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Virginia receives $2.7 million in grants to protect Civil War battlefields

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Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced that 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.

Grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund were awarded by the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program to seven states. 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.

State and local governments are eligible for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants. Private nonprofit groups may apply with state or local government sponsors. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources are the state sponsors of these grants.

“As one of two state sponsors of these grants, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has the opportunity to continue its mission of encouraging and enabling people to enjoy, protect and restore Virginia’s natural resources and cultural treasures,” said DCR Director Clyde Cristman.

“The National Park Service is a key partner in our fight to conserve Virginia’s battlefields,” said DHR Director Julie Langan. “These grants will complement the Commonwealth’s efforts to preserve historically significant sites and help the public to better understand the past.”

Grants are awarded through a competitive process and require a dollar-for-dollar non-federal match.

“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 program is often combined with the Commonwealth’s own Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund to provide a powerful one-two punch to protect hallowed ground in the Old Dominion.”

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

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