| Founded | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Key people | Jim Lighthizer, President |
| Area served | United States |
| Focus | American Civil War battlefields |
| Method | Land preservation |
| Revenue | $22,779,071 (2010) |
| Members | 55,000 |
| Motto | "Saving America's Civil War Battlefields" |
| Website | http://www.civilwar.org |
The Civil War Trust is a charitable organization (501(c)(3)) whose primary focus is in the preservation of American Civil War battlefields. The Civil War Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public of the war's history and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.
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The modern Civil War battlefield preservation movement was first undertaken by the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites (APCWS), which was founded in 1987. APCWS not only protected thousands of acres of battlefields from destruction, but offered educational tours and seminars with prominent historians.
The Civil War Trust, another non-profit focused on preserving Civil War battlefields, was formed in 1991. The Civil War Trust helped save 6,700 acres (27 km2) of land in the eight years of its existence and conducted education and heritage tourism programs to educate the public about the significance of the war and the vital importance of battlefield preservation.
The Civil War Preservation Trust was created on November 19, 1999, through the merger of the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites (APCWS) with the Civil War Trust. The merger, which was propelled by a unanimous vote of both boards, was effected in order to streamline and strengthen efforts to protect America's most endangered parcels of Civil War history.[1]
The President of the Civil War Trust is O. James Lighthizer, a former Maryland county executive and Secretary of Transportation who pioneered the concept of using Transportation Enhancement highway funds to protect thousands of acres of Civil War battlefield land in Maryland.
Since its formation the Civil War Preservation Trust has grown to 55,000 contributing members and has saved more than 32,000 acres (130 km2) of American Civil War battlefield land.
On January 11, 2011 the Civil War Preservation Trust shortened its name to the Civil War Trust, and added a new logo.
The Civil War Trust is a membership-driven organization that uses donated funds to protect Civil War battlefield land. Land is acquired by the Civil War Trust from private sector parties at fair market value or by donation. Once land is acquired, the Civil War Trust is responsible for land stewardship and interpretation, often with assistance from local governments and other preservation groups.
In cases where a landowner wants to retain ownership the Civil War Trust can arrange a conservation easement to protect their property. Conservation easements ensure that the property remains free of development in future years.
In its effort to preserve Civil War battlefields, the Civil War Trust will seek to leverage federal and state programs that are designed to foster preservation of historic and natural resources. The primary source of federal support for the preservation of Civil War battlefields is the Civil War Battlefield Protection Program (CWBPP), administered by the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), an office of the National Park Service. CWBPP is designed to promote the preservation of significant Civil War battlefields by offering competitive matching grants for qualifying preservation opportunities.[2] Other federal sources include the Transportation Enhancement program and the Farm and Ranch Protection Program. the Civil War Trust has also leveraged funds made available by state and local governments.
The Civil War Trust has helped to save more than 29,000 acres (120 km2) of Civil War battlefields at more than 110 Civil War battlefields within 20 different states within the United States.[3]
Key battlefield preservation achievements include:
As of January 2011 the Civil War Trust has preserved battlefield land at the following sites:
To further its aim of preserving American Civil War battlefields, the Civil War Trust has engaged in a wide range of grassroots and community outreach efforts.
The Gettysburg Battlefield has faced two separate threats from proposed casinos.
In 2005 a proposal was put forward to build a casino with 3,000 slot machines less than a mile from the Gettysburg Battlefield. Soon after the proposal was announced, the Civil War Trust joined forces with a local concerned citizens group called No Casino Gettysburg to advocate against the proposal. Later, the Civil War Trust formed the Stop the Slots Coalition, a collection of national and local groups opposed to the casino.
As a result of these grassroots efforts, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted on December 20, 2006, to reject the Gettysburg casino proposal.[6]
In 2010 a new Gettysburg Casino application was filed and the Civil War Trust, with a broad coalition of partners, undertook a successful campaign to prevent approval of this new application. Nearly 300 prominent historians wrote to the Pennsylvania Gaming Board, urging the rejection of the application. Susan Eisenhower, Emmy award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough, Medal of Honor recipient Paul W. Bucha, composer John Williams, and actors Matthew Broderick, Stephen Lang (actor), and Sam Waterston were all featured in a Jeff Griffiths produced video declaring their opposition to the proposed Gettysburg casino.[7]
On April 14, 2011, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board voted to reject this second proposal to bring casino gambling to the doorstep of Gettysburg National Military Park.[8]
In May 2002, a regional developer announced a plan to build 2,300 houses and 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) of commercial space on the 790-acre (3.2 km2) Mullins Farm, site of the first day of fighting at the Battle of Chancellorsville. Soon thereafter, the Civil War Trust formed the Coalition to Save Chancellorsville, a network of national and local preservation groups, that waged a vocal campaign against the development.
