|
|
||
More than 700 acres at James Madison's Montpelier protected with conservation easements
By CLINT SCHEMMER Some of western Orange County's prettiest landscape has just been set aside for future generations to enjoy.
Private groups and the State of Virginia are permanently protecting more than a square mile of historic property--on several different parcels--around Montpelier, home of President James Madison and his wife, Dolley. In a public-private partnership, the Piedmont Environmental Council, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the state Department of Historic Resources worked together to buy conservation easements on four parts of Montpelier from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and The Montpelier Foundation. They total more than 700 acres. PEC President Chris Miller said the council was "thrilled to work with [Montpelier and the trust] to protect this critical historic resource." Miller noted that Montpelier inspired Madison and his thinking about the U.S. Constitution, which he crafted, and the future of the new nation. The estate is the heart of the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District and part of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area. The historic site draws more than 100,000 visitors each year. The Montpelier Foundation, an arm of the National Trust, is the steward of the Madisons' home, which just underwent a 5-year-long, $24 million restoration to its appearance at the time the family lived there after leaving the White House. "These four easements at Montpelier--protecting streams, forests, a Civil War encampment and the home of one of James Madison's former slaves, George Gilmore--demonstrate the power of collaboration between conservationists and preservationists," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Proceeds from the sale of the easements will go toward Montpelier's endowment, Moe said. The deal was seven years in the making, said Orange resident Jack Snyder, vice chairman of the PEC board. "We hope that the National Trust's and Montpelier Foundation's obvious dedication to preserving rural Orange County will help spur other landowners in the area to consider conservation options for their property," Snyder said. "In the past 20 years, more than 2,000 acres immediately surrounding Montpelier have been placed into conservation easement." The easements will protect cultural assets, water quality in local streams, the forested backdrop to the Montpelier mansion, and the surrounding countryside, the groups said.
Date published: 8/27/2009
properties don't suddenly turn out to be "historic". It is the
duty of those who want to preserve - to know which land is
historic and to work proactively to protect it - BEFORE it is
threatened.
Preservation gets a black eye when they wait a hundred
years and act only when the threats are imminent.
All candidate properties need to be submitted to the keeper
of the national register - to be formally designated.
Once that is done - the county and the landowner have a
heads up - on future planning.
There is cause for optimism in the face of the horrendous decision to permit a 30 acre commercial development on the border of a national battle field. The contrast dramatically demonstrates the difference of those with vision versus those driven by crass short-term returns.
This is a tremendous accomplishment. It shows what can happen when people with foresight act to preserve the historical resources in our Commonwealth. In this case, no one's property rights were trampled in securing this easement. I would submit that this is the right way to accomplish historic preservation. Congratulatiions to all who were involved in this project.
Or else frickin WalMart would build right next it. :-)
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
