American Battlefield Trust

We are incredibly excited to announce that 50.5 acres of hallowed ground have been preserved on the Second Deep Bottom Battlefield, located just south of Richmond, Virginia! Located next to already preserved areas of the battlefield, much of this land remains virtually unchanged from its 1864 appearance. This victory expands our ability to tell the story of Second Deep Bottom, allowing visitors to have a fuller understanding of the battle.

The Gettysburg Film Festival returns May 8-11, 2025! This year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever, as the event brings together renowned filmmakers, actors, historians, and authors to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (V-E) Day. The Award-winning documentarian Ken Burns headlines a star-studded group of actors, writers, and historians. Featured guests include Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang, Anna Deavere Smith, and Susan Eisenhower. Tickets are limited, so make sure to secure your spot today! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eb_snEAx

The American Battlefield Trust seeks qualified design firms to submit proposals to support schematic design of a future visitor and education center at Princeton Battlefield State Park. The Trust will serve as the managing entity overseeing the visitor and education center schematic design, in close association with the landowner and steward, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks and Historic Sites.? For more information please visit: https://lnkd.in/eAKie77n #RFP #Architecture #Design

We are incredibly excited to announce that 50.5 acres of hallowed ground have been preserved on the Second Deep Bottom Battlefield, located just south of Richmond, Virginia! Located next to already preserved areas of the battlefield, much of this land remains virtually unchanged from its 1864 appearance. This victory expands our ability to tell the story of Second Deep Bottom, allowing visitors to have a fuller understanding of the battle.

In a legal brief filed Friday, the American Battlefield Trust and other plaintiffs urged the Circuit Court of Orange County to allow their lawsuit against the Wilderness Crossing project, a 2,600-acre mega-development at the gateway to the Wilderness Battlefield, to advance. They argue that Orange County’s approval violated state and local law in numerous ways. Further, the Wilderness Crossing project threatens irrevocable harm to the Wilderness Battlefield and other historical and cultural resources. The Trust is joined in the lawsuit by two other nonprofits, Central Virginia Battlefields Trust Inc. and Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, all three of which own or steward historic properties near the Wilderness Crossing project and stand to suffer significant adverse impacts. Private citizens who live next to the Wilderness Crossing site also joined as plaintiffs to protect their homes. ?? Read more about how non-profits and local residents are resisting approved mega-development sited on the doorstep of Wilderness Battlefield in Orange, Virginia, here: https://bit.ly/4hT7gJL

The veteran-led nonprofit American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) conducted a four-week conflict archeology field school on the Camden Battlefield in South Carolina, including on land owned by the American Battlefield Trust. Veterans studied the Revolutionary War battlefield and colonial settlement, advancing our understanding of the historic land, while also aiding veterans’ reintegration to civilian society by providing marketable skills and education. AVAR uses rehabilitation archaeology to support veterans who are experiencing service-related physical or mental health disabilities, positioning them alongside professional archaeologists. Help enrich battle understanding through archaeology: https://bit.ly/4gLRTBx Learn more about the Battle of Camden: https://bit.ly/3M6trOv

We’re pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Music and the American Revolution Competition! Charged with crafting a musical composition that showcased both their creativity and the vibrant, complex nature of the period that shaped America, these young musicians crafted a melody that resonates between generations and connects us with our revolutionary past. Submissions were evaluated by a panel that included popular performers Trace Adkins and Tommy Skeoch of the band Tesla, plus Bret Werb, curator of musical collections at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial, and officials from the Ray and Vera Conniff Foundation that sponsored the competition. Congratulations to our winners in our three categories: ?? “Black Powder Through Meadow Green” by Nathaniel C.G. Harder for the Independent Musicians Category ?? “How Happy the Soldier” by Tess Rowan for the College/University Students Category ?? “Overture to the American Revolution” by Jonathan Melton for the High School Students Category. Listen to their excellent submissions here: https://bit.ly/3QqAK5S Many thanks to all of the talented musicians who submitted an entry and congratulations again to all of our winners!

The historic Manassas Battlefield, where soldiers fought and fell during the Civil War, is under siege—not by armies, but by corporations eager to build the world’s largest data center campus. Thirty-seven massive data centers sprawling over land three times the size of Disneyland, threaten to smother the very ground where American history was written. This isn’t just any land. It’s where the Second Battle of Manassas raged in 1862—a battle that saw unimaginable courage and devastating loss. One historian described part of the battlefield as a “whirlpool of death,” where entire regiments were nearly wiped out. The 21st Georgia, for example, lost 184 of its 242 men in a single night. And it isn't just Manassas; the Wilderness, Brandy Station, and many other battlefields are also threatened. That’s why the American Battlefield Trust has filed an appeal with the Virginia Court of Appeals to overturn the reckless decision that greenlit this development. But this legal battle is fierce, and we cannot win it alone. Here’s how you can stand with us today: ? SIGN THE PETITION urging Virginia’s leaders to protect our historic battlefields here: https://bit.ly/3X05cqO ? MAKE A GIFT to fuel our legal fight and advocacy efforts here: https://bit.ly/4hxHEC7 This is more than a lawsuit. It’s a stand against the erosion of our history. It’s about honoring the soldiers who gave everything—and ensuring future generations can walk these fields, reflect on the past, and understand the price of freedom. Will you join us?

Victory! 86 acres of hallowed ground, from two adjacent properties, have been preserved at Wyse Fork Battlefield ahead of the battle’s 160th anniversary. Key areas of the site that saw North Carolina’s second-largest battle will live on forever, allowing people to deeply understand the importance of the battlefield. Battlefield preservation requires tireless effort and support from numerous channels, but there is no better feeling than when that hard work ensures our nation’s history, and the bravery of the soldiers who fought and died on that land will not be forgotten! Learn more about this victory: https://bit.ly/42PZFHi

For the last day of our 12 Days of Preservation, we remember transferring a total of 178 acres into the perpetual care of the National Park System -- 26 acres at Saratoga National Historical Park, 93 at Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, seven at Fort Gregg (part of Richmond National Battlefields Park), and 52 acres at Hatcher's Run (part of Petersburg National Battlefield)! ?? Explore more of our recent preservation victories: https://bit.ly/4fKkVkJ Thank you to everyone who made 2024 a success; we are looking forward to continuing the fight to preserve America’s battlefields in 2025!