For nearly a year, the Coalition mobilized local citizens, held candlelight vigils and hearings, and encouraged residents to become more involved in preservation. Public opinion polling conducted by the Coalition found that more than two-thirds of local residents opposed the development. The survey also found that 90 percent of local residents believed their county has a responsibility to protect Chancellorsville and other historic resources.
As a result of these efforts, in March 2003 the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors denied the rezoning application that would have allowed for the development of the site.[9] Immediately following the vote, the Civil War Trust and other Coalition members began working to acquire the battlefield. By working with county officials and developers, the Civil War Trust acquired 140 acres (0.57 km2) in 2004 and another 74 acres (0.30 km2) in 2006.[5]
With the help of the Civil War Trust, the Morris Island Coalition was formed in early 2004 to oppose development on historic Morris Island outside Charleston, South Carolina. Morris Island was the scene of the charge of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry on Fort Wagner, famously depicted in the film Glory.
The Coalition, led by local resident Blake Hallman, was very successful in generating local government support for preservation of Morris Island.[10] Press reaction was favorable as well, and public opinion polls found that an overwhelming number of Charleston residents wanted to see the barrier island remain undeveloped. Hallman earned the Civil War Trust's "Preservationist of the Year" award for his efforts to save Morris Island.[11]
At one time, development plans called for a 20-unit luxury house development on Cummings Point (the site of Fort Wagner). In early 2005, the landowner tried unsuccessfully to sell the property on eBay. At the end of 2005, a preservation-friendly developer acquired the property. He later agreed to sell it to the Trust for Public Land (TPL) for preservation purposes a few months later.
In 2008, the Civil War Trust engaged in fundraising efforts in support of the State of South Carolina, City of Charleston, and the Trust for Public Land’s $3m effort that would preserve an additional 117 acres (0.47 km2) of Morris Island.
Together with the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Piedmont Environmental Council, the National Parks Conservation Association, Preservation Virginia and a group of concerned local residents, the Civil War Trust opposed the construction of a Walmart Supercenter on the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Virginia. Following a nationwide outcry from preservationists and historians alike, Walmart Stores, Inc. – the world’s largest retailer – announced in January 2011 that it had “decided to preserve” rather than develop the historic site where local officials had given the company permission to construct its newest superstore in 2009. Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian James McPherson had identified the site as part of “the nerve center of the Union Army during the Battle of the Wilderness.”
Civil War Trust President Jim Lighthizer praised Walmart’s decision, noting that founder Sam Walton – a veteran of the Second World War – would have been “proud” of his company’s move to preserve the hallowed ground. “We stand ready to work with Walmart to put this controversy behind us and protect the battlefield from further encroachment,” Lighthizer stated. “We firmly believe that preservation and progress need not be mutually exclusive, and welcome Walmart as a thoughtful partner in efforts to protect the Wilderness Battlefield.”[12]
Each year the Civil War Trust produces a report identifying the ten most endangered Civil War battlefields in the United States. The report, entitled History Under Siege,[13] was announced in May, 2010, and included the following Civil War battlefields:
The 2010 History Under Siege: Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields report news conference also featured a keynote speech by the best-selling author and Civil War Trust Board Member Jeff Shaara.
In addition to preserving Civil War battlefield land, the Civil War Trust conducts programs designed to inform the public about the events and consequences of the Civil War, foster an understanding of the need for preservation, and create a personal connection to the past.
The Civil War Trust is located in Washington, D.C., with a field office in Hagerstown, Maryland.
The President of the Civil War Trust is O. James Lighthizer. Lighthizer was a former partner, Miles and Stockbridge; former Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Anne Arundel County Executive, and member of the Maryland General Assembly.
In December 1999, Mr. Lighthizer accepted the presidency of Civil War Preservation Trust, a new organization created by the merger of two other national battlefield preservation groups, the Civil War Trust and the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites. Mr. Lighthizer had previously served as a member of the Civil War Trust's Board of Trustees.
When Lighthizer took the reins at CWPT in 1999, the fledgling organization had 22,000 members and its predecessor organizations had saved 7,500 acres (30 km2) in the previous 13 years. During Lighthizer's tenure as President of the CWPT and the Civil War Trust, the group has saved more than 22,000 additional acres, and now boasts 55,000 members nationwide. Lighthizer was also the architect of the rescue of the Slaughter Pen Farm on the Fredericksburg Battlefield, the most expensive private battlefield preservation effort in American history.[16]
Henry E. Simpson was elected as Chairman of the Board of Civil War Trust in May 2011. Simpson is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University Of Virginia Law School, and an attorney with Adams and Reese/Lange Simpson, LLP in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Civil War Trust was a recipient of a 4-Star award from Charity Navigator in 2007, 2009, and 2010. This award is presented to those charitable organizations that exhibit strong results and financial discipline.[17]
The Civil War Trust was awarded the "Partner in Conservation Award" by the United States Department of the Interior in 2010.[18]
The Civil War Trust's membership magazine, Hallowed Ground, received the APEX Grand Award for Publication Excellence in both 2009 and 2010.[19]