News from the Civil War Preservation Trust

Winter 2003-04

Visit the Civil War Preservation Trust web site: www.civilwar.org

To join the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), click here.

2004 CWPT List of Endangered Battlefields

The top ten endangered battlefields cited in the report are as follows:

-- Chancellorsville, Virginia
-- Fort Donelson, Tennessee
-- Franklin, Tennessee
-- Glendale, Virginia
-- �The Hell Hole� (Pickett�s Mill, New Hope Church and Dallas), Georgia
-- Mansfield, Louisiana
-- Morris Island, South Carolina
-- New Bern, North Carolina
-- South Mountain, Maryland
-- Wilson�s Creek, Missouri

To read the full article, please follow this link:

http://www.civilwar.org/PressReleases/PressDetail.asp?lngPressID=46

2003 Progress Report

The following report can be found at the Civil War Preservation Trust web site:

http://www.civilwar.org/news/topten2003/progressreport2003.htm

In partnership with several local preservation groups, CWPT has been working tirelessly to save property at sites identified in last year’s Most Endangered Battlefields report. Listed below are a few of the successes achieved in 2002.

Atlanta, Georgia

Little remains of the Atlanta battlefields or the miles of earthworks that once encircled the city. However, thanks to a $2.65 million deal involving the Arthur Blank Foundation, the City of Atlanta, the Georgia Civil War Commission, the Conservation Fund, state officials and local activists, 103 acres of trenches constructed by the Union Army will be preserved as historic parkland.

Averasboro, North Carolina

Although Averasboro remains one of the most endangered battlegrounds in America, CWPT scored a notable victory there this past year. CWPT increased the amount of protected land at Averasboro by 25 percent through the purchase of a conservation easement on the 71-acre Weeks Farm. The property is located along N.C. Route 82, the wartime Raleigh Plank Road.

Bristoe Station, Virginia

Prior to 2002, Bristoe Station battlefield seemed destined for development. However, a unique partnership between CWPT and Centex Homes (a national development corporation) has resulted in the establishment of a 127-acre heritage park, complete with interpretive signage and walking trails. The new park will include the area west of Bristoe Road where the Confederate Brigades of Cooke, Perry and Posey were repulsed.

Corinth, Mississippi

In November, the Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission held a groundbreaking ceremony for a $9 million interpretive center at Corinth battlefield. The new center, which will be maintained by NPS, is expected to attract 250,000 visitors a year. In July, the commission unveiled a 20-mile Civil War walking trail that will connect the interpretive center with other parts of the battlefield.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Two of the biggest battlefield preservation victories of the year occurred at Harpers Ferry. The first victory involved the 98-acre Murphy Farm, which was saved by a coalition of groups determined to stop a 188-house development slated for the site. The second success was the preservation of 232 acres by CWPT on historic School House Ridge.

News From the National Trust For Historic Preservation

To visit the National Trust web site: www.nationaltrust.org.

The strongest federal preservation law remains in danger. Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act requires road builders to avoid historic properties unless there is "no prudent and feasible alternative." Originally passed to stop the massive destruction caused by the highway building of the 1950s and '60s, 4(f) has saved thousands of historic places (See article) from bulldozers and blacktop. Through your efforts, 4(f) survived its initial vote in the Senate committee. However, Senators and Representatives who want to gut its protections and bring back the bad old days will be pressing hard in the weeks ahead to weaken protections for historic places. Help protect America's heritage. Your representatives are in your area for the winter recess which ends in early February. We expect this critical issue to come up for a vote mid-February. Please visit and/or call your Senators and your Representative now and tell them to protect 4(f). Click here for contact information. Click here for additional information on upcoming Congressional activity on 4(f).

Thank you!

Reports Wanted

We take this opportunity to inform our readers of our desire to publish reports about significant events in the world of Civil War living history. We are particularly interested in obtaining and passing along to our readers reports of the meetings conducted by umbrella organizations.

While we cannot print meeting reports from every reenacting company and living history mess, we will be delighted to print news from the many large organizations that are so important to the conduct of Civil War reenacting these days.

This column has long concentrated on news from the battlefield preservation arena, and that important emphasis will continue. However, we would like to help our readers communicate among themselves too. Please allow us to be your voice.

To submit a report, please click here.