Annual Report - PDF

CIVIL WAR TRUST
ANNUAL REPORT
201­1
(Cover Photo) Winner, 2011 Photo Contest First Place – Battlefields: Antietam Landscape – Early
Morning Fog, Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Md. PAULA MANSFIELD
T a bl e
C on t en ts
of
The Trust Imperative 2
Message from Headquarters 6
Board of Trustees 7
Preservation Victories 8
Partners in Preservation 14
Education Programs 17
In the News 21
Annual Conference 25
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site,
Perryville, Ky. View of Union artillery position
on Parson’s Ridge. STEVEN STANLEY
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Prudent Stewardship 28
Financial Highlights 29
1
T h e T rust I m per ati v e
As we commemorate the Civil War sesquicentennial,
we believe that it is our time to create a legacy of
battlefield preservation . . .
O
ne hundred and fifty years ago,
Civil War soldiers never would
have thought that the land on
which their friends fought and
died would one day be threatened with
development and sprawl. Yet today,
thousands of acres of battlefields are
in danger of being destroyed forever
by sprawling shopping centers and
housing complexes. The Civil War
Trust has made it its mission to save
those acres of battlefields where
history was made, before it is too late.
While the pace of development may
have slowed in the past few years,
it remains a force that will quickly
swallow acres of battlefield land if
we do not act fast. The Civil War
Trust understands that we must
work quickly to save the remaining
land hallowed by the blood of more
than 620,000 American soldiers who
lost their lives in the Civil War. If
not preserved, America’s remaining
unprotected Civil War battlefield land
will be destroyed within the current
generation.
Third Place Winner, 2011 Photo Contest - Preservation Threats:
East Cemetery Hill, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa.
KISHA TRACY
2
In 2011, the Civil War Trust made
great strides in saving this land
by preserving 2,042 acres at 26
battlefields in 12 states. These tracts
are part of such great battlefields
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Fort Sumter in ruins, taken by George N. Barnard in April 1865. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
3
as Gettysburg, Franklin, Shiloh,
Chancellorsville and Manassas, and
are essential to telling the story of the
Civil War.
Our preservation strategy is both
proactive and effective. We preserve
land by buying it from willing sellers
or by donation. By acquiring the
land outright, we can ensure that it
is preserved and that development
threats will not destroy it. We also
protect land through acquiring
conservation easements on tracts we
do not own, ensuring that these tracts
will remain in their current state, and
will never be developed.
In addition to saving hallowed ground,
we also believe that there is a great
need to educate the public about the
importance of the Civil War. We are
dedicated to interpreting the War and
its significant battles, and we do so
for teachers, students, and the public
through technological resources and
innovative methods, including our
state-of-the-art website and battle
apps.
We could not fulfill our mission
without the support of our 55,000
dedicated and generous members
and our important preservation
partners. Our members are incredibly
committed to our cause, and we are
continually impressed by their passion
for preservation and their knowledge
of the Civil War.
As we commemorate the Civil War
sesquicentennial, we believe that
it is our time to create a legacy of
battlefield preservation so that future
generations can understand the
lessons and importance of the conflict
our nation endured 150 years ago.
Our Mission: The preservation of America’s
significant Civil War battlefields by protecting
the land, and educating the public about the
vital roles those battlefields played in directing
the course of our nation’s history.
4
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Grand Prize Winner, 2011 Photo Contest: Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston, S.C.
2009 2ANNUAL
REPORT
0 taken
1 1 A Non
NU
A L R12,
E P2011,
O R T during the
150th anniversary of the firing on the fort.
Photo was
April
ANDY HOUSE
55
M es sage F rom H e a dqua rt ers
A L ett er
from t h e
P r e si den t
. . . we can create a permanent memorial that will not only
benefit future generations, but also stand the test of time.
D
ear Friends,
In 2011, the Civil War Trust
once again had a successful
year, due to what I believe to be
a new era of enthusiasm for battlefield
preservation. This new era comes as
we all realize that the time we have to
save threatened battlefields is short,
due to sprawl and increasing land
prices. The Civil
War Trust is well
positioned to build
on its past successes
by preserving many
more thousands of
threatened acres as
we commemorate
the Civil War
sesquicentennial.
To truly capitalize
on our past work
with future
successes, we have announced an
unprecedented capital campaign,
with the goal of saving an additional
20,000 acres over the course of the
6
sesquicentennial. We have named this
effort Campaign 150: Our Time, Our
Legacy because we understand that
it is our generation’s responsibility
to step up and save these battlefields
now. We must save this land so that
we can create a permanent memorial
that will not only benefit future
generations, but also stand the test of
time.
In the pages of this Annual Report,
you will see how we answered the
call for battlefield preservation and
Civil War education in 2011. We have
highlighted some of our battlefield
preservation victories, as well as the
education programs that build on
those victories through interpretation
and increased educational
opportunities for teachers, students
and the public. We also highlight
some of our successful efforts working
with our preservation partners, our
positive media coverage and our great
events.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
As we move forward through the
sesquicentennial, we will continue to
build on the successes of each year,
such as reaching the milestone of
saving 32,000 total acres in 2011.
Thanks to all our members and
preservation partners for working
with us to create a collective legacy of
battlefield preservation.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Lighthizer
President
Cold Harbor, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Richmond, Va. CIVIL WAR TRUST
Board of Trustees
Henry E. Simpson, Chairman
Michael Grainger, Vice-Chairman
William W. Vodra, Secretary
Harrison M. Bains, Jr., Treasurer
O. James Lighthizer, President
Mary Munsell Abroe
Trace Adkins
Don Barrett
Cricket Bauer
Edwin C. Bearss
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Kirk J. Bradley
Paul W. Bryant, Jr.*
Walter W. Buckley, Jr.
