Lee and Jackson in Lexington, Virginia

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1. Stonewall Jackson Monument / Statue at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI)

At the center of the campus of the Virginia Military Institute is a monument to the famous Confederate General and former VMI professor Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Donated in 1912, the statue stands at the easternmost side of the main parade field and acts as a focal point of the historic campus. The statue is directly in front of the cadet barracks and is positioned symbolically, as if "surveying the field before the Battle of Chancellorsville, VA where Stonewall Jackson received his mortal wound." Like many other institutions with Confederate monuments, VMI has received social and political pressure in recent years to remove the statue. However, the university has repeatedly committed to preserving the statue in its current location.

2. VMI Museum

The VMI Museum was created in 1856 by Superintendent Smith after he accepted a Revolutionary War musket. The museum holds, preserves, and exhibits artifacts of VMI heritage and has over 15,000 artifacts in its collection. One of the major attractions is General "Stonewall" Jackson's horse "Little Sorrel" which is on display in the museum.

3. Lee Chapel and Museum

Washington and Lee University's Lee Chapel and Museum, completed in 1868, is the final resting place of General and University President Robert E. Lee and most of his family and the home of Edward Valentine’s famous sculpture “Recumbent Lee.” The upstairs chapel was proposed and attended by Lee himself and is still used for Washington & Lee University events; the downstairs contains Lee’s preserved office, a museum, and the Lee family burial crypt. In addition to the Lees, the General’s horse, Traveller, and one of the University’s founders, Rev. William Martin, are buried on its grounds.

4. Washington and Lee University Historic District

The central campus of Washington and Lee University, one of America’s oldest institutions of higher learning, was built between the 1820s and 1930s and features a Greek Revival colonnade, or "symmetrical line of columns."[13] It is now a National Historic Landmark. The University survived near-destruction in the Civil War and, under the presidency of Robert E. Lee, grew into a top-tier modern liberal arts college.

5. Stonewall Jackson House

This historic house museum is located in the former home of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. The house was built in 1800 by Dr. Cornelius Dorman. Thomas Jackson purchased the house for $3000 in 1858. Jackson became one of the leading generals of the Confederacy until he was accidently shot by one of his own men during an early battle with limited visibility. Jackson's funeral was held in Lexington on May 15, 1863. The house later served as Jackson Memorial Hospital from 1907-1954 and was later purchased by Virginia Military Institute and converted to a museum. The home is operated by VMI and open from March- December, and guided tours are available daily for individuals and groups.

6. Oak Grove Cemetery (former Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery)

This cemetery is the final resting place of many influential persons in Virginia, Civil War, Washington & Lee University, and VMI history, including Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. Other burials include two Virginia governors, four Confederate generals, one of the founders of VMI, and the "Poetess of the South." Established in the late 1700s by the Lexington Presbyterian Church, the cemetery is now owned by the city and regularly restored by the Historic Lexington Foundation. It is still in use today. In July 2020, the "Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery" name was officially removed, and the Lexington City Council officially decided on the name "Oak Grove Cemetery" on September 3rd of that year.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Lee and Jackson in Lexington, Virginia

Created by Benjamin Woodard on March 17th 2020, 9:14:24 pm.

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Discover the stories of two famous Confederate generals and their contributions to Lexington's educational heritage. Visit Robert E. Lee's official dwellings as Washington and Lee University president and his family's burial chapel on the college grounds. See the house Stonewall Jackson bought while teaching at VMI, his horse Little Sorrel, the uniform he was wearing when he was hit by friendly fire, and his final resting place.

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Lee and Jackson in Lexington, Virginia

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