During a visit to Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) last week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David L. Bernhardt awarded a $573,000 Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) to acquire two tracts for the park.
Map by Curt Mussleman
“The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) funding will enable the PHMC and project partner American Battlefield Trust (ABT) to acquire the East Cemetery Hill tract and the Vermont tract portions of the Gettysburg battlefield. The tracts were previously held by a private property owner,” said GNMP representative Cynthia Hernandez.
The East Cemetery Hill Tract consists of .7 acres along Baltimore Pike and is contiguous with land previously preserved through ABPP funding awarded to the PHMC. “The Trust plans to restore the property to its 1863 appearance to enhance the public’s understanding of the military actions that occurred there. The land will be protected in perpetuity with a conservation easement held by the Land Conservancy of Adams County (LCAC),” said Hernandez.
The 47 acre Vermont Tract in the south part of the park abuts the Gettysburg National Military Park on two sides and its acquisition will prevent development that might obscure views of Big Round Top.
ABT will acquire the tracts with the funding awarded to PHMC. The Commonwealth will work with ABT and the Land Conservancy of Adams County (LCAC) to create a permanent preservation easement that will protect the historic resources of this nationally significant property in perpetuity.
The goal of ABPP is to “assist citizens, public and private institutions, and governments at all levels in planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where historic battles were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development of the United States, in order that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from the ground where Americans made their ultimate sacrifice,” said Hernandez.
“If for some (highly unlikely) reason the ABT decided to sell the property in the future, LCAC has an obligation to make sure that future owners understand and comply with the terms of the conservation easement, keeping it as intended by the Trust,” said LCAC spokesperson Sarah Kipp.
“Battlefields such as Gettysburg are sacred sites where Americans gave the last full measure of devotion,” said Bernhardt. “These grants enable us to partner with communities and organizations to preserve these places and connect visitors with their historical importance.”
“ABPP grants create partnerships among state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to act quickly and proactively to preserve and protect nationally significant battlefields, such as Gettysburg,” said National Park Service Deputy Director David Vela, exercising the authority of the director.