It keeps getting better, and thankfully more preserved each time I drop by. I truly am glad it is getting the attention it deserves, for as you can see by the photos, and others postings, this is probably one of the more important historical buildings in the area. It contains behind the once panel-covered walls, graffiti from both sides of the Civil War's North & South fronts while the building served as an infirmiry during said war. It also has a few autographs from highly decorated and well known visiting dignitaries who passed through the area at the time. There usually is a new interactive graffiti wall downstairs to be signed by ancestors of patients who were treated at the hospital. As far as the gift shop, my favorite souvenir was when the preserving organization was selling engraved commemorative bricks from a long demolished hearth. This central fireplace holds significance as it once served as the fodder for the soot writing implements used to create the doodling/writing/etchings of all originally involved. Those were of course the most pricey items, with funds going back into the home's renovation.

The graffiti on the walls is raw history. It's easy to imagine the injured and other soliders who wrote on the walls are there in the room with you. Many unknown, but some known or suspected, including JEB Stuart and maybe George Custer. A great place for Civil War types, and you might even get your kids interested. Must climb stairs to reach the garffiti. Central spot for info on the battle of Barndy Station.

We are Civil War buffs but I think anyone would be interested in the Graffiti House. We were lucky enough to have Jack as our tour guide and he brought it to life for us and we were truly amazed at the volunteer efforts with this building. We spent 2 hours there and if it wasn't so late could have spent another hour...wonderful!

the Graffiti House, owned by the the Brandy Station foundation! was used as a field hospital during the Civil War. It was about to be burned by the local fire department in the 1990's when the grandson of the owner found signatures under paint and wallpaper in the house and research confirmed the signatures, sayings and drawing saw ere done by soldiers from both the Union and Confederate side of the war. It's very low key, with a volunteer guide, but interesting.

the preservation efforts for the graffiti house, where you can read the writings and view impromptu drawings of civil war soldiers, are to be rewarded... this is extraordinary history as is the driving tour of a very important battlefield, itself the product of preservation efforts this is an absolute must for any person with an interest in the southern rebellion

What an amazing piece of Civil War history. I read about the Graffiti House in the Culpeper visitor guide and decided to check it out on our way home. I am so glad we made the decision to stop. There is something to please everyone- Civil War history of course for the historian but there are also some ghost stories & paranormal activity for any ghost hunters with a little bit of romance as well as the ladies came to visit their soldiers who were convalescing at the Graffiti House after the battle. From the outside it just looks like a house but what is on the inside is nothing but amazing. Charcoal writing in 3 rooms of the second floor which have survived for almost 150 years from Civil War soldiers. This is well worth the stop and not far off of 29. The guides at the Graffiti House are very enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable, full of information and passionate about preserving a piece of history. Visiting the Graffiti House is free; of course donations are welcome and appreciated. It only took about an hour to tour but I strongly encourage you to make the trip to the Graffiti House you won't be disappointed!

Don't be fooled by the ordinary exterior of the Graffiti House - what awaits you inside is nothing short of extraordinary! That's because the walls throughout the entire second floor of this house are covered with the writings, signatures, and drawings of Civil War soldiers. This house, like others in the area during the 1863 Battle of Brandy Station and throughout the war, was the "home" and workplace of soldiers, who took to recording their presence on its walls in charcoal. Thanks to luck and the efforts of preservationists, we can now enjoy this link to history. And enjoy it, you will! The first floor houses a small museum with exhibits about the house and the Battle of Brandy Station, where you'll learn briefly about the house and why the graffiti is there. Then, it's on to the second floor where one of the very knowledgeable guides will walk you through each room, sharing history and stories of those who visited the house. These volunteer guides truly love their "work" and it shows in how they interpret the stories contained on the walls. You'll learn of the important generals who passed through, but mostly you'll hear the fascinating stories of the many "common" soldiers - each of whom has a tale of his own (even--perhaps especially--the rogues!). And every visit will be unique because each guide has his own favorite stories to tell. On top of that, there are many historical mysteries in the who and why of the writings and drawings, allowing guests to take part in trying to unwrap these questions, too. Once back on the main floor, you might have a chance to hold and sight an original musket from war and learn more about the weapons used by both sides. As a last treat, if you have an ancestor who fought at Brandy Station or lived in one of the many encampments in the Culpepper area, you can sign their Wall of Honor beneath the flag of your ancestor's home state. As a measure of how fun this place was, we went expecting to spend half an hour and were there for nearly two hours. You won't regret taking time to go the short distance off the beaten path (it's visible from Rt. 29) to explore this gem!

The mere breadth of the battlefield is enough to make you awestruck. The thought of thousand of armed cavalrymen advacning and charging will stir your imagination in this incredible setting. The story of how many times this particular place ssaw both armies passing through back and forth during that bloddy conflict is truly mind boggling. This historic site is really in need of supoort from it's visitors.Due to the lack of financial support, this site is a little short on amenities, but the tours are well worth it. Please take into consideration that this site has battled developers (who wanted to build a racetrack) in the last few years and could well be lost id we don't ALL show our support.