Preservation

Park founding – the Guilford Battleground Company

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse did not deter settlement patterns in the Guilford Courthouse community, rather a small community of Martinville developed after the battle took place in 1785. The community declined however with the creation of Greensboro in 1808, and its population growth. The battlefield remained as a forested area with little recognition by the local community.

In 1882, Judge David Schenck arrived in Greensboro, NC for a position with the Railroad, and became deeply interested in the history of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. However, he discovered that “out of the population of 3,000 people in Greensboro he could not find a half dozen persons who could point out to him the scene of the battle.”In a quest to uncover the historical battlefield, Schenck founded the Guilford Battleground Company, which preserved the first portions of what would become a National Park.

 

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park’s history as a National Park

Did you know that Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is one of 419 National Parks? On August 25, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service, and at that time there were 35 national parks. The National Park Service emblem of the Arrowhead was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior on July 20, 1951. Each element of the Arrowhead represents major facets of the national park system. The Sequoia tree and bison represent vegetation and wildlife, the mountains and water represent scenic and recreational values, and the arrowhead represents historical and archeological values.

So how does Guilford Courthouse fit into this timeline?

The Guilford Battleground Company (founded by David Schenck) purchased a portion of the original battlefield in 1886, then on March 2, 1917 Guilford Courthouse National Military Park became the first Revolutionary War battlefield preserved by Congress. The park was first federally operated by the War Department, and transferred to the National Park Service on August 10, 1933.