American Battlefield Trust — April 2024
Originally published April 2024 · pp. 24–25
Calling All Volunteers for Park Day 2024! Each spring, thousands of volunteers gather at battlefields and historic sites across the nation to participate in the Trust’s Park Day clean-up effort. For 28 years, Boy and Girl Scouts, Rotarians, Lions Club members, church groups, ROTC units, youth groups, and many others have participated in projects large and small to keep our nation’s heritage not only preserved, but pristine. This event allows the Trust to cast a spotlight on beloved American landscapes, from coast to coast. Projects will keep historic sites and battlefields clean, open and accessible for the enjoyment of all people. Being that the spirit of Park Day has always been about more than a single date on the calendar, please keep in mind that sites may seek alternative dates. Those interested in participating in Park Day 2024 are encouraged to visit www.battlefields.org/ parkday to find a site near them. Details and registration are handled through individual sites, and volunteers can consult with site managers for activities, scheduling and weather plans. Park Day backpacks will be available at each registered site and distributed on a first-comefirst-serve basis.
We’d love to see your photos and videos! Share your experience throughout the day and afterward on your social media channels using #ParkDay2024.
344 Acres at Stake: Gaines’ Mill-Cold Harbor and Seven Pines For the past four years, the Trust has been waging a battle to achieve one of our greatest victories, preserving a nearly onesquare-mile piece of battlefield in our Gaines’ Mill–Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign. Impressive progress has been made in preserving land during the first three phases: “Pickett’s Charge Five Times as Large” in Phase 1, “The Intersection” in Phase 2, and “The Juncture at Griffin’s Woods” in Phase 3. In tandem with these phases, the Trust launched Phase 4 of its campaign in September, aiming to preserve more than 332 acres at Gaines’ Mill-Cold Harbor, along with 12 acres at Seven Pines. However, Phase 4’s funding goal has yet to be met, and victory yet to be claimed! Through dedicated members, the Trust has raised more than $400,000 but remains short by $100,630. Thanks to generous donors and expected federal and state grants, each donation will be multiplied by a factor of $2.14-to-$1. The 332-acre tract at Gaines’ Mill and Cold Harbor extends from the Chickahominy River northward, connecting with the Richmond National Battlefield Park, alongside other previously preserved tracts. Securing this area would create a contiguous 3.5-mile protected battlefield land corridor. This campaign also marks a first-time preservation effort at Seven Pines, where the Trust aims to protect 12 acres. The Battle of Seven Pines, fought over two days during the Peninsula Campaign, resulted in heavy casualties for both sides and led to Gen. Robert E. Lee replacing wounded Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. Unfortunately, much of the battlefield has succumbed to commercial and residential development, with only a few historic markers along modern interstates to trace the battle’s history. By preserving these 12 acres at Seven Pines, the Trust seeks to finally share the story of this pivotal battle. To learn more about this preservation opportunity, visit our website www.battlefields. org/344AcresGMCHSevenPines.
Trust Video Series Recognized at Anthem Awards
The Trust’s “Step Into History” (Then & Now) video series has been named a Bronze Winner in Digital & Innovative Experience, Education, Art & Culture in the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards. The accolade was given by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), following a competitive selection process involving 2,000 competitors from 44 countries worldwide. Produced alongside Wide Awake Films, the series offers viewers a captivating opportunity to delve into historical images and their narratives, guided by the expertise of Trust historians. They are also available through 360-degree virtual reality technology. In the first installments of the series, Trust Historian Garry Adelman steps into famous Alexander Gardner photos taken at Antietam after the September 17, 1862, battle, which remains America’s bloodiest day, and iconic images at Gettysburg. The award-winning series, along with other educational resources, can be viewed on the Trust’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ americanbattlefieldtrust. As of late February, this channel has reached over 100 million views!
The Trust Launches a ‘Booming’ New Podcast In mid-February, the Trust launched its podcast series Boom Goes the History, a new endeavor for the leading preservation group that hopes to use the series to engage listeners with the important history that happened on the more than 155 battlefields it has helped to preserve. Hosted by Trust historians who are joined by special guests ranging from fellow historians to descendants of key historical figures, the weekly podcast transcends traditional storytelling by leveraging the power of modern technology to transport listeners to the very locations where history unfolded. “Audiences everywhere view our popular videos and utilize our digital tools to connect to the stories and scenery of America’s hallowed ground,” said Trust President David Duncan. “We’re excited to offer this podcast series as a new opportunity for multiple generations of history enthusiasts to engage with our content.” Based on the Trust’s YouTube video series, the first installment of the series focuses on the April 30 to May 6, 1863, Battle of Chancellorsville. The following installment will feature stories and history about the Gettysburg Battlefield. New episodes will be released every Tuesday on our website at www.battlefields.org/
The Liberty Trail Continues to Grow in the Palmetto State
Recent preservation and interpretive victories by The Liberty Trail have explored the Revolutionary history of the Palmetto State, expanding this joint heritage tourism initiative between the American Battlefield Trust and South Carolina Battleground Preservation Trust. In January, The Liberty Trail announced the acquisition of a property in the footprint of the April 25, 1781, Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill. The property was the site of the first jail in Camden, built in 1771, and the location of the north redoubt of Camden’s British fortifications. During the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, future president Andrew Jackson and his brother were held prisoner at the jailhouse. This February, The Liberty Trail unveiled a series of markers outlining the footprint of the Revolutionary War Horn Work in Charleston’s popular Marion Square. Following the path of the underground foundation located with ground-penetrating radar in 2020, 32 bronze plates each share a part of the story of this 1758 fortification. Constructed of tabby, a concrete composed of sand, shell, and lime (from burnt shells), the Horn Work was a massive structure spanning almost three city blocks and occupying approximately six to eight acres. Later this year, visitors will be able to see a digital recreation of the Horn Work, and the events that took place there nearly 250 years ago, through the use of augmented reality (AR) provided by The Liberty Trail. (Photo by Buddy Secor. )