By CLINT SCHEMMER
Karl M. Lehr may have departed this Earth, but his passion for history lives on.
The veteran of World War II's Normandy invasion entrusted his estate to the Civil War Round Table of Eastern Pennsylvania.
Yesterday, the group announced it is donating Lehr's bequest--with interest--to three separate efforts to save four Virginia battlefields.
The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, based in Fredericksburg, will receive $53,000 to help preserve 93 acres of the Wilderness battlefield in Spotsylvania.
Another $53,000 will go to the Richmond Battlefields Association toward purchase of 13 acres at Fussell's Mill and 4 acres at the Malvern Hill battlefield.
The Civil War Preservation Trust, based in Washington, will get $22,000 for 10 acres at Manassas.
"Karl's legacy of honor, commitment and generosity remains," said Jeff Gates, the round table's spokesman. "Our board of directors and Preservation and Restoration Committee determined to honor him in the best way possible--by furthering the cause of historic preservation."
A native of Allentown, Pa., Lehr was a 30-year member of the round table who fought to save Grove Farm at Antietam and contributed to other preservation efforts.
As a technical sergeant during War War II, he took part in U.S. forces' landings at Sicily, Salerno and Normandy. He was later a staff member of the U.S. Army University in England, and taught history in New Jersey and Illinois for 42 years.
Locally, Lehr's gift will apply toward what CVBT calls Wilderness Crossroads, otherwise known as the Atkins property, near State Routes 3 and 20.
The 93-acre tract figured in both the battles of Chancellorsville in May 1863 and the Wilderness, a year later. It abuts the Wilderness portion of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
"We are tremendously grateful for this bequest and will use it, as instructed, to preserve dirt and grass. We cannot say enough good things about the Civil War Round Table of Eastern Pennsylvania," CVBT President Erik Nelson said.
"Even before this donation, these Pennsylvanians have provided more support to the CVBT mission than any other Civil War round table in the nation. They are superb!"
The Virginia trust still needs to raise about $225,000 toward the property's $950,000 purchase price.
The trust moved swiftly last year to buy the farmland when Orange County approved a Walmart Supercenter less than a mile away.
The CVBT tract is crossed by the old Germanna Plank Road, a route that Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Union forces used to reach Spotsylvania Court House after the Battle of the Wilderness.
Julie Krick, president of the Richmond Battlefields Association, said the group was "thrilled" by the contribution toward its work in Henrico County.
"The Richmond Battlefields Association is extremely grateful to the Eastern Pennsylvania Civil War Roundtable, and to the late Mr. Lehr, for being so committed to the principle of Civil War battlefield preservation, and for having such confidence in our all-volunteer, grassroots organization," Krick said.
"We will convert this tremendous gift into more preserved battlefield land in the very near future."
The Eastern Pennsylvania round table said it selected the three nonprofit groups because of their "proven track record," efficient use of donations and the way they multiply the effect of private contributions with matching funds. The CVBT, for example, will match Lehr's donation at a ratio of 3-to-1.
"Because of those matching grants, Karl's gift to the round table has grown to $463,000," the Pennsylvania group said. "We can think of no better way to remember and honor Karl Lehr than to preserve and protect the historic legacy of our nation for future generations."
cvbt.org saverichmondbattlefields.org bit.ly/krickmalvernhill Clint Schemmer: 540/368-5029
Email: cschemmer@freelancestar.com