Nonhistoric Sites To Be Removed
The National Park Service will be removing several nonhistoric, structurally compromised sites this summer and restoring the landscape. Work begins April 1.
by Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sitting on more than 8,400 acres over multiple sites of importance to Antebellum America and the Civil War, the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park is the second-largest military park in the world and one of the gems in our region. It’s also a tourism magnet, attracting over 500,000 visitors a year.
Preserving this treasure in an area that has seen rapid development, however, is a challenge. Balancing what to do with relatively new buildings that sit atop lands of national historical importance requires constant Park Service review.
This Spring and Summer, the National Park Service will be removing several non-historic structures from the battlefields, and will then begin rehabilitating the landscape.
The work is slated to begin April 1 and last about five months.
Of the structures being removed, six are former residential properties, and one is a cement block garage shop.
None of these structures is of historic value. They are abandoned, within park boundaries, and many of them are structurally compromised.
Because of their location on the battlefield, they may sit upon architecturally sensitive locations. During the work, the NPS will be ensuring that the integrity of these architectural sites is preserved.
Once removed, the NPS will then begin the process of matching the landscape with the natural surroundings. This involves planting native oak and other woody species similar to those in the nearby forest.
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