Saving History Saturday: 52 Acres To Preserve at New Market
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) is working to preserve 52 acres at New Market battlefield. Located along the historic Valley Pike, this land is where Confederate artillery—include the Virginia Military Institute Cadet Battery—rolled into position and turned back a Federal cavalry charge.
According to the details on SVBF’s website: “This property is considered highly developable and is part of the residential growth area in the Town of New Market’s comprehensive plan. But we can save it – and we’re off to a great start. Two families have come together to challenge us all to join them in protecting this key piece of our history. They’ve contributed $125,000 to get this campaign started and to hold the property while we raise the rest of the funds needed for the purchase. Because of their generous gifts, only $375,000 more is needed to ensure that this property is protected.”
To learn more about this battlefield land and preservation or to make a donation for this project, please visit: https://www.shenandoahatwar.org/help-save-battery-heights-at-new-market/
My wife and I were up in the Valley for the Fourth of July Celebration and on the way back to our home in Williamsburg, we stopped at the New Market Battlefield. Included in the literature handled out at the Visitor’s Center was shown a hill where the VMI Cadets assembled for their charge into the Federal Line. This prominence was named Shirley’s Hill and it was located outside of grounds controlled by the Park. We left the Visitor’s Center to find the hill (we were told, “it was behind the 711 store”.) Sure enough, we found it and on a small road running up the side of the hill was a “For Sale” sign saying 3.6 acres were up for sale. At a unrelated Battlefield Walk we took on Friday at Yorktown, we mentioned our observation to a member of the American Battlefield Trust who were conducting the Tour. Hopefully we can “mount” a successful fund raising drive to save this valuable piece of history.