Carlton W. Crenshaw
Jeff Dahlgren
Beverly M. DuBose, III
Bruce C. Gottwald
William J. Hupp
Thomas H. Lauer
Duke R. Ligon
Jeffrey P. McClanathan
John L. Nau, III*
Stephan F. Newhouse
Libby O’Connell
Jeff Rodek
J. Dennis Sexton
Jeff Shaara
Doug Walker
W. Denman Zirkle
* Chairman Emeritus
7
P r eservation Victor ies
. . . the Civil War Trust permanently protected 2,042
acres at 26 different battlefields in 12 different states . . .
I
n 2011, the Civil War Trust
permanently protected 2,042 acres
at 26 different battlefields in 12
different states, adding to the more
than 30,000 acres already saved by the
Trust.
A few notable land preservation
victories of 2011:
Prior to the preservation of the Gettysburg Country Club
tract, this portion of Willoughby’s Run was outside of the
Gettysburg National Military Park boundaries.
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Perhaps the best-known of all Civil
War battles, the Gettysburg Battlefield
is the most hallowed ground in
America for many people.
In 2011, the Civil War Trust was able
to save five separate parcels totaling
just over 108 acres at Gettysburg.
The majority of these properties
are “in-holdings,” meaning they
lie entirely within the authorized
boundaries of the Gettysburg National
Military Park, a status that has both
advantages and drawbacks. While the
land can quickly be fully integrated
into the park and open to the public,
it is not protected from development
until acquired by the Civil War Trust
or National Park Service. Also, “inholdings” are ineligible for funding
under the American Battlefield
Protection Program. This means that
at times the Trust is left without a
source for matching grants if the park
does not have funding available.
STEVEN STANLEY
8
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Emanuel Harman Farm/
Gettysburg Country Club
The largest of the properties that
the Trust was involved in preserving
in 2011 is the Emanuel Harman
Farm. Located along Chambersburg
Pike between McPherson Ridge and
Herr’s Ridge, this land was the scene
of intense fighting on July 1, 1863.
Eight Confederate brigades totaling
more than 15,000 soldiers — more
than 20 percent of Lee’s entire army
— were positioned on or fought on
this land. Two units involved in the
bloody fighting around Willoughby
Run, the 26th North Carolina and
24th Michigan, each lost more men
than any of the regiments in their
respective armies at Gettysburg.
For decades, this property was home
to a nine-hole golf course, and, as a
result, it is more commonly referred
to as the Gettysburg Country Club.
The purchase of this property was a
top National Park Service priority,
but the asking price was higher than
the preservation community was
able to pay. After years of ongoing
negotiations, the Trust was able to
help contribute financially, alongside
its partners the Conservation Fund
and the National Park Service,
in the purchase of the land. The
transaction was celebrated at a
transfer announcement that drew
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
to Gettysburg for the occasion.
Other Gettysburg Acquisitions
Simultaneous with the purchase
of the Gettysburg Country Club
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Along with the Gettysburg Country Club purchase, the Trust was
also able to save the Josiah Benner Farm, which saw extensive
fighting on July 1, 1863. CIVIL WAR TRUST
property, the Trust raised enough
money to purchase three other tracts
elsewhere on the battlefield, which
have since been transferred to the
Gettysburg National Military Park.
The nine-acre Josiah Benner Farm,
located northeast of town near the
banks of Rock Creek, includes an
antebellum home that was used as
a field hospital in the aftermath of
the battle. The Trust also saved two
small parcels on the Baltimore Pike
immediately opposite the entrance to
the park visitor center and, in the fall,
helped the park acquire a half-acre
tract on Granite Schoolhouse Lane.
The Wilderness, Virginia
The Battle of The Wilderness was the
first engagement of Lt. Gen. Ulysses
S. Grant’s 1864 Virginia Overland
Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee
9
Saunder’s Field, The Wilderness Battlefield, Fredericksburg &
Spotsylvania National Military Park, Fredericksburg, Va.
CIVIL WAR TRUST
and the Confederate Army of Northern
Virginia.
In recent years, The Wilderness
has been considered one of the
most threatened battlefield sites in
the country, as local residents and
preservation advocates have faced
off against the threat of intense
commercial development in adjacent
portions of Fredericksburg &
Spotsylvania National Military Park.
Not all the news was dire, however, as
the Trust was able to initiate projects
to preserve two key portions of the
battlefield.
Saunder’s Field
In October 2010, the Trust announced
a $1 million fundraising effort to
permanently protect 49 acres at
Saunder’s Field, the very heart of The
Wilderness Battlefield. Acquisition
10
of the tract has long been a priority
for the preservation community,
both for the intensity of the fighting
that occurred there on May 5 and
6, 1864, and for its unique location,
entirely surrounded by land owned
and protected by the National Park
Service. But, like the in-holding
properties at Gettysburg, the project
was ineligible for federal matching
grant funds, leaving the Trust to raise
the entire purchase price from private
sources. Due to the outpouring of
generous support from our members,
we were able to announce that we
had reached our fundraising goal in
January 2011, enabling the Civil War
Trust to make the acquisition.
Grant’s Headquarters
The second property is a 1.4-acre
parcel associated with the site of
Union commander Lt. Gen. Ulysses
S. Grant’s daytime headquarters
during the battle. The protection of
this land was made possible through
a partnership between the Civil War
Trust and the Commonwealth of
Virginia, which has made a strong
commitment to pursuing battlefield
preservation as a permanent
legacy of the sesquicentennial. To
help finance the project, the Trust
received a $108,000 grant from
the Commonwealth of Virginia’s
Transportation Enhancement grant
program, as well as a $50,000 grant
from the Virginia Civil War Historic
Site Preservation Fund.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Perryville, Kentucky
In the summer of 1862, Confederate
Gen. Braxton Bragg launched an
invasion of the key border state
of Kentucky, hoping to divert
Union attention from the Southern
strongholds at Vicksburg and
Chattanooga, as well as to encourage
Bluegrass State volunteers to join
the Rebel army. Over the years, the
Trust has been deeply involved in
preservation efforts at Perryville,
greatly augmenting the state park
there through cooperative projects.
