The Senate and the House of Delegates of Virginia expressed their gratitude by awarding a commendation to Virginia State Parks.

From left to right: Zoe Rogers Visitor Services Specialist Central Region, Craig Seaver Parks Director, and Eric Hougland Central Region District Manager

It was my pleasure to represent, along with Virginia State Parks Director Craig Seaver and District Manager Eric Hougland, our Virginia State Parks in receiving recognition for our participation in the Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the American Civil War. The commendation was given by the General Assembly of Virginia to the American Civil War Sesquicentennial Virginia State Parks Consortium for our commitment, dedication and partnership with the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission. 

Craig Seaver, Virginia State Parks Director shared

“This award represents the creative and relevant efforts of numerous state park staff who worked diligently to provide a Virginia State Park Commemoration of the 150^th through a variety of partnerships, park programs, and special events statewide” 

Sailor's Creek Battlefield Historical State Park is one of several signature
Civil War sites in the State Park system

In 2009 Virginia State Parks formed a working group to explore how to commemorate the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the American Civil War in Virginia at our signature civil war sites and the remaining state parks. Members of this committee were from all aspects of the park system; park managers, education specialists, district managers, visitor experience manager and visitor experience specialists. In this same year the working group received a memorandum of understanding from the Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission and became known as the American Civil War Sesquicentennial Virginia State Parks Consortium. With the memorandum we began our efforts in developing an interpreter concept plan to be