[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 19 (Tuesday, January 31, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E229-E230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


        SHENANDOAH VALLEY NATIONAL BATTLEFIELDS PARTNERSHIP ACT

                                 ______


                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 31, 1995
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, today I reintroducing legislation to preserve 
the Civil War sites in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The 
Shenandoah Valley National Battlefields Partnership Act, which enjoyed 
wide bipartisan support in the 103d Congress, provides us with an 
excellent opportunity to preserve an integral piece of American 
history.
  In response to a congressional directive--Public Law 101-628--the 
National Park Service [NPS] undertook the task of studying the Civil 
War sites in the Shenandoah Valley. The NPS identified significant 
Civil War sites and determined their condition, established their 
relative importance, assessed short- and long-term threats to their 
integrity, and provided general alternatives for their preservation.
  The Park Service discovered that 15 of the 326 documented armed 
conflicts in the valley between 1861 and 1865 were of particularly high 
significance. Because many portions of the valley retain a high degree 
of historic, rural, and scenic integrity, the NPS concluded that they 
should be preserved. The two major valley campaigns--the Thomas J. 
``Stonewall'' Jackson Valley campaign of 1862 and the decisive Philip 
Sheridan campaign of 1864--are the major Civil War battlefields not yet 
preserved. This Congress has an historic opportunity to capitalize on 
the overwhelming momentum of support for this legislation.
  Unfortunately, the NPS did not recommend a specific preservation 
strategy. Therefore, some local valley residents accepted a challenge 
by Park Service staff to devise a plan to preserve these historic 
lands. Their efforts were remarkable. Their dedication and perseverance 
unflappable. This was truly a grass roots effort.
  Local residents began to meet and discuss how these hallowed lands 
could be preserved for future generations to learn from and enjoy. They 
are eager to share the stories of the valley--not just battle maneuvers 
and formations, but the stories of people dislocated by a brutal war. 
They want to share the story of how the city of Winchester, VA, changed 
hands between North and South at least 73 times, and how that turmoil 
affected local residents.
  After countless meetings and telephone conversations, in which the 
National Park Service was consulted, a consensus began to form around a 
partnership concept where Federal, State, and local governments, 
private landowners and preservation groups could work together to 
preserve these lands. After a draft bill was ready, we held discussion 
meetings in the Shenandoah Valley on the proposed legislation. These 
meetings provided an opportunity for thorough review and comment by 
valley residents and officials on this legislation. These meetings, 
attended by local
 government officials, landowners, business people, and 
preservationists, served as a vehicle to refine, modify, and improve 
the legislation with the input and advice of citizens from throughout 
the Shenandoah Valley.