When the Perryville State Battlefield
Historic Site was established on
October 8, 1954, it encompassed only
18 acres. Today, the park has grown
to encompass more than 890 acres of
this historic battlefield — 439 of them
protected in conjunction with the Civil
War Trust.
Among the most recent transactions
was our purchase of just over 53
acres that were the scene of such
intense fighting during the battle’s
latter stages that the area came to
be known as the “Slaughter Pen.”
On this ground, the 22nd Indiana
Infantry suffered a 65 percent
casualty rate, the highest of any
regiment at Perryville. It was here
that Union commanders were able
to cobble together a key defensive
line that deterred any additional
fighting, securing their victory.
Acquisition of this parcel was a major
step toward reaching our long-term
goal of achieving a “critical mass” of
preserved land at Perryville, so that
visitors 200 years from now will be
able to gain a deeper understanding of
what unfolded there.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, Perryville, Ky. View of
Union artillery position on Parson’s Ridge. STEVEN STANLEY
Cold Harbor, Virginia
One of the final conflicts of the 1864
Overland Campaign, the Battle
of Cold Harbor is remembered as
one of the bloodiest, most lopsided
engagements of the Civil War. In
the summer of 2011, the Civil War
Trust acquired a 0.6-acre parcel
adjacent to land already owned by the
National Park Service. The newly
preserved property sits directly in
Storm clouds loom over the Cold Harbor
Battlefield in Virginia. MICHAEL MELFORD
11
the men were unable to hold the
position, and 323 men fell killed or
wounded.
Gaines’ Mill, Virginia
Fought on June 27, 1862, Gaines’ Mill
was the third battle of the Seven Days
Campaign.
The well-preserved Union trenches on the
Cold Harbor Battlefield in Virginia. CIVIL WAR TRUST
the middle of the path followed by
the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery
in its disastrous charge against the
Confederate position at Cold Harbor
on June 1, 1864. Initially raised as an
infantry unit, the regiment had spent
the majority of the war manning the
defenses of Washington and had little
training as frontline combat troops.
Cold Harbor was the 2nd Connecticut’s
first time under fire and, although
they breached the Confederate works,
In 2011, the Trust announced the opportunity to save this 285 acre
tract, where Gen. Longstreet started his attack at Gaines’ Mill.
12
CIVIL WAR TRUST
While it is an indisputably historic
battlefield, until recently Gaines’ Mill
had seen only limited preservation
efforts. In the 1920s, eminent
historian Douglas Southall Freeman
and a group of local residents
operating as the Richmond Battlefield
Park Corporation purchased 60 acres
south of Boatswain’s Creek at the site
of the Union lines, where there had
been considerable fighting. This land
is now owned by Richmond National
Battlefield Park. No further land
was protected for more than 80 years,
until in 2011, when our partners at
the Richmond Battlefields Association
saved a three-acre parcel adjacent to
the Park Service land. That victory
was compounded when the Civil War
Trust announced the preservation
of a nearly two-acre tract occupying
a small hill directly adjacent to
Boatswain’s Creek. The property
represents the far western end of a
thick body of woods that chewed up at
least three Confederate brigades. The
commands of Evander Law and John
B. Hood bisected this ground in the
final decisive charge that broke the
Union line.
As 2011 drew to a close, the Trust
announced a tremendous new
opportunity at Gaines’ Mill: the
preservation of a pristine 285-acre
property in 2012. When complete, this
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
project will more than quadruple
the amount of land saved at
Gaines’ Mill.
Cabin Creek, Oklahoma
Cabin Creek was witness to both
Union and Confederate victories.
The first battle was fought on
July 1-2, 1863, marking the first
time in American history that
black soldiers, members of the
First Kansas Colored Infantry,
fought shoulder-to-shoulder with
white Union troops, repelling
nearly 2,000 rebels.
The second battle at Cabin
Creek was fought on September
19, 1864, when a Confederate
force of nearly 2,000 Texans and
Native American troops, led by
Brigadier Generals Richard M.
Gano and Stand Watie, staged
a raid that captured a bounty
of 300 wagons, estimated at the
time to be worth more than $1.5
million.
The Civil War Trust, along with
the Friends of Cabin Creek, the
Oklahoma Historical Society
and other preservation partners,
successfully preserved a 43-acre
parcel of battlefield land adjacent
to the Cabin Creek Battlefield
Park. The site played a role
in both battles of Cabin Creek,
and its preservation will enable
historians to more thoroughly
interpret the unique aspects of
each engagement. The Trust
hopes to build on this success
with additional preservation
victories at Cabin Creek.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Success Stories
Battlefield State Hog Mountain
Natural Bridge
Resaca
Perryville
Fort DeRussy
Wood Lake
Bentonville
Cabin Creek
Gettysburg
Fallen Timbers/Shiloh
Fort Donelson
Fort Sanders
Franklin
Parker’s Cross Roads
Shiloh
Breakthrough at Petersburg
Chancellorsville
Cold Harbor
Gaines’ Mill
Glendale/Deep Bottom I
Manassas
Thoroughfare Gap
Tom’s Brook
Trevilian Station
The Wilderness
Shepherdstown
Total acres saved
Ala.
40.00
Fla.
55.00
Ga.473.48
Ky.53.34
La.
15.40
Minn.
180.00
N.C.114.39
Okla.
87.70
Penn.108.32
Tenn.
150.53
Tenn.
1.40
Tenn.
68.87
Tenn.4.89
Tenn.
51.28
Tenn.0.92
Va.
19.57
Va.0.75
Va.
6.11
Va.
1.81
Va.
102.16
Va.42.86
Va.
109.00
Va.
289.58
Va.
1.00
Va.
50.68
W.Va.13.30
Value of land saved
Trust outlay net of grants
Leverage factor Acres
2,042.34
$18.3 million
$3.3 million
5 to 1
13
Pa rtn ers
in
P r eservation
The Trust is proud to have shared a number of its
accomplishments . . . with partners from across America.
W
hen presenting the Civil
War Trust with the National
Park Service’s Partners in
Conservation Award during
the closing days of 2010,
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
credited the Trust with compiling what
he called “an outstanding record of
saving America’s battlefield landscapes.”
