Volunteer Opportunities From: Volunteer Prince William

What is Brentsville?

Established in 1820, Brentsville was the fourth county seat of Prince William County.  It survived the Civil War and Reconstruction, but not the shift of the population to the new town of Manassas By 1820, many residents had moved farther west for better farm land and the old county seat (Dumfries) was too far east for the western residents to conveniently travel. Brentsville was centrally located in Prince William County, along the major east/west road (now 619), which led from the port of Dumfries to the Shenandoah Valley. Every type of county business occurred in this courthouse, civil and criminal cases alike, for the next 70 years. In 1893, the county seat moved to Manassas, which allowed Brentsville to retain much of its 19th century character.

 

The 28-acre Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre includes five historic buildings: 1822 courthouse, 1822 jail, 1880 church, 1850 farmhouse, and a one-room schoolhouse that served the young children of Brentsville from 1929 to 1944. The 1822 Williams-Dawe House is currently closed to the public as it undergoes preservation.

What You Can Do as a Junior Preservationist

Our Junior Preservationists work with historic preservation staff and other volunteers doing many of the same work performed by adult volunteers. You can learn more about how historic sites are run, how artifacts are cared for, and maybe tackle a special project suitable to your age range.  You can also assist with special events, summer camps, education programs, and the daily operations at Brentsville.

There are a lot of ways we can use your help!  Year-round we can use help taking care of our nature trail and grounds, including flower beds and a vegetable garden.

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position.  If you are sixteen or older, site staff will help you learn Rippon's history to prepare your own guided tours of the historic site for regular hours or special events.

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Brentsville that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

For Junior Preservationists, volunteers 13 to 15 will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while volunteering.  When applying, please let us know of any service hour requirements or accommodations you might need while volunteering.

What is Brentsville?

Established in 1820, Brentsville was the fourth county seat of Prince William County.  It survived the Civil War and Reconstruction, but not the shift of the population to the new town of Manassas By 1820, many residents had moved farther west for better farm land and the old county seat (Dumfries) was too far east for the western residents to conveniently travel. Brentsville was centrally located in Prince William County, along the major east/west road (now 619), which led from the port of Dumfries to the Shenandoah Valley. Every type of county business occurred in this courthouse, civil and criminal cases alike, for the next 70 years. In 1893, the county seat moved to Manassas, which allowed Brentsville to retain much of its 19th century character.

 

The 28-acre Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre includes five historic buildings: 1822 courthouse, 1822 jail, 1880 church, 1850 farmhouse, and a one-room schoolhouse that served the young children of Brentsville from 1929 to 1944. The 1822 Williams-Dawe House is currently closed to the public as it undergoes preservation. 

 

What You Can Do

Brentsville has a lot of space and a lot of history to talk about!  There are several flower beds throughout the site and a representative vegetable garden at the 1850 Haislip-Hall House.  Our garden volunteers can use a hand caring for plants, weeding, and watering.  If you prefer things a little more wild, our nature trail always needs cleaning and clearing of trees that can get you closer to native or invasive plants for removal.

 

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position! Working with site staff, you will conduct guided tours of the historic site during special events or on regularly scheduled tour days. Guides can also help staff with activities like field trips, special tours, or other events throughout the year.

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Brentsville that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

 

If you have any requirements for service hours or have any accommodation needs for volunteering, please let us know when you apply.

 

This listing is for adult volunteers only.  If you are under the age of 18, please check out the Junior Preservationist listing here.

What is Ben Lomond?

Ben Lomond and its outbuildings were constructed for Benjamin Tasker Chinn in 1832. Confederate forces used the house as a hospital following the 1861 Battle of First Manassas and you can find the many signatures of Federal soldiers who occupied the property in 1862 all over the walls. Here you can smell, touch, hear, and taste history in an immersive environment. Ben Lomond isn’t just the house, it also has restored slave quarters, smokehouse, dairy, and an antique rose garden

What You Can Do as a Junior Preservationist

Our Junior Preservationists work with historic preservation staff and other volunteers doing many of the same work performed by adult volunteers. You can learn more about how historic sites are run, how artifacts are cared for, and maybe tackle a special project suitable to your age range.  You can also assist with special events, summer camps, education programs, and the daily operations of Ben Lomond.

There are a lot of ways we can use your help!  From spring to fall, the site has substantial gardens including a vegetable garden, herb garden, and large antique rose garden. JPs can help other garden volunteers and staff with watering, weeding, or planting.

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position.  If you are sixteen or older, site staff will help you learn Rippon's history to prepare your own guided tours of the historic site for regular hours or special events.

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Ben Lomond that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

For Junior Preservationists, volunteers 13 to 15 will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while volunteering.  When applying, please let us know of any service hour requirements or accommodations you might need while volunteering.

