RICHMOND, Va. —Virginia has been awarded nearly $2.7 million in federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants to help protect and preserve Civil War battlefields across the state.
Seven states received the grants from the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program.
Virginia was awarded the most money for the most projects, which will be completed in partnership with the Civil War Trust and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.
“I am proud that nine of the 17 battlefields benefiting from these grants are in Virginia,” Governor McAuliffe said. “Virginia has a history worth preserving and sharing, and Land and Water Conservation Fund grants will help us do just that. Heritage tourism is critical to Virginia’s economy, with many first-time visitors coming to see our battlefields, historic sites and cultural landscapes.”
“These grants won’t just protect history; they’ll protect our natural resources. Battlefields include wetlands, forests, open-space landscapes, and other habitats prized by humans and animals alike. This support from the National Park Service brings us one step closer to accomplishing our conservation and recreation goals,” said Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward.
“The federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant program is a powerful tool for preserving battlefield land in Virginia,” said Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust. “Since 2000, the program has provided more than $40 million in matching grants for battlefield protection in the Commonwealth.
The governor’s office said that the funds will go toward the following projects.
Project name | Acres protected | Grant amount | Administering state agency |
Appomattox Court House Battlefield, Appomattox County | 1.13 | $69,247.50 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Deep Bottom Battlefield II, Henrico County | 4.92 | $68,800.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Glendale Battlefield, Henrico County | 1.68 | $71,380.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Kernstown I Battlefield, Frederick County | 37.40 | $357,900.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Opequon Battlefield, Frederick County | 5.00 | $79,275.50 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Opequon Battlefield, Frederick County | 5.00 | $125,783.00 | Virginia Department of Historic Resources |
Appomattox Court House Battlefield, Appomattox County | 0.59 | $59,141.25 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Brandy Station Battlefield, Culpeper County | 10.49 | $221,997.50 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Gaines Mill Battlefield, Hanover County | 2.13 | $128,643.75 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Fredericksburg Battlefield, Spotsylvania County | 25.02 | $1,225,670.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Sailor’s Creek Battlefield, Amelia County | 1.10 | $106,042.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Sailor’s Creek Battlefield, Amelia County | 103.3 | $106,042.00 | Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation |
Opequon Battlefield, Frederick County | 1.00 | $59,760.00 | Virginia Department of Historic Resources |