Our recipe for success, National Park
Service director Jon Jarvis later
explained, was a simple one: “Forging
effective partnerships that unite diverse
parties in a common objective.” This
formula proved just as fruitful in 2011.
The Trust is proud to have shared a
number of its accomplishments over the
course of the past year with partners
from across America — and is pleased
to be able to recognize a few of these
friends below.
Friends of Cabin Creek
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar observes as National Park
Service director Jon Jarvis addresses the crowd during the press
conference announcing the transfer of the Gettysburg Country
Club tract to the NPS. STEVEN STANLEY
14
The Cabin Creek Battlefield in
northeast Oklahoma was, in 1863,
witness to a significant Union victory
in Indian Territory that featured black
soldiers fighting shoulder-to-shoulder
with white troops for the first time in
American history. Together with the
Trust and the Oklahoma Historical
Society, the Friends of Cabin Creek
helped preserve a 43-acre parcel of
battlefield land critical to interpreting
both battles of Cabin Creek.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Jefferson County Historic
Landmarks Commission
With help from the Trust, West
Virginia’s Jefferson County Historic
Landmarks Commission acquired
the significant 18-acre Old Cement
Mill tract in Shepherdstown. Located
directly on the Potomac River, this
property includes the ruins of the
1829 cement mill that sheltered
troops during the battle, a conflict
that would ultimately lead President
Lincoln to relieve Maj. Gen. George
McClellan from his command of the
Union army. Funding for this purchase
was also provided by a West Virginia
Transportation Enhancement grant, as
well as grants from the Shepherdstown
Battlefield Preservation Association and
the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.
Kentucky Department
of Parks
State park officials, like their
counterparts at the national level, are
essential to the Trust’s mission. In
2011, the Kentucky Department of
Parks worked closely with the Trust
on its preservation efforts at Perryville
— and served as the linchpin through
three separate transactions that allowed
for the acquisition of critical battlefield
land. It was at Perryville that, on
October 7, 1862, Union Maj. Gen. Don
Carlos Buell halted Confederate Gen.
Braxton Bragg’s invasion of Kentucky,
claiming a strategic victory that ended
the Confederate offensive and allowed
the Union to retain control of the state
through the war’s end.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Legacy Parks Foundation
This Knoxville, Tennessee – based
nonprofit led an effort to purchase an
approximately 70-acre property associated
with the November 25, 1863, fighting on
Working with our partners at the Kentucky Department of Parks,
the Trust has preserved land at the Perryville Battlefield and at
the Richmond Battlefield (above). CIVIL WAR TRUST
Armstrong’s Hill, site of the Confederate
defeat that derailed Lt. Gen. James
Longstreet’s Knoxville Campaign. The
parcel had previously been slated for
condominiums. Following the Civil War
Trust’s public commitment of $10,000 to
help fund the landmark acquisition, Trust
President Jim Lighthizer praised the
Foundation, calling it “a great champion”
for East Tennessee’s multitude of
irreplaceable historic and natural sites.
National Park Service
Foremost among our allies is the Trust’s
perennial preservation partner in the
federal government. Year after year, the
Park Service – led American Battlefield
Protection Program provides our
15
organization with crucial matching funds
to preserve threatened battlefield land
outside park boundaries. In addition,
the expertise of countless Park Service
officials ensures that the Trust is able
to quickly pinpoint the most pressing
preservation priorities in and around
battlefield parks nationwide.
Save the Franklin
Battlefield, Inc.
In collaboration with the Trust and the
American Battlefield Protection Program,
this Tennessee nonprofit successfully
preserved a key five-acre property on
the battlefield at Franklin, a site in a
near-natural state, which surely would
have been swallowed up by nearby
development if it had not been preserved
this year. Another addition to what the
National Park Service has dubbed “the
largest battlefield reclamation in North
American history,” this tract was the
site of Confederate Maj. Gen. Edward
C. Walthall’s costly advance against the
Union left flank at Franklin on November
30, 1864.
Wilderness Battlefield
Coalition
Members of the group No Casino Gettysburg were recognized at
the Annual Conference for their fight against a proposed casino
that threatened Gettysburg NMP. CIVIL WAR TRUST
No Casino Gettysburg
This network of concerned citizens in
Gettysburg, Pa., has long worked handin-hand with the Trust to prevent the
construction of a casino adjacent to the
hallowed ground that is the location of
the biggest and bloodiest battle of the
American Civil War. On April 14, 2011 —
in a testament to No Casino Gettysburg’s
tireless efforts — the Pennsylvania
Gaming Control Board issued the
Gettysburg casino proposal a fatal blow,
awarding the state’s final Category III
gaming license to the architects of a
competing casino project elsewhere in the
state.
16
Following Walmart’s announcement
in January 2011, that it would not
build its newest superstore on The
Wilderness Battlefield, the Wilderness
Battlefield Coalition did not simply
declare victory. Instead, the Coalition
— which includes the Trust, the Friends
of Wilderness Battlefield, the National
Trust for Historic Preservation, the
Piedmont Environmental Council and the
National Parks Conservation Association
— immediately got back to work,
spearheading an ongoing cooperative
study aimed at helping the local
government balance preservation with
economic development at the entrance to
the battlefield.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
E ducation P rogr a ms
The Trust focused its educational efforts on
five major areas: battlefield interpretation,
the classroom, the web, events and print media.
I
n 2011, the Civil War Trust
continued in its role as the
premier organization working to
educate the public about the Civil
War and its battlefields. Major
advances in the Trust’s education
programs included the release of the
Civil War Curriculum, the expansion
of the Teacher Institute series and
continuing work on interpretation
and content for the Trust’s new
Battle Apps. The Trust focused its
educational efforts on five major
areas: battlefield interpretation, the
classroom, the web, events and print
media.