What is Ben Lomond?

Ben Lomond and its outbuildings were constructed for Benjamin Tasker Chinn in 1832. Confederate forces used the house as a hospital following the 1861 Battle of First Manassas and you can find the many signatures of Federal soldiers who occupied the property in 1862 all over the walls. Here you can smell, touch, hear, and taste history in an immersive environment. Ben Lomond isn’t just the house, it also has restored slave quarters, smokehouse, dairy, and an antique rose garden.

 

What You Can Do

There’s a little bit of everything for eager hands and minds to work on at Ben Lomond.  There are three different gardens, including a kitchen herb garden, the slave quarters vegetable garden, and the antique rose garden to engage with your particular interest in gardening!  If you like to weed and water, we can always use your help with all three.

 

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position! Working with site staff, you will conduct guided tours of the historic site during special events or on regularly scheduled tour days. Guides can also help staff with activities like field trips, special tours, or other events throughout the year.  Ben Lomond has a lot of field trips and bus tours!

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Ben Lomond that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

 

If you have any requirements for service hours or have any accommodation needs for volunteering, please let us know when you apply.

 

This listing is for adult volunteers only.  If you are under the age of 18, please check out the Junior Preservationist listing here.

What is Rippon Lodge?

Historic Preservation volunteers are an important part of making each site the best experience for the public!  It’s also a great way to exercise your passion for history.  Rippon Lodge was built about 1747 at the heart of a colonial tobacco plantation worked by enslaved labor and has been witness to the county’s evolution all the way to the present day.  Host to American Revolutionaries, presidents, Antarctic explorers, and namesake to many area locations, Rippon is at the heart of eastern Prince William County history.

 

What You Can Do as a Junior Preservationist

Our Junior Preservationists work with historic preservation staff and other volunteers doing many of the same work performed by adult volunteers. You can learn more about how historic sites are run, how artifacts are cared for, and maybe tackle a special project suitable to your age range.  You can also assist with special events, summer camps, education programs, and the daily operations of Rippon Lodge.

Rippon can use your help for a variety of activities.  From spring to fall, the site has substantial ornamental gardens including 1920s flower beds, shrubs, herbs, and a large representative kitchen garden of crops grown through the years.  JPs can help other garden volunteers and staff with watering, weeding, or planting.

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position!  If you are sixteen or older, site staff will help you learn Rippon's history to prepare your own guided tours of the historic site for regular hours or special events.

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Rippon that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

For Junior Preservationists, volunteers 13 to 15 will need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while volunteering.  When applying, please let us know of any service hour requirements or accommodations you might need while volunteering.

What is Rippon Lodge?

Historic Preservation volunteers are an important part of making each site the best experience for the public!  It’s also a great way to exercise your passion for history.  Rippon Lodge was built about 1747 at the heart of a colonial tobacco plantation worked by enslaved labor and has been witness to the county’s evolution all the way to the present day.  Host to American Revolutionaries, presidents, Antarctic explorers, and namesake to many area locations, Rippon is at the heart of eastern Prince William County history.

 

What You Can Do

Rippon can use your help for a variety of activities.  From spring to fall, the site has substantial ornamental gardens including 1920s flower beds, shrubs, herbs, and a large representative kitchen garden of crops grown through the years.  Whether you know a lot about planting and design or are interested in pitching in to weed and water, Rippon will give you a place to express your love of plants.

 

Becoming an interpretive guide is a very people-focused visitor opportunity!  If you’re passionate about history and really like to share it with folks, this will be a rewarding position! Working with site staff, you will conduct guided tours of the historic site during special events or on regularly scheduled tour days. Guides can also help staff with activities like field trips, special tours, or other events throughout the year.

 

If you have any skills or interests you think would be a good fit for Rippon that we didn’t mention, feel free to mention them when you apply!  We’re happy to find something that suits your abilities and needs as best we can.

 

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your background check clears, you should expect an email from the division volunteer coordinator with a more detailed interests and availability form.  Depending on the season and site needs, there may not be volunteer hours immediately available.

If you have any requirements for service hours or have any accommodations for volunteering, please let us know when you apply.

This listing is for adult volunteers only.  If you are under the age of 18, please check out the Junior Preservationist listing here.

The Maintenance and Operations Division is seeking trail monitor volunteers. Trail monitors will walk a trial, or section of trail, on a weekly basis. During their walk they will pick up litter and look for maintenance issues, such as damaged trees and hanging branches, standing water, trail washouts, etc. Trail monitors will take pictures of identified issues and report their findings to the Maintenance and Operations Division.

Please include what trail(s) you will be interested in monitoring in your response to this opportunity. A complete map of trails can be found on the Prince William Recreation Mapper under the "trails" tab.