News Release
Courtesy of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism
News Release Date: February 29, 2024
Contact: NewsMedia@nps.gov
WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) today awarded $1,008,166.60 in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants through the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) to protect 58.58 acres, including four battlefields in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
“We are proud to help state and local organizations preserve the irreplaceable historic and cultural resources in their communities,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “These landscapes hold the layered stories of past generations, and this protection ensures they will be shared for generations to come.”
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 makes these awards possible by reinvesting revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation.
Today’s awards are to:
- Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism ($440,000.00) for preservation of 36.35 acres at Prairie Grove Battlefield in Washington County, Arkansas.
- Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission ($383,677.50) for preservation of 19.45 acres at Gettysburg Battlefield in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($55,000.00) for preservation of one acre at Buckland Mills Battlefield in Prince William County, Virginia.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($129,489.10) for preservation of 1.78 acres at Petersburg III Battlefield in Dinwiddie County, Virginia.
The funding to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism completes the acquisition and preservation of 185 acres to expand the existing Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. Most of the land is under protective instruments secured with assistance from the ABPP.
Recognized as one of America’s most intact Civil War battlefields, the Battle of Prairie Grove was fought in early December of 1862 and marked the culmination of the Union Army’s drive to take control of northwest Arkansas from Confederate forces. Both sides suffered similar casualties, but this tactical draw represented a strategic and enduring Union victory in the area for the remainder of the war. Union Army units included the first and third Indian Home Guards, a series of volunteer infantry regiments recruited from Indian Tribes, as well as African American troops who joined with Union sympathizers from Arkansas.
The layered histories held by the protected landscape resound across the area and through the Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. Decades before the Civil War battle, Cherokee peoples tread a Trail of Tears in forced removal from their ancestral lands through this area of northwest Arkansas by order of the United States government. These protected lands now invite all to recall the past and to plan for a shared future of renewal.
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 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 425+ 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: February 29, 2024