  What I found during those public meetings was unprecedented unanimous 
support for this legislation. I served at the Department of the 
Interior in the seventies under Secretary Morton, and I can't recall 
ever gaining such widespread support for a park bill. The legislation 
before this subcommittee has been endorsed by every local government 
where core battlefield properties are located. Moreover, we have a 
broad, bipartisan coalition of interests united to preserve these 
treasures of history. The list that follows my statement, compiled over 
a year and a half ago, comprises those persons and entities who 
endorsed this partnership approach to preservation. There have been 
many others since this list was put together.
  This House should know that the work of valley residents did not end 
with the drafting and introduction of this legislation. There has been 
great activity in the past year. The Frederick County Board of 
Supervisors and Winchester City Council have appointed a battlefield 
task force whose responsibility it is to prepare a strategic plan for 
the protection and use of the battlefield sites. They have developed an 
interim action plan which designates the most critical and significant 
sites and recommends immediate actions to be taken. Frederick County 
and the city of Winchester have also successfully convinced a trustee 
of a battlefield property at Kernstown to postpone a planned auction. 
Moreover, they have purchased a $500,000 2-year option to buy the land. 
Not only have the local governments dedicated time and personnel to 
planning the preservation of the battlefields, they have committed 
scarce resources to protect these lands. This is an overwhelming 
demonstration of their commitment to the successful implementation of a 
preservation plan.
  Local governments alone can't preserve these valuable resources; they 
need a partnership with the Federal Government to preserve these lands. 
Even the most well intentioned friends of battlefield preservation will 
find it difficult to keep the threats of residential construction, 
commercial development, highway construction, and industrial 
development at bay. Interstates 66 and 81 bring increasing pressure on 
this rural landscape and threaten to consume more battlefield land. As 
the NPS study indicates, some critical properties have already been 
lost.
  Since the Civil War, most of the Shenandoah Valley has remained in 
the same type of agricultural use, but, as the Park Service has 
reported, increasing development threatens key battlefield sites. This 
legislation would protect many of these through designation as a unit 
of the National Park System, while encouraging partnerships with local 
governments and private landowners to protect the natural cultural and 
historical resources on adjacent lands within the historic core areas 
of the key battlefield sites. Partnership is the key ingredient in this 
bill. It was borne of cooperation and will succeed by bringing all 
interested parties into the planning, development, and implementation 
of this novel preservation scheme.
  This legislation capitalizes on the cooperation and hard work which 
have created a sturdy foundation upon which to build this park. Much of 
the groundwork has been laid by residents of the valley and specialists 
knowledgeable about land use planning, environmental impact studies, 
and so forth. By passing this legislation, this body will capitalize on 
the experience, dedication, and knowledge base that exists in the 
valley for preparing a plan for park management, visitor facilities, 
educational 
[[Page E230]] programs, and historical markers and exhibits throughout 
the Shenandoah Valley. The NPS should work hand-in-glove with the local 
community.
  The second important component of the legislation is that it provides 
incentives for local governments to preserve historic land by including 
battlefield protection in regional planning. As the Park Service study 
observed, local governments are under increasing pressure to allow 
residential construction, commercial development, highway construction, 
and industrial development. Grants and technical assistance provide the 
necessary incentives that local governments need to ward off 
development pressures.
  The third key ingredient which I would like to stress is the grants 
to private battlefield landowners. Because of the tight fiscal 
constraints of Federal discretionary spending, we can't expect the 
National Park Service to purchase thousands and thousands of acres of 
land. This is much too expensive. We can, however provide incentives to 
local landowners to assist in the preservation of historic lands. In 
exchange for these economic incentives, private landowners could 
provide the Park Service needed scenic or preservation easements or 
could contractually agree to maintain open-space lands with historic 
viewsheds. This will ensure that a comprehensive overall interpretation 
of the resource is attained.
  Based on suggestions made by many residents of the valley, I added a 
provision in this legislation which continues to allow living history 
demonstrations and battlefield reenactments on the battlefields. Living 
history demonstrations help educate visitors about what life was like 
during the battle. Also groups like the Cedar Creek Battlefield 
Foundation use reenactments to help raise money for continued 
preservation and interpretation of the battlefields.
  The time is upon us for Federal action to preserve the historic Civil 
War battlefields of the Shenandoah Valley, in partnership with State 
and local governments, local landowners, and preservation groups. This 
innovative concept will be the least costly and disruptive strategy to 
protect the lands forever.
  Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not recognize the tremendous 
contributions of citizens from the valley and every county government 
which has supported this legislation. I can't possibly thank everyone 
in the valley and across the country who has supported this effort, but 
would like to let them know that this House and I are grateful for 
their diligent work. The following is a list of some of the supporters 
of this legislation.
           Shenandoah Valley Proposal Endorsements--By County


                               frederick

       The Glass-Glen Burnie Foundation, landowner/individual.
       Town of Middletown, government.
       Town of Stephens City, government.
       Winchester-Frederick Chamber of Commerce, business.
       Winchester-Frederick County Econ. Dev. Comm., business.


