Land Preservation
Accomplishments
More than 25,000 acres of hallowed ground saved!
The Civil War Preservation Trust has helped to save more than 25,000 acres (100 km²) of Civil War battlefields at more than 93 Civil War battlefields within 18 different states within the United States.
Key battlefield preservation achievements
- 208 acres at Fredericksburg, Virginia
The campaign to preserve the 208-acre (0.84 km²) Slaughter Pen Farm is the most expensive private battlefield preservation effort in American history. CWPT, working in partnership with Tricord, Inc., SunTrust Bank, and the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust, was able to purchase the property for $12 million in 2006. To support the preservation efforts at the Slaughter Pen Farm the Department of the Interior awarded a $2 million CWBPP grant based on the significance of the land and the availability of non-federal matching funds. The Slaughter Pen Farm was the largest remaining unprotected part of the Fredericksburg Battlefield. It is also the only place on the battlefield where a visitor can still follow the Union assault on that bloody day from beginning to end. - 566 acres at Glendale, Virginia
While the Richmond, Virginia, suburbs remain a hotbed for development, CWPT has made significant strides at the Glendale battlefield, preserving 319 acres (1.29 km²) in 2007 and 566 acres (2.29 km²) overall. Fully 75 percent of the battlefield is now preserved. When combined with previous efforts at nearby Malvern Hill, CWPT has now created a three mile (5 km)-long continuous corridor of protected battlefield. - 406 acres at Champion Hill, Mississippi
Unique preservation strategies allowed the CWPT to protect 144 acres (0.58 km²) at the heart of the Champion Hill battlefield in 2007. This key portion of the field is still owned by the Champion family, for whom the area and the battle were named, but now is also under conservation easement. As a result the Champion family will maintain ownership of their historic land, while ensuring that their intentions of seeing it protected are realized in perpetuity. - 173 acres at Chancellorsville, Virginia
CWPT has a record of working with preservation-friendly developers to protect battlefield land. In 2004, CWPT worked with Spotsylvania County officials and family-owned Tricord, Inc., to protect 140 acres (0.57 km²) of land associated with the First Day at Chancellorsville Battlefield. Two years later, a similar deal was worked out with Spotsylvania County and Toll Brothers, Inc. to protect another 74 acres of this historic battleground. Thanks to these efforts, more than 2 miles (3.2 km) of contiguous battlefield land along the historic Orange Turnpike have been preserved. CWPT is currently working with Virginia Civil War Trails to install an interpretive trail on the property, which is expected to open in the Summer of 2008. In addition to its efforts at the First Day at Chancellorsville site, CWPT has helped protect a further 110 acres (0.45 km²) at Chancellorsville. - 787 acres at Bentonville, North Carolina
- 315 acres at Fort Donelson, Tennessee
- 770 acres at Malvern Hill, Virginia
- 325 acres at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
More land preservation accomplishments
As of March 2008, the CWPT has preserved battlefield land at the following sites.
Alabama: Fort Blakely, Magee House
Arkansas: Prairie Grove
Georgia: Griswoldville, Kolb's Farm, New Hope Church, Resaca
Kansas: Mine Creek
Kentucky: Camp Wildcat, Mill Springs, Munfordville, Perryville, Richmond
Louisiana: Fort DeRussy, Mansfield, Port Hudson
Maryland: Antietam, Monocacy, South Mountain
Mississippi: Big Black River Bridge, Brice's Cross Roads, Champion Hill, Chickasaw Bayou, Corinth, Iuka, Okolona, Port Gibson, Raymond
Missouri: Byram's Ford, Fort Davidson, Newtonia, Wilson's Creek
New Mexico: Glorieta Pass
North Carolina: Averasboro, Bentonville
Oklahoma: Honey Springs
Pennsylvania: Gettysburg
South Carolina: Fort Moultrie
Tennessee: Davis Bridge, Fort Donelson, Parker's Cross Roads, Shiloh, Spring Hill, Stones River
Texas: Palmito Ranch
Virginia: Aldie, Appomattox, Brandy Station, Bristoe Station, Cedar Creek, Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Cross Keys, Fisher's Hill, Fort Harrison, Fredericksburg, Glendale, Hatcher's Run, Kernstown, Lee's Mill, Malvern Hill, Manassas, McDowell, Mine Run, New Market, Petersburg (A.P. Hill Deathsite), Petersburg (Peebles Farm), Petersburg (The Breakthrough), Port Republic, Reams Station, Sailor's Creek, Saltville, Third Winchester, Tom's Brook, Totopotomoy, Trevilian Station, Upperville, Ware Bottom Church, White Oak Road
West Virginia: Corrick's Ford, Fort Mulligan, Greenland Gap, Harper's Ferry, Rich Mountain, Shepherdstown, Valley Summit