Battlefield Interpretation
In 2011, the Trust opened our Mine
Run: Payne’s Farm Battlefield,
consisting of 12 wayside signs along
a 1.5-mile walking trail. We also
provided content in support of the
Trust’s smartphone-based Battle
Apps, including the Fredericksburg,
Bull Run and Chancellorsville Apps.
Along with our interpretive battlefield
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
exhibits, both virtual and physical,
we hosted battlefield-based tours for
members at a variety of events.
The Classroom
The Trust’s educational approach
relies on teachers as the means to
reach as many
young people as
possible. Each
of the thousands
of teachers we
engage yearly has
the potential to
reach hundreds
of thousands of
students in the
years to come.
The educational
resources we
provide to these
teachers include
our new Civil War
Curriculum, the
Teacher Institute
series, the Traveling Trunk program
and our many web-based resources.
17
goals for teaching the Civil War; each
goal is accompanied by a lesson plan,
historic documents and presentation
materials. Developed at three
different levels — elementary, middle
school and high school — the Civil War
Curriculum provides teachers with the
opportunity to use quality materials
while maintaining flexibility for their
own unique classrooms. In addition,
our Curriculum in a Haversack, a
printed curriculum accompanied by
replica Civil War artifacts, remains
a key educational resource and is
available for order online.
West Springfield High School students used the Civil War Trust Gettysburg
Battle App to find the Strong Vincent marker on the battlefield.
CIVIL WAR TRUST
These tools not only serve as our
primary conduits of learning, but
also consistently reinforce the Trust’s
educational mission.
In 2011, we released our new Civil
War Curriculum, now available
for free through civilwar.org. The
curriculum involves a set of nine
Teachers at the 2011 Teacher Instiute in Boston listen to NPS
ranger Dana Smith giving a tour of the Beacon Hill area.
CIVIL WAR TRUST
18
Also in 2011, we expanded the Teacher
Institute to include a series of regional
events happening across the country.
The Institutes help broaden our reach
to new areas of the country, provide
educators nationwide with content
knowledge and create awareness of
local Civil War resources available to
teachers.
The Web
Civilwar.org remains our most
effective broad-based platform to
educate people of all ages. During
each month of 2011, tens of thousands
of unique individuals visited our
website to read about topics ranging
from battlefields to education to land
preservation. Among the most popular
offerings on civilwar.org are our
maps, free downloadable lesson plans,
historic documents and battlefield
hubs. The superior depth and breadth
of the material on our website both
reinforces the Trust’s educational
mission and allows us to remain the
leader in Civil War education and
preservation.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Events
At every Civil War Trust event,
whether an education-specific
event such as the Teacher Institute
or a general gathering like our
Annual Conference, we take the
opportunity to maximize learning
for our members and the public. At
both the 2011 Annual Conference
in Manassas, Va., and the Grand
Review in Chattanooga, Tenn., we
offered battlefield tours, panels and
follow-up content on our website. For
example, the Annual Conference in
Manassas featured tours at seven
different Civil War sites, as well as a
Trust-moderated panel with some of
the most respected Civil War minds in
the country, including John Hennessy,
Richard Sommers and
Ed Bearss.
Print Media
Traditional media
remains a successful
avenue for the
Civil War Trust’s
educational efforts.
In 2011, the Trust
published a special
guidebook for the
150th anniversary,
The Civil War 150:
An Essential To-Do
List. Designed to
capitalize on increased
interest in the Civil War during the
sesquicentennial, the book provides
a guide to 150 things to see and do to
learn more about the Civil War. The
Civil War 150 is accompanied by a
companion piece on the web.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
At the 2011 Annual Conference, Civil War Trust members
visited the Manassas National Battlefield Park visitors center.
BRUCE GUTHRIE
Throughout the year, in each of these
five areas the Trust provided superior
historical content,
increased its reach
and sought to make
Civil War education
interesting and fun.
The result was an
unmatched education
program that
reinforces the goals of
the Civil War Trust.
Thanks to the Trust,
thousands of adults
and children learned
more about the Civil
War in 2011. This
increased historical
awareness will, in
turn, encourage our
members and the
public to more fully engage with
and support the Trust’s preservation
mission.
19
H a llow ed G rou n d
Each season, Civil War Trust members
and supporters open their mailboxes
to find a copy of Hallowed Ground, our
award-winning quarterly magazine.
Filled with details of the latest victories
for battlefield preservation and discussion
of new threats on the horizon for those
historic landscapes, the magazine is the
best way for members to stay abreast of
all our projects and programs. Each issue
also boasts feature articles written by
eminent historians, profiles of some of our
valued preservation partners across the
country and exclusive glimpses of letters,
pictures and artifacts from some of the
nation’s premier collections.
In 2011, Hallowed Ground invited
readers to explore the sesquicentennial
by focusing on events that occurred
150 years prior. In the spring, readers
prepared for our upcoming annual
conference by exploring the First Battle of
Manassas, while the summer issue took
them to the Western Theater to learn
about the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The
fall issue explored the volatile political
situations surrounding the formation
of the future state of West Virginia and
offered historical perspective on the
preservation movement as the Trust
began our capital campaign, Campaign
150: Our Time, Our Legacy. In the
winter issue, readers steamed along the
Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers to
learn about the strategic significance of
the Forts Henry and Donelson.
In July, Hallowed Ground received its
third consecutive Grand Award for overall
achievement in the 2011 Apex Awards
competition for publication excellence.
This coveted award — one of only 100
bestowed out of more than 3,300 entries
— recognized the magazine’s editorial
quality, design and effectiveness in
communicating to its niche audience. In
their comments, the judges wrote that the
magazine was a “wonderfully illustrated
tour de force.”
Regardless of praise, however, we
continue to work to ensure the highest
quality product is provided to our
members, and we constantly look for
ways to improve various aspects of the
magazine from content to design to speed
of delivery. In our quest to make sure
that each subsequent issue is better than
previous ones, we welcome comments and
suggestions of future themes to explore.
Have an idea for Hallowed Ground? Send
us your suggestions at HallowedGround@
civilwar.org.
