Hanover’s Perspective
Hanover Battlefield Receives Federal Grant
Gaines Mill Battlefield has been awarded $128,643 in a federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant to help protect and preserve the Civil War battlefield in Hanover County. Overall, the program awarded nearly $2.7 million to battlefield preservation projects throughout Virginia.
Gaines Mill Battlefield, located four miles southeast of Mechanicsville off Route 156, features artillery exhibits, the historic Watt House that stood in the center of the Union lines and a 1.5-mile walking trail.
Grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund were awarded by the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program to seven states. Virginia was awarded the most money for the most projects, which will be completed in partnership with the Civil War Trust and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.
“I am proud that nine of the 17 battlefields benefiting from these grants are in Virginia,” Governor McAuliffe said. “Virginia has a history worth preserving and sharing, and Land and Water Conservation Fund grants will help us do just that. Heritage tourism is critical to Virginia’s economy, with many first-time visitors coming to see our battlefields, historic sites and cultural landscapes.”
“These grants won’t just protect history; they’ll protect our natural resources. Battlefields include wetlands, forests, open-space landscapes, and other habitats prized by humans and animals alike. This support from the National Park Service brings us one step closer to accomplishing our conservation and recreation goals.” said Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Molly Ward.
State and local governments are eligible for Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants. Private nonprofit groups may apply with state or local government sponsors. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources are the state sponsors of these grants.
“As one of two state sponsors of these grants, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has the opportunity to continue its mission of encouraging and enabling people to enjoy, protect and restore Virginia’s natural resources and cultural treasures,” said DCR Director Clyde Cristman.
“The National Park Service is a key partner in our fight to conserve Virginia’s battlefields,” said DHR Director Julie Langan. “These grants will complement the Commonwealth’s efforts to preserve historically significant sites and help the public to better understand the past.”
Grants are awarded through a competitive process and require a dollar-for-dollar non-federal match.
“The federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant program is a powerful tool for preserving battlefield land in Virginia,” said Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust. “Since 2000, the program has provided more than $40 million in matching grants for battlefield protection in the Commonwealth. The program is often combined with the Commonwealth’s own Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund to provide a powerful one-two punch to protect hallowed ground in the Old Dominion.”