Chancellorsville- Jackson's Flank Attack properties

[eBrowne]

The American Battlefield Trust is putting out an urgent appeal as expected funding for these properties has fallen through. I would urge everyone to support their efforts. Their website states the following:

We didn't get the $450,000 in government grants that we were counting on... As a result, 42 battlefield acres in Chancellorsville are now at URGENT risk!

This crisis is happening at the worst possible time. The 42-acre site is located in one of the fastest growing areas in the nation — one where developers are chomping at the bit to get their hands on every acre of land they can. These developers have never met a battlefield they won't bulldoze.

We can't let that happen here. Not on the site of Robert E. Lee's greatest military victory ... near the place where Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was mortally wounded ... and the site of a battle that is still studied today by military personnel all over the world.

The clock is ticking. If we don't raise $450,000, the whole deal could crumble. This year the government funding may not have been enough to go around ... but I believe you are up to the task and will step into the breach!

Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville

We didn’t get the $450,000 in government grants that we were counting on and now 42 battlefield acres in Chancellorsville are at URGENT risk!

www.battlefields.org

 

[Woods-walker]

The ABT recently purchased 100 acres at Todd's Tavern. It's a beautiful piece of property and will now stay that way.
They also recently joined with the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust to purchase the property where Dowdall Tavern once stood. Both properties are pristine.
This Chancellorsville property is as an important buy as you already stated. Houses cover much of the area where the first days fighting occurred and the Spotsylvania county supervisors have absolutely no problem approving more! The area around the courthouse is the fastest growing in the region. One developer has put hundreds of roofs along the line between the Union Ninth Corps and the Confederate III Corps positions and where fighting occurred on Myers Hill.
I attended a meeting where they approved building a new intersection at Chancellorsville- which will only help the developers build more houses. The idea was presented to the public as one to improve traffic flow. However after the meeting ended I found that a developer was pushing the county to improve the intersection.

 

[MWood1841]

Spotsy BOS and their developer cronies care about one thing, lining their pockets. The entire Fredericksburg region is the next Fairfax County. Unfortunately, many of the local politicians have zero taste for anything civil war history related. The City of Fredericksburg just assume it is all forgotten about. Why the recent 160th anniversary was completely ignored by the city council. If not for the NPS, the anniversary wouldve gone completely unnoticed. Go to the intersection of Lafayette Blvd and Blue Grey Parkway, next to Marye's Heights. The endless rows of new townhouse roofs explain perfectly what the city thinks about preservation. Prince William County and that monstrous tech center next to 1st Manassas is another example. These big corporations come in with HUGE money. Its sad. Thanks for putting this notice out from ABT.

 

[MWood1841]

I'm getting to that age where I look forward to holding a future grandchild's hand while we walk a battlefield trail together. My family and I were Blessed to have had quality time together on weekends at area battlefields while my girls were growing up, learning about the important history of our country and why it matters.

 

[Woods-walker]

Spotsy BOS and their developer cronies care about one thing, lining their pockets. The entire Fredericksburg region is the next Fairfax County. Unfortunately, many of the local politicians have zero taste for anything civil war history related. The City of Fredericksburg just assume it is all forgotten about. Why the recent 160th anniversary was completely ignored by the city council. If not for the NPS, the anniversary wouldve gone completely unnoticed. Go to the intersection of Lafayette Blvd and Blue Grey Parkway, next to Marye's Heights. The endless rows of new townhouse roofs explain perfectly what the city thinks about preservation. Prince William County and that monstrous tech center next to 1st Manassas is another example. These big corporations come in with HUGE money. Its sad. Thanks for putting this notice out from ABT.

You are directly over the target!

 

[Bigjeep]

I think we know what the problem is! Sadly there are people that want the Civil War battlefields to go the way of the statues! Torn down! I'll leave it there!

 

[Belfoured]

I think we know what the problem is! Sadly there are people that want the Civil War battlefields to go the way of the statues! Torn down! I'll leave it there!

