Senate bill would add four counties to Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Historic District

The Virginia and West Virginia delegations in the U.S. Senate have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District.

The bill would add Rockbridge County in Virginia and three counties in West Virginia – Berkeley County, Jefferson County and Morgan County – to the district.

The historic district, which currently consists of eight counties in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia – Augusta County, Clarke County, Frederick County, Highland County, Page County, Rockingham County, Shenandoah County and Warren County – was created by Congress in 1996.

“The Shenandoah Valley helped shape our nation’s history, and preserving these battlefields will ensure that future generations can better understand the sacrifices and defining moments that took place there during the Civil War,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. “By expanding the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District to include additional sites in Virginia and West Virginia, this bipartisan legislation will boost local tourism and protect our historical landscapes.”

“The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District is one of Virginia’s great historical treasures, preserving the Valley’s Civil War battlefields so that Americans from across the country can visit them and reflect on our country’s history,” said U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. “I’m proud to support this bipartisan legislation to expand the district into Rockbridge County and strengthen the partnerships that protect these valued sites for years to come.”