News Release
Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission
News Release Date: June 1, 2023
Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov
WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) awarded $3,834,518 in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants through the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) today to protect 398 acres, including four battlefields in Virginia and one in West Virginia.
State and local governments spearhead the projects funded by ABPP grants to protect significant battlefield landscapes that are vital to the shared history of their communities and the nation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation, makes these awards possible.
One such remnant, is the historic Shepherdstown Battlefield located in Jefferson County, West Virginia. An easement expansion of this land is a long-term effort to preserve lands associated not only with Shepherdstown Battlefield, but also Antietam Battlefield. As a modern day open agricultural land, the protection of this land honors the site of the Battle of Shepherdstown, which followed the Battle of Antietam on September 20, 1862. Union Major General Fitz John Porter’s V army attacked the Confederate army under the command of Brigadier General William Pendleton. Early the next day, Porter pushed part of his army across the river to establish a bridgehead, a position an army fortifies and holds in the opponent’s territory, just a short distance from the property. The Confederate army counterattacked, pushing the Union forces back across the Potomac River. The Battle of Shepherdstown discouraged a Union pursuit of Robert E. Lee’s defeated army back into Virginia and ended Lee’s Maryland Campaign. This Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant will fund the preservation of approximately 149.6 acres of undeveloped farmland. An easement granted to the Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board, will preserve the importance of the land to Confederate advance and retreat for future generations.
Today’s awards are to:
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $2,440,495.00 for preservation of 97.19 acres at Brandy Station Battlefield in Culpeper County, Virginia.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $173,859.11 for preservation of 7.11 acres at Cold Harbor Battlefield in Hanover County, Virginia.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $268,259.00 for preservation of 3.11 acres at Second Manassas Battlefield in Prince William County, Virginia.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $459,807.90 for preservation of 141.39 acres at Piedmont Battlefield in Rockingham County, Virginia.
- Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board $492,097.00 for preservation of 149.6 acres at Shepherdstown Battlefield in Jefferson County, West Virginia.
The NPS ABPP’s Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants empower preservation partners nationwide to acquire and preserve threatened battlefields on American soil. In addition, the program administers three other grant programs: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Interpretation and Battlefield Restoration Grants. Financial and technical assistance support sustainable, community-driven stewardship of natural and historic resources at the state, tribal and local levels. Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants are available on a rolling basis.
To learn more about how to apply, head to NPS ABPP’s website. For questions about NPS ABPP’s grants, contact the program at e-mail us.
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 424 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: August 8, 2023