20
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
I n T h e N ews
Positive news coverage . . . educates the public
at large about our preservation mission.
O
ne of the most powerful tools in
our preservation arsenal is our
ability to draw media attention
to the plight of our nation’s
endangered Civil War battlefields.
Positive news coverage not only raises the
organization’s profile and attracts new
members, it also educates the public at
large about our preservation mission. This
is a particularly effective tactic during the
sesquicentennial, as public interest in the
Civil War is naturally raised during this
anniversary period.
Because we believe that our members’
donations should be used to purchase
hallowed ground, the Civil War Trust
rarely allocates funds for media outreach
or advertising, except at the donor’s
request. Instead, we focus our attention
toward prominent earned media
placements in support of our larger
mission at the national, regional and
local levels. In 2011, the Trust appeared
in 2,619 news stories, in addition to
numerous Internet appearances. We
estimate that these stories reached 138
million readers, took up 13,000 inches of
newsprint and were equivalent to more
than $1 million in paid advertising.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
In 2011, the Trust
saw the successful
conclusion of two
lengthy advocacy
campaigns to
protect hugely
significant
battlefields from
inappropriate
development.
On January
26, officials
representing
Walmart, the
world’s largest
retail corporation,
Board Member Trace Adkins speaks
made a stunning
during a press conference announcing the
Trust’s Campaign 150. CIVIL WAR TRUST
announcement
inside an Orange
County, Va., courtroom: after more than
two years of controversy, culminating
in a lawsuit brought by local residents
and preservationists, they would
voluntarily relocate their store away
from The Wilderness Battlefield. News
of Walmart’s “surrender” appeared
across the country. Then, on April 14,
the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
voted to reject a proposal that would
21
The Free Lance-Star
have opened a casino just a half mile
from Gettysburg National Military Park,
which the Trust and its partners had
fought vigorously.
22
The summer was a busy one for the
Trust as, on June 30, we officially
launched Campaign 150, our $40
million sesquicentennial
fundraising effort, with an event
at Gettysburg featuring Pulitzer
Prize–winning historian James
McPherson and country music
superstar Trace Adkins. Three
weeks later, we gathered on the
Manassas Battlefield to begin
commemorations of the battle’s
150th anniversary by officially
transferring land into the
National Park and kicking off a
major fundraising campaign to
protect additional land nearby.
Another major source of news coverage
throughout the year was the growth
of the Trust’s library of Battle Apps,
GPS-enabled mobile battlefield
tours for smartphones. In May, we
unveiled an app that covered the entire
Fredericksburg Battlefield, from Marye’s
Heights, to downtown, to the Slaughter
Pen Farm, with great fanfare in the
regional media. In July, we released our
Bull Run Battle App to coincide with
the battle’s 150th anniversary, leading
to widespread media coverage across
the country, including a television news
segment that was aired by scores of
NBC-affiliate stations.
At a series of news conferences
throughout the year, the Civil War Trust
was joined by a variety of prominent
figures and elected officials who
champion the cause. In March, we were
part of an event at Gettysburg National
Military Park to celebrate the protection
of the Emanuel Harman Farm, more
commonly known as the former
Gettysburg Country Club, alongside
our partners at the Conservation
Fund, National Park Service officials
and Secretary of the Interior Ken
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
Salazar. In the weeks around the
Manassas anniversary, the Trust was
involved in events for our new Battle
App and a land transfer that featured
National Park Service director Jon
Jarvis, Virginia’s Secretary of Natural
Resources Doug Domenech and Secretary
of Transportation Sean Connaughton,
Prince William Board of County
Supervisors member John Stirrup.
Later in the year, we hosted Secretary
Connaughton, Virginia Director of
Historic Resources Kathleen Kilpatrick
and Orange County Supervisor Lee
Frame at Ellwood Manor on the
Wilderness Battlefield to announce state
preservation grants that would protect
properties, including the nearby Grant’s
Headquarters site.
The Daily Progress
While nearly every Trust land acquisition
campaign receives coverage in at least
the local media, one in particular gained
a national audience in 2011: our effort
to buy 285 acres on the Gaines’ Mill
Battlefield near Richmond, Va. After
an Associated Press reporter joined
Trust staff and a trio of experts in Civil
War ballooning as they explored the
tract, hoping to determine definitively
whether it played a pivotal role in the
development of military aeronautics, the
resulting feature-length article brought
attention to both this often-ignored
aspect of Civil War history and our
preservation project when it appeared
in newspapers across the nation
Thanksgiving weekend.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
People’s Choice
Winner,
2011 Photo Contest:
Horse Artillery,
Manassas, Va. (above)
JOANNE MARGARET
HYNES-HUNTER
23
E m br acing N ew T ech nology
The Web
In 2011, the Trust saw a year of great
growth for our web platform. The amount
of visitor traffic to Civilwar.org in 2011 was
more than double that of 2010, reaching
1.3 million unique visitors. Our contentrich website continues to connect with a
wide range of people searching for Civil
War–related information, maps, articles,
photos, historian videos, biographies,
primary sources, lesson plans and more.
Our most popular website sections are our
iconic battle maps, informative battlefield
pages and our ever-expanding educational
resources.
We also launched
an updated Civil
War 150 section,
complete with
a Civil War
timeline and full
event calendar
– a top search
result for all
sesquicentennialrelated search
inquiries. We
have greatly
enhanced our
travel-related
resources through
the launch of our
Essential To-Do List, which has hundreds
of Civil War destinations and activities to
peruse.
The Trust’s online fundraising also proved
strong in 2011. Our wide range of online
giving options has allowed many of our
members and supporters to make gifts
through the website. Our expanded “Give
an Acre,” sustainer gift options, Text
to Give and our monthly Color Bearer
24
payment program have helped many to
tailor their gifts in the way that best suits
their interests and capabilities.