                               shenandoah

       Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, 
     landowner/individual.
       C.M. ``Mike'' Hunt, landowner/individual.
       Sarah P. Faulconer, landowner/individual.
       James H. Faulconer, landowner/individual.
       Garland C. Hudgins, landowner/individual.
       Breckenridge Chapter, Daughters of the Confederacy, 
     historic group.
       Town of New Market, government.
       Clifton M. Truesdale, individual.
       The Strasburg Guards, Sons of Confederate Veterans, 
     historic group.
       Town of Woodstock, government.
       David E. Smith, landowner/individual.
       William Craun, landowner/individual.
       William F. Bausserman, landowner/individual.
       William J. Bausserman, landowner/individual.
       Harold Walter, landowner/individual.
       Keith Rocco, landowner/individual.
       J.W. Troxell, landowner/individual.
       Ralph Stickley, landowner/individual.
       Tom's Brook Farm,/Rodney A. Bankson, CDR, USN-Ret., 
     landowner/individual.
       10th Virginia Volunteer Infantry, historic group.
       Cross Keys Antiques/John B. Woodyard, landowner/individual.
       Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River, civic 
     group.
       Hupp's Hill Battlefield Park and Study Center, historic 
     group/business.
       New Market Area Chamber of Commerce, business.
       New Market Battlefield Historical Park, historic group.
       Patricia K Marie, landowner/individual.
       Reformation Lutheran Church, civic group.
       Robert D. Plu, landowner/individual.
       Shenandoah Caverns, business.
       Shenandoah Valley Civil War Roundtable, historic group.
       Shenandoah Valley Quality Inn/Lois Moomaw, Gen. Man, 
     business.
       Strasburg Rotary Club, civic group.
       Town of Mount Jackson, government.
       Town of Tom's Brook, government.
       VMI Museum Programs, historic group.
       Women's Memorial Society, civic group.
       Woodstock Museum, historic group.
                               rockingham

       Arthur J. Hamilton, landowner/individual.
       Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, 
     landowner/individual.
       Barbara Paulson, landowner/individual.
       Cherry Grove Farm/George K. Harnsberger, landowner/
     individual.
       F & M Bank-Massanutten, business.
       Graham C. Lilly/Professor of Law UVA, landowner/individual.
       Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historic Society, historic group.
       Harry L. Chandler, landowner/individual.
       Lawrence D. Bowers/Wilson & Bowers, landowner/individual.
       Martha B. Caldwell/Professor of Art History JMU, landowner/
     individual.
       Mr. & Mrs. Brownie A. Cummins, landowner/individual.
       Mr. & Mrs. Thomas F. Tutwiler, landowner/individual.
       Peter Svenson, landowner/individual.
       The Inn at Keezletown Road Bed & Breakfast, business.
       The Society of Port Republic Preservationists, historic 
     group.
       The Town of Dayton, Virginia, government.
       James J. Geary, Former Dir. New Market Battle., landowner/
     individual.
       Ronald E. Carrier, President, James Madison Univ., 
     educational.
       Barbara Moore, landowner/individual.
       Daniel M. Downey, Ph.D, landowner/individual.
       Tom's Brook Farm/Rodney A. Bankson, CDR, USN-Ret., 
     landowner/individual.
       W. Allen & Phoebe Sherwood, landowner/individual.
       W. C. Bedall, Jr., landowner/individual.
       Wilmer Diehl Family, landowner/individual.


                                highland

       Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, 
     landowner/individual.
       The Board of Supervisors for Highland County, government.
       The Recorder, business/press.
       Virginia's Western Highlands Travel Council, business.


                               winchester

       City of Winchester, government.
       Elizabeth G. Helm/Former Mayor, government.
       Downtown Development Board, government.
       The Common Council of the City of Winchester, government.


                                augusta

       Winston Wine, landowner/individual.


                                  page

       Luray Caverns Corporation, business.


                             port republic

       Mark & Susan Hardy, landowner/individual.


                                regional

       The Civil War Trust, historic group.


                               alexandria

       Brian C. Pohanka, landowner.


                              valley wide

       Shenandoah Valley Travel Association, business.
       

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