Saving History Saturday: ABT and SVBF Updates

The American Battlefield Trust (ABT) has recently announced their latest preservation project at Antietam.

The 11-acre tract is part of the West Woods and just behind Dunker Church, right in the middle of the battlefield.

This land saw furious action. The right flank of General John Bell Hood’s division crossed this land while charging the Cornfield. General Joseph B. Kershaw’s South Carolinians then came along as they fought against Union soldiers as part of the fighting in the West Woods and Sunken Road. Union XII Corps men from the 34th New York, as well and soldiers from Maryland and Pennsylvania occupied the land during the fighting.

In private hands for generations, ABT has been working with the owners for many years, awaiting the opportunity to preserve it forever. ABT is looking to raise $150,000 to be able to close on the purchase in December and save this land forever.

To learn about this, as well as other projects that ABT is currently working on, visit www.battlefields.org.

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) is currently fundraising to save core battlefield at Cedar Creek in the center of Middletown.

Immediately adjacent to the historic Wayside Inn, this 23-acre tract is owned Middletown itself, and SVBF is raising $100,000 to purchase a preservation easement on the property. As part of the agreement, the town will use the funds from the purchase of the easement to create a battlefield park, installing interpretive trails and signage, as well as restore the landscape to that of the time of the battle.

To learn more about this, and everything that the Shenandoah Battlefields Foundation does, visit their website.