Officials with the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park say this spring the will remove six non-historic structures from the park landscape. Their removal will allow the park to rehabilitate the historic battlefield landscapes where these structures currently stand.
The project is scheduled to begin after April 1 and is expected to take about five months.
This project will include the demolition of six former residential properties and one cement block garage shop. All the structures are non-historic, abandoned, and within park boundaries. Many of the buildings are structurally compromised and include hazardous materials that will be removed.
All the properties to be demolished were built on former battlefields. These modern structures intrude upon culturally significant landscapes, which may contain archaeologically sensitive materials. The park will monitor the project to protect any cultural resources uncovered during the demolition process.
Once the non-historic structures are removed, the park will match the remaining landscapes with their natural surroundings. At four of the sites, the park will plant native oak and other woody species found in nearby forest communities.
The rehabilitation of these historical landscapes will further the park’s mission to protect and preserve the ground upon which thousands of Americans fought and died during the Civil War.
Photo courtesy Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
