U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, wants to more than triple the size of his state’s Petersburg National Battlefield. He’s proposed legislation that would allow the National Park Service to acquire 7,200 acres to add to the nearly 2,700 acres currently at the Civil War site. Doing so, he says, will protect it from residential and commercial development. His proposal has merit.
“Petersburg saw nearly one quarter of the Civil War fought in its surrounding area, and the preservation of these battlefields is important for future generations to understand and appreciate the significance of our nation’s history,” Sen. Webb says. “Next year marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and this legislation serves as an appropriate and timely means to commemorate this significant historical event.” That’s certainly so, though finding the funds to underwrite the expansion will be tough given the nation’s current economic situation.
The Petersburg National Boundary Modification Act, if approved, would provide funding to purchase the additional acreage — which includes 12 surrounding battlefields — that is appraised at $29 million. It would also enable construction of a a new visitors center. The expanded park, Sen. Webb says, would not protect historically significant land; it would also serve as an economic engine for the area. Tourism already generates millions of dollars annually in communities near the current park, and the expansion likely would attract additional visitors and revenue.
If Sen. Webb’s legislation is based on a Park Service recommendation first made in 2005. If it wins approval and if the land purchase is completed in full, Petersburg would become the largest military park in the United States. The expanded site would encompass almost 10,000 acres.
That would surpass the 9,000-plus acres of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Park located here. Local residents and officials might fret a bit about losing the designation as the nation’s largest, but preservation of historically valuable land, wherever it is, should be commended.
Indeed, expansion of the nation’s military and other parks is a desirable goal in general. There is historically important land from the Civil War era adjacent to portions of the Chickamauga and Chattanooga Park that could be added to current holdings. At the moment, there are no plans extant to add them to Park Service holdings. That does not mean, however, that the topic of park expansion should be forgotten.
There likely will come a time in the future when economic conditions and the legislative atmosphere allow broad and serious discussions about preserving additional historical land and scenic landscapes across the country. Planning for that possibility makes a lot of sense. It is far better to be prepared to act when and if preservation opportunities arise than to forfeit a chance to protect more of the nation’s patrimony because of a lack of preparation.