National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg

This site (formerly the Admiral Nimitz State Historical Park) honors Fredericksburg's most famous resident: Admiral Chester Nimitz, the World War II Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific. Nimitz commanded 2.5 million troopsfrom the time he assumed command eighteen days after the attack on Pearl Harbor until the Japanese surrendered.

The museum which began as a site to honor Nimitz has expanded to remember the war in the Pacific. The park is now composed of several sections: the former Nimitz Steamboat Hotel, the Japanese Garden of Peace, the George Bush Gallery, the Pacific Combat Zone, the Plaza of the Presidents, and the Memorial Wall.

The original portion of the park was the Steamboat Hotel, a site that brought the Nimitz name to prominence here years before Chester Nimitz's birth. The admiral's grandfather, Captain Charles H. Nimitz, had spent time in the merchant marines and then decided to build a hotel in the shape of a steamboat bridge. Built in 1852, the Nimitz Steamboat Hotel catered to guests who enjoyed a room, a meal, and the use of an outdoor bathhouse.

Today the former hotel houses a three-story museum honoring Admiral Nimitz and Fredericksburg's early residents. Many exhibits are

Today the former hotel, built by Nimitz's grandfather, houses a three-story museum honoring Admiral Nimitz as well as Fredericksburg's early residents. Many exhibits are devoted to World War II, including several that illustrate the Pacific campaign. In addition to displays that record the building's past, several early hotel rooms, the hotel kitchen, and the bathhouse have been restored.

Behind the museum lies the Garden of Peace, a gift from the people of Japan. This classic Japanese garden includes a flowing stream, a raked bed of pebbles and stones representing the sea and the Pacific islands, and a replica of the study used by Admiral Togo, Nimitz's counterpart in the Japanese forces.

Follow the signs from the Garden of Peace for one block to the Pacific History Walk. This takes you past a collection of military artifacts including a "fat man" Nagasaki-type atomic bomb case, a Japanese tank, and a restored barge like the one used by Nimitz.

Return to Fredericksburg Travel Guide

What's Happening Now...