Social Media
Our fastest growing digital platforms
have been our Facebook page and Twitter
account. Facebook’s viral growth to
hundreds of millions of active users has
helped the Trust’s page gain more than
70,000 followers — more than most Civil
War armies! We continue to experiment
with a wide range of fundraising,
educational and outreach efforts to see
what sorts of engagement work best with
this newfound set of followers. We have
also become an active user of Twitter and
continue to explore ways to share not only
the Trust’s work but also facts about Civil
War history in tweets that are no more
than 140 characters in length.
Battle Apps
The Trust had an active year on the
Civil War Battle App front. In 2011, we
were able to launch three new Battle
App offerings — Fredericksburg, Bull
Run and Chancellorsville. Thanks to the
growing popularity of these offerings and
meteoric growth in smartphone adoption,
we saw total Battle App downloads cross
the 35,000 mark for the year. Each of our
releases has been met by an enthusiastic
audience that continues to give us high
marks and top reviews.
In late 2011, we developed our first Battle
App for the Android universe. We are
already hard at work on converting our
entire Battle App library to Android,
and we are also working on iPad native
versions of our offerings.
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
A n n ua l C on fer ence
“I enjoyed this experience very much. I am so proud
to be part of this group and to share, even a
modicum of the credit, for saving our battlefields.”
2011 Annual Conference Participant
I
n May, Civil War Trust members and
friends gathered in Manassas, Va.,
for the organization’s 12th annual
conference. The conference, To the
Gates of Washington: The Battles of
Manassas, was once again a huge success.
With more than 350 people in attendance
(an increase of more than 50 participants
from the 2010 conference), this annual
event continues to grow and is a highlight
for our members and staff alike.
Sommers provided a great deal of
insight into the Battles of First and
Second Manassas. Moderator Garry
Adelman summarized the discussion and
took written questions from audience
members.
On Thursday evening, members of The
Color Bearer Society were treated to
dinner and remarks by Jim Lighthizer on
the successes of the organization in the
past year, as well as the announcement
Thursday morning’s Color Bearer tour
kicked off the conference activities with
tours to Rappahannock Station and
Bristoe Station. For those not on the
tours, a variety of historians and authors
offered lectures about various aspects of
the Civil War, including Tempest at Ox
Hill: The Battle of Chantilly by David
Welker and Insights into the Battle of
First Bull Run by Bradley M. Gottfried.
At the opening luncheon, President
Jim Lighthizer took the opportunity to
present our annual awards to partners
and supporters who have made important
contributions to the cause of battlefield
preservation over the past year. After
lunch, prominent historians Edwin C.
Bearss, John Hennessey and Richard
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
Bobby Krick leading the tour at the Stone Bridge on the Manassas
Battlefield during the 2011 Civil War Trust Conference.
BRUCE GUTHRIE
25
attendees who wanted to take in all
that our nation’s capital has to offer.
We always have tour offerings centered
around a variety of themes, so feel free to
bring friends next year, even if they are
not solely interested in the Civil War!
Ed Bearss leading the Color Bearers on a tour of the
Bristoe Station Battlefield. CIVIL WAR TRUST
of Campaign 150: Our Time, Our Legacy
— a five year capital campaign, which is
now underway. Following Lighthizer’s
remarks, Robert K. Krick presented a talk
titled The Metamorphosis in Stonewall
Jackson’s Image.
On Friday and Saturday, conference
attendees took part in a variety of
battlefield tours around Manassas.
Attendees had many choices, including:
The Battle of First Manassas bus and
hiking tours, The Battle of Second
Manassas bus and hiking tours, The
Battle of Brandy Station tour, Stonewall
Jackson at Manassas tour and Manassas:
Then and Now photo tour. Participating
historians included Edwin C. Bearss,
Garry Adelman, John Hennessey, Clark B.
Hall and Robert E. L. Krick. There were
also two alternate tours: Washington,
DC Today and Mount Vernon. These two
tours offered something for conference
On Friday evening, guests enjoyed Garry
Adelman’s Manassas Photo Extravaganza.
Garry provided a humorous and
informative presentation of photographs
in 3-D taken during the Civil War.
Saturday evening’s dinner banquet was
followed by President Jim Lighthizer’s
presentation of more annual Preservation
Awards. Recipients expressed their
heartfelt appreciation for the work that
the Civil War Trust does, and that they
are glad to be part of such an important
movement.
After a weekend of Civil War history and
camaraderie, the conference came to a
close on Sunday morning with a breakfast
during which members were able to ask
questions of the Civil War Trust staff
about the state of the organization.
The Civil War Trust particularly wants to
thank our sponsor, History™, Manassas
National Battlefield Park and our
wonderful historians and photographers
who, as always, donated their time and
talent to make the event a true success.
The 2012 conference will focus on the
Seven Days Campaign and will run from
June 6-10 in Richmond, Va. For more
information visit our website:
civilwar.org/annualconference.
“The tours were excellent! I’ve visited Manassas
many times over the years and still learned a great
deal at this conference.”
2011 Annual Conference Participant
26
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
2011 Civil War Trust Award Winners
“The work done by the Civil War Trust would simply not be
possible without the efforts of these men and women. They
are often the unsung heroes of historic preservation, but I am
confident that their work will be felt for generations to come.”
Jim Lighthizer, President Civil War Trust
The 2011 award winners include:
■ Shelby Foote
■ National Leadership
Preservation
Award: Representative
Legacy Award:
Frank Wolf, Virginia
Julian Bibb (photo 1),
(photo 5).
a driving force behind
1
the work of Franklin’s
■ Brian C. Pohanka
5
Preservation
Charge in Tennessee.
Organization of the Year Award:
Robert Rosenbaum
No Casino Gettysburg.
(photo 2), chief counsel
■ National Park Service
for the plaintiffs
Preservationist of the
in the “Wilderness
2
Walmart” lawsuit.
Year Award: John Howard,
retired superintendent,
Jeff Griffith (photo 3),
Antietam National
creative director for
6
Battlefield (photo 6).
the Gettysburg casino
■ Preservationist Teacher of the Year Award:
volunteer advocacy
campaign.
3
■ Carrington
Richard Deardoff, Kettle Run High School and Lord
Fairfax Community College, Virginia.
