Fort Monroe or Fort Harrison

[dehight]

So I'm going on a trip to VA this/next week and I have a conundrum I was hoping for some input on. We'll be spending some time on the Peninsula and I have enough time to fit in either Fort Monroe or Fort Harrison. I was hoping for some input from those of y'all who have been to one/both of them. If you had to pick one to visit which would you pick. Thanks everyone.

 

[Bruce Vail]

I've visited Fort Monroe and recommend it for one reason only. I found it thrilling to stand in Jefferson Davis' jail cell.

 

[dlavin]

They aren't exactly close to one another. Would think it would depend on your itinerary. Meaning you could start at Monroe and work your way west/north west through Williamsburg etc. Or if you are concentrating around Richmond visit Harrison.

Harrison won't take you long to walk around but I enjoyed it

 

[dehight]

Yeah I know they aren't close but I have two itineraries planned, one with each of them. But I can't do both with the other things planned for that day. Just trying to see which people would choose, all else being equal. I was almost leaning towards Fort Monroe because of the museum there. Was it good aside from Davis's cell?

 

[Bruce Vail]

Yeah I know they aren't close but I have two itineraries planned, one with each of them. But I can't do both with the other things planned for that day. Just trying to see which people would choose, all else being equal. I was almost leaning towards Fort Monroe because of the museum there. Was it good aside from Davis's cell?

It is actually sort of an oddball museum, and its not very big. There is a section devoted to the history of the Fort (it had an earlier incarnation as a Colonial era fortification) and a separate section devoted to the Civil War. And then there is a big display of coastal fortification models -- because the models were left over from when Fort Monroe was the HQ of Army's Coast Batteries department.

The Fort itself is real big, so it is kind of interesting to drive around and see how the Army modernized it and integrated the old structures into a working military base. The base is closed now, so all the buildings are being re-purposed. There is a part where you can get out and climb on the walls that overlook the water. That's pretty cool too.

 

[Bruce Vail]

It was pretty good-sized Army base at one time...

 

[redbob]

I would pick Fort Monroe, because there isn't a whole lot to Fort Harrison.

 

[dehight]

I appreciate everyone's input. I guess I'll choose Fort Monroe and maybe try to squeeze Fort Harrison in later, depending on if we have any time left after seeing Malvern Hill. Thank you all for the advice, I'm looking forward to getting back to VA to see what I missed last year.

 

[dlavin]

If you have an additional 30-45 min and if you are headed from Malvern Hill to Richmond, you can almost run right into Harrison depending on your route back to Richmond.