Meg Martin (Civil War Trust) 202.367.1861 x7231
Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Seeks Volunteers for Park Day
Middletown, Va. - On Saturday, April 1, 2017, history buffs, community leaders and preservationists will team up with the Civil War Trust at more than 130 sites in 30 states to answer the call to service on Park Day. Celebrating over 20 successful years, Park Day has attracted volunteers of all ages and abilities bound by their dedication to serving their communities at historic sites nationwide.
In Middletown, Virginia, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park will host a Park Day event from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. This year’s project will involve constructing an historic fence line near the 8th Vermont monument, trail work and brush removal. Refreshments will be provided free of charge.
Following the project, at 12:00 noon, Park Ranger Jeff Driscoll, will present a special program, the "Sacrifice of the Thomas' Brigade." Each participant will be given the identity of a soldier in the brigade (including the soldier’s photograph) and learn that soldier's fate at the end of the program (lasts 1 hour).
Volunteers are requested to contact the park prior to Park Day to register, at (540) 869-3051 or by e-mail at Shannon_moeck@nps.gov.
WHAT: Park Day volunteer event at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
WHEN: April 1, 2017, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
WHERE: Meet at the National Park Service Visitor Contact Station (7712 Main Street, Middletown, Virginia). Once registered, visitors will be given directions for a short drive to the work site.
The Civil War Trust is the largest and most effective nonprofit organization devoted to the preservation of America’s hallowed battlegrounds. Although primarily focused on the protection of Civil War battlefields, through its Campaign 1776 initiative, the Trust also seeks to save the battlefields connected to the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. To date, the Trust has preserved close to 45,000 acres of battlefield land in 23 states. Learn more at Civilwar.org.
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About Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park: Cedar Creek and Belle Grove commemorates a nationally significant Civil War landscape and antebellum plantation by sharing the story of Shenandoah Valley history from early settlement through the Civil War and beyond. The park is embedded within the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, a National Heritage Area.
Created on Dec. 19, 2002, the park encompasses approximately 3,700 acres across three counties and includes the key partner sites of Belle Grove Plantation (owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and managed by Belle Grove, Inc.), Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation lands and Headquarters, Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation lands, and a developing Shenandoah County Park. The partner sites continue to be owned and operated independently.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
