The Graffiti House today

Today at Brandy Station, April 24, 2010, the Graffiti House was host to members of the 17th Virginia Infantry, Company D, The Fairfax Rifles. These gentlemen and ladies are a fine group of living historians. And this year, as they have for the previous four years, came to the Graffiti House to help us support Culpeper Remembrance Days. Cupleper Remembrance Days is a celebration of the history of Culpeper, with it's eye on the future.

At the Graffiti House we hosted over 70 visitors, young and old, from the area and the country. I was proud to be there to help tell the story of the house, to interpret the graffiti for them, and tell a ghost story or two.

But there is more. We tell the story of Brandy Station during the Civil War. The fighting, camping and the people who lived here and passed through here. The Fairfax Rifles help tell that story, for the original Fairfax Rifles passed by the house and looked upon at least once, in late August 1862.

The Graffiti House is a treasure. I like to describe the Graffiti House in this way. "Many understand what a witness tree is. A witness tree was present at a significant event and remains today. There are not many left that witnessed events during the Civil War. There are many, many structures on and around Civil War battlefields that were present during the fighting. The Graffiti House is one such structure."

But with the Graffiti left by soldiers, both blue and gray, it is much, much more. The docents at the house bring the graffiti to life. Our docents tell of the soldiers that signed the walls, describe when and why drawings were made, and speak of the events and incidents that are captured by dates annotated.

The Graffiti House is a witness house. But it is also so much more. This witness house speaks, it lives.