Tours

Journey Through Hallowed Ground offers tours, led by our expert guides, of the sites within its National Heritage Area. These tours focus on the broad and diverse historical narratives of each of these sites, with a special emphasis on their relevance to American political, social, and intellectual history, and additional insights on historic preservation, landscape conservation, and civic education. Collectively they tell the story of the entirety of the United States of America, through the lens of the major events and personalities of this historic region.

Tours are booked on a rolling basis, customizable according to the needs and interests of each group. These are especially relevant for school groups and honors programs, civic organizations, veterans groups, and special parties. The guides meet guests at the site, guide them on the tour, and offer advice on other opportunities in the area and the broader Journey system. Rates start at $50/hour.

Tours Available

DC Tidal Basin with Jefferson and Washington

Washington D.C. and the Great American Monuments

Walk around the Tidal Basin, the National Mall, the White House, the Capitol– or all four!– and ponder the legacies of Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, of the American Revolution and the Constitutional Convention and the Civil War, and their roles in shaping our ideas of what our country is. If you can’t get out to the Piedmont yet, come celebrate the Journey here.

Gettysburg National Military Park view with canon

Abraham Lincoln, the Battle of Gettysburg, and the American Civil War

Tour the Gettysburg Battlefield and the historic town of Gettysburg, and hear the narrative of the Civil War, from the political violence of the 1850s to the reconstruction of the Union, the greatest American epic. Walk the paths of some of the most famous moments in Civil War history, and stand where Lincoln stood, speaking words that defined the meaning of America.

Antietam National Battlefield - Sunken Road

Abraham Lincoln, the Battle of Antietam, and the American Civil War

Tour the Antietam Battlefield and the historic town of Sharpsburg, and hear the narrative of the Civil War, from the political violence of the 1850s to the reconstruction of the Union, the greatest American epic. Walk the paths of some of the most famous moments in Civil War history, and consider the thoughts of Abraham Lincoln as he sought to bring about a new birth of freedom.

Manassas National Battlefield Stone House

Abraham Lincoln, the Battles of Manassas, and the American Civil War

Tour the Manassas Battlefields, and hear the narrative of the Civil War, from the political violence of the 1850s to the reconstruction of the Union, the greatest American epic. Walk the paths of some of the most famous moments in Civil War history, and consider the thought and statecraft of Abraham Lincoln as he sought to hold America together.

George C. Marshall, Leesburg, and the Northern Virginia Public Service Tradition

In the historic town of Leesburg, learn about the Northern Virginia tradition of public service that has defined the region for centuries, from Lord Fairfax and George Washington and, after the Civil War, the reemergence of that tradition with the area’s military and civil service workers of the 20th Century, most notably Army Chief of Staff and Secretary of State George C. Marshall.

Fredericksburg and the Legacy of Virginia, from Colonial Times to the Civil War

Walk historic Fredericksburg, from George Washington’s childhood home, to one of the bloodiest battlefields of the Civil War. Consider the legacy of Virginia, from Jamestown through the great leaders of the American Revolution, all amid the ever-looming shadow of slavery, up to that final reckoning in the war that broke the union.

arial view of Harpers Ferry and the Shenandoah River

Harpers Ferry, the Westward Movement, and the Dawn of the Civil War

Wander through the little town that Thomas Jefferson loved, where Meriwether Lewis planned, which John Brown attacked, and which Stonewall Jackson and Philip Sheridan fought over. Hear the story of how the divisions brought forth by the Westward Movement, the long attempts to save the Union by compromise, and the eventual Civil War shaped American heritage.

Mount Vernon, the Age of George Washington, and American Nationhood

Walk the grounds of George Washington’s famous home, Mount Vernon, and hear his life from start to finish, and how the General and President quite literally grew up with his country. Discover the divisive politics of the Founding Fathers as they sought to define what America was about– a politics that has echoed across history, and still echoes to this day.

Old truck outside shops in Alexandria, VA

Alexandria, American Nationhood, and the Age of George Washington

Walk the brick streets of Alexandria, a key site in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, and home of many colorful figures of the Founding Era. Hear the life of Washington from start to finish, how he grew from a from a vain, angry young officer to the charismatic general and dignified statesman still living in the hearts of his countrymen.

Monticello, American Ideals, and the Age of Thomas Jefferson

Walk the grounds of Thomas Jefferson’s famous home, Monticello, and hear his life from start to finish, how the writer and President imagined his country’s meaning in history in its first half-century of independence. Follow his struggles over the meanings of liberty and slavery, his faith in the ordinary person, and the cycles of politics that shape America’s meaning to this day.

Sculpture of James and Dolly Madison at James Madison's Montpelier

Montpelier, American Political Thought, and the Age of James Madison

Walk the grounds of James Madison’s famous home, Montpelier, and hear his life from start to finish, how the great thinker and President considered the workings of America’s system of government. Hear his debates with Patrick Henry, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe, and others on American government, debates which shape our own thought and divides to this day.

View of the Shenandoah Valley at sunset from Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park and American Conservation Heritage

Wander the trails of the Blue Ridge where, in the 1930s, the young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps helped shape the great American tradition of stewardship of nature. Hear the fascinating history of conservation in America, how its schools of thought have developed, the iconic personalities who made the movement, and how you, too, can be a part of it.

arial view of fog coming out of trees at sunrise

Other Sites along the Journey

Tours can be arranged, upon request, for other areas, especially historic small towns.

Luke Nathan Phillips is a tour guide, outdoor guide, reenactor, and writer in the Washington D.C. metro area. He focuses on American political and intellectual history and biography, and has been published on these subjects in various magazines, including The National Interest, American Affairs, The American Interest, and others. Aside from his guiding work, he has spent time working in political reconciliation and civil discourse, economic and social policy analysis, conservation education, and young professional leadership development.