Untitled (p. 4)

Originally published November-December 2025 · pp. 5

author Tim Smith takes viewers along for an educational drive through the most visited cultural site in Mississippi. Smith guides viewers through thirty key sites on the battlefield, including stops at the Illinois Memorial, 3rd Louisiana Redan, the USS Cairo, and the Railroad Redoubt. Vicksburg joins the ranks of Chickamauga, Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Yorktown as battlefields for which the Trust has produced driving tours. Together, these tours are part of more than 1,000 videos on the Trust’s popular and awardwinning YouTube channel. The tour premiered right on the heels of the Trust, encouraging preservation advocates to contact their legislators in support of bipartisan legislation that will clear the way for a state-of-the-art new visitor center. To watch the newest video, visit www.youtube.com/ americanbattlefieldtrust.

Judge Rules Against Data Center Campus at Second Manassas Battlefield In early August, a major victory was scored in the fight against what would be the largest data center complex in the world, located on part of the historic Second Manassas Battlefield. Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Irving ruled in favor of the Oak Valley Homeowners Association, claiming a lame duck Board of Supervisors in Prince William County improperly approved the rezoning for the Prince William Digital Gateway. The rezonings, which were approved with insufficient review of data center impacts, gave inadequate public notice and included unlawful waivers of key

analyses, were voided in the August ruling. The Trust and the Coalition to Protect William County are currently involved in a parallel lawsuit that makes many of the same arguments that the judge ruled in favor of today. Former Virginia State Senator Chap Petersen is the lead counsel in the parallel lawsuit.

2026 Gettysburg Film Festival to Honor America’s 250th Anniversary The 2026 Gettysburg Film Festival will honor the birth of the United States. From April 2-4, 2026, the one-of-akind event will feature a powerful lineup of films, speakers, and conversations exploring the American Revolution, the nation’s founding, and the ties between 1776 and 1863. The 2026 festival will coincide with the 250th anniversary of the country, offering unique opportunities to reflect on the values and history of the country. Chair of the Festival, filmmaker Ken Burns, will headline a series of screenings and special programs. Burns will also discuss his newest documentary, The American Revolution, alongside other award-winning filmmakers, historians, and public figures. Presented by Gettysburg History, the festival is made possible with support from partners including the Trust, The Better Angels Society, and local collaborators like The Gettysburg Film Commission, Destination Gettysburg, and the Dobbin House Tavern. Details about special guests, film screenings, and tickets will be announced later this year on the festival’s website, www.gettysburgfilmfestival.org.