CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Preserving historic battlefields in Jefferson County is crucial to preserving the unique heritage and beauty of the area, according to historian Rob Aitcheson from the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission.
In an effort to raise community awareness, the landmarks commission partnered with the Jefferson County Farmland Protection Program and the Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle. The groups created a series of public workshops. Each one focused on specific Jefferson County battlefields, aiming to educate landowners about preserving Civil War history and agricultural land.
The third workshop was held earlier this month at the Claymont Mansion and focused on the 1864 Battle of Summit Point.
Aitcheson spoke briefly about the history and significance of the Sumit Point Battle, then spoke about the way land falling under the core study area of a battlefield could be protected.
“The Summit Point Battlefield is one of the largest in Jefferson County,” Aitcheson said. “11,000 acres of land could possibly fall under the protection area.”
Aitcheson tried to dispel any misconceptions about historic land preservation.
“A lot of times, the ground remains farmland for agricultural use,” Aitcheson said. “The preservation agreement only puts limits on the use of the land. The land stays under ownership - the owner can sell the land too - it just limits construction and major changes to the land.”
Aitcheson said preserving Civil War battlefields is important because men fought and died there, which makes the ground consecrated in his opinion. He also thinks preserving agricultural land is integral to keeping Jefferson County’s long-standing reputation and identity.
According to Aitcheson, the first step to preserving Jefferson County battlefields is identifying whether or not a landowner owns land appointed as a Civil War battlefield by the congressionally appointed historian.
If the land does fall within the battlefield boundaries, landowners can contact the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission or the Jefferson County Farmland Protection Program. The next step is a legal process which declares the land protected and preserved.
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Information from: The Journal, https://journal-news.net/
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