Actually, that's not the problem here, with all due respect. The "problem" is what it's always been - blind greed. It's been going on for many decades. 95% of developers and their local government enablers couldn't care less about the historical significance of property while they extract literally every penny they can. We're fortunate that there are a few landowners - like those at Glendale - who do recognize that and are willing to take a "home town discount". If you think this is a new problem, you haven't been watching ....

 

[Woods-walker]

Actually, that's not the problem here, with all due respect. The "problem" is what it's always been - blind greed. It's been going on for many decades. 95% of developers and their local government enablers couldn't care less about the historical significance of property while they extract literally every penny they can. We're fortunate that there are a few landowners - like those at Glendale - who do recognize that and are willing to take a "home town discount". If you think this is a new problem, you haven't been watching ....

You might be correct- but in the case of Spotsylvania specifically- the county government is all to happy to divorce themselves from anything civil war

 

[Belfoured]

You might be correct- but in the case of Spotsylvania specifically- the county government is all to happy to divorce themselves from anything civil war

That may be but $$$$$ is always the bigger issue - always. Same as it ever was - especially in that part of VA and northward. Much of what the ABT does today started with the massive fight against greed for battlefield land at Bull Run more than thirty years ago.

 

[Bigjeep]

Greed is always there, but the local Governments control who gets what and they are under a lot of pressure! I read where the block that slaves stood on in Fredericksburg had to be removed! We all know what's going on! Any preservation that has to do with the Civil War is looked down on today especially in the south! You can't dance around it!

 

[Bigjeep]

You might be correct- but in the case of Spotsylvania specifically- the county government is all to happy to divorce themselves from anything civil war

A council woman in Pa. wanted to eliminate confederate uniforms in Gettysburg's reenactments!

 

[Belfoured]

Greed is always there, but the local Governments control who gets what and they are under a lot of pressure! I read where the block that slaves stood on in Fredericksburg had to be removed! We all know what's going on! Any preservation that has to do with the Civil War is looked down on today especially in the south! You can't dance around it!

Sorry, but local officials are focused all the time on revenue being generated by developments/large businesses coming to town, etc etc etc. In addition, a lot of them are in the pockets of the developers/business interests. You can try to convert this into some sort of current political issue but that just ignores the $$$ motivations and that it's been going on forever - long before any "statues issues", etc. Money talks - as it always has. As I said, the "silver lining" is that a few landowners have taken less so that the land is preserved than they could have gotten by selling to developers.

 

[Paul Yancey]

The good work of ABT and similar organizations, such as Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, is critical to the preservation of our history. Once this land is grabbed up by the mega corporations and land developers it is gone forever. From the research that I have done, it is my opinion that ABT is a well run organization and worthy of my financial support. I hope that one day my grandchildren and their children will be able to visit these battlefields that are such an important part of our history and heritage.

 

[Belfoured]

The good work of ABT and similar organizations, such as Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, is critical to the preservation of our history. Once this land is grabbed up by the mega corporations and land developers it is gone forever. From the research that I have done, it is my opinion that ABT is a well run organization and worthy of my financial support. I hope that one day my grandchildren and their children will be able to visit these battlefields that are such an important part of our history and heritage.

I fully agree. It's easy to criticize ABT for its expenses, etc etc but the organization exerts leverage in this area that others cannot. It routinely and effectively partners with other outfits, including locals, finds willing landowners, and comes up with creative arrangements. When you're taking on powerful adversaries, you need to have equivalent power and resources. The track record over the past 20 years is all we need to look at.

 

[reading48]

A council woman in Pa. wanted to eliminate confederate uniforms in Gettysburg's reenactments!

=So Stupid Idea.

 

[Bigjeep]

=So Stupid Idea.

As we know, lots of lunatics out there in powerful positions!

 

[AA484]

A council woman in Pa. wanted to eliminate confederate uniforms in Gettysburg's reenactments!

For as many dumb examples there of things like this, I'd say there are many more examples of local governments being cognizant of local history and working to preserve it. It's just that extreme measures like this (which largely fail) stand out the most.