■ Discovery Trail Site of the Year Award:
Williams Battlefield
The White Oak Museum in Falmouth, Virginia.
Preservationist of
■ Reenactment Unit of the Year Award: Civil War
the Year Award: The
Dance Foundation and its performing troupe, the
Wilderness Walmart
Plaintiffs (photo 4):
4
Curtis Abel, Dale
Victorian Dance Ensemble.
■ Civil War Roundtable of the Year Award: Bull
Brown, Sheila Clark,
Susan Caton, Dwight Mottet, Craig Rains and
Run Civil War Round Table of Virginia.
Friends of Wilderness Battlefield.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
27
P ru den t S t ewa r dship
Charity Navigator . . . has given the Civil War
Trust its highest possible rating of four stars
for the third year in a row.
I
n 2011, the Civil War Trust’s costs
for administration and fundraising
remained well below industry
averages, at just 3.4 percent and
11 percent respectively. These
percentages represent how efficient we
are as an organization, thanks to our
prudent fiscal management and our small,
hardworking staff. We are also grateful
for our dedicated membership base,
which continues to be a reliable source of
support.
Highlights of the audited financial
statements in this report outline our
major sources of revenue and expense.
Year-end assets of preserved battlefield
land were $66,061,072, representing the
value of the land owned by the Trust at
the end of 2011. This is land we have
purchased and preserved, but that we
have not yet been able to donate back to
organizations such as the National Park
Service or various state park systems.
Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest
third-party charity evaluator, has given
the Civil War Trust its highest possible
rating of four stars for the third year
in a row. Charity Navigator rates
organizations based on how efficiently
they use donations, how they have
sustained their programs over time
and their level of commitment to good
governance and best practices. The Civil
War Trust rates very high in the category
of accountability and transparency as well
as financial health.
The Trust is a member of the Independent
Charities of America and is proud to take
part in workplace giving campaigns such
as the Combined Federal Campaign.
The Trust is also a Valued Partner of the
Guidestar Exchange, which means that
we have shared a large amount of up-todate information on the Guidestar website
for all donors to see.
Support with Confidence
Learn About Our Rating
28
CIVILWAR.ORG | CIVIL WAR TRUST
F ina nci a l H igh lights
Multiplying Resources
The Civil War Trust is unique in that we
are able to multiply almost every dollar
we receive from our donors with matching
funds granted to us from our preservation
partners. We work closely with our
partners such as the American Battlefield
Protection Program at the National Park
Service, as well as other state and local
governmental agencies and foundations,
to ensure that we can leverage our
members’ donations to the greatest extent
possible. In 2011, our average leverage
factor was 5:1. This means we were able
to multiply every dollar that our donors
gave us to purchase land by a factor of 5,
thereby greatly increasing each dollar’s
effectiveness.
REVENUES, GAINS AND OTHER SUPPORT 2011
2010
Private Sector Revenue
including membership
dues and contributions
$13,684,431$12,200,540
EXPENSES
Programs
$7,215,156 $6,938,994
Administration
$286,583 $306,964
Fundraising
$927,181 $832,033
Total
$8,428,920$8,077,991
Year-end asset value of preserved battlefield land
owned by the Trust $66,061,072
One example of how we leveraged
donations in 2011 was at the Mansfield
Woods property at the Glendale/Deep
Bottom I battlefield in Virginia, where
the Trust saved 102.16 acres. The total
transaction value of this parcel was $1.48
million, but the Trust’s net cost was only
$158,000, thanks to matching grants
from the American Battlefield Protection
Program and from the Virginia Civil War
Historic Preservation Fund, as well as a
partial land donation.
We are grateful to all our preservation
partners for so generously supporting
our work through these matching-fund
opportunities. We share our successes
in saving more than 32,000 acres with
all of our partners and look forward to
continuing these relationships into 2012
and beyond.
2 0 1 1 A N N U A L R E P O R T
29
30
First Place Winner, 2011 Photo Contest – High
C I V I LSchool:
W A R . OThe
R G Firefighters,
| CIVIL WAR TRUST
Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pa. JOSH GUTMAKER
Join the Fight - Help Save Our History
DONATE
• Make a cash gift toward your favorite battlefield, visit civilwar.org.
• Make a charitable gift of stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.
• Become a monthly sustaining member.
• Give a gift membership.
• “Give an Acre” and help preserve a battlefield.
• Honor a loved one or ancestor with a tribute gift.
• Purchase items with our Civil War Trust affinity card from CapitalOne.
• On your cell phone text the word “CivilWar” to 50555 to donate $10.00.
• Purchase items on Amazon.com by logging on through Civilwar.org/books to have
Amazon donate a portion of your purchase to the Trust. LEGACY GIFTS
• Remember the Civil War Trust in your will or trust.
• Name the Civil War Trust as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy.
WORKPLACE GIVING
Ask if your workplace participates in these easy ways to give:
• Corporate Matching Gifts.
• Combined Federal Campaign for federal employees (the Trust’s CFC designation
number is 11785) or state workplace campaign for state employees.
SPEAK OUT AND GET INVOLVED
• Call, write or e-mail your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and tell them to
support Civil War battlefield preservation. Visit Civilwar.org/speakout for more
information.
• Take a walk . . . on a preserved Civil War battlefield! Enjoy the benefits of exercise
while learning about our nation’s history. Even better, take a friend, a child or a
grandchild!
• Download one of our Battle Apps for iPhone and Android.
• Volunteer to participate in Park Day. Thank you for your trust and support of our mission. When you make a gift to the Civil War Trust, you are making history by saving history. To learn more about our
preservation efforts or to make a donation, please visit our website at Civilwar.org or contact
us at 800-298-7878. Thank you!
Support with Confidence
Give with
Confidence
Learn About Our Rating
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
1156 15th Street, NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20005
202-367-1861
202-367-1865 fax
MEMBERSHIP CENTER
1140 Professional Court
Hagerstown, MD 21740
301-665-1400
301-665-1416 fax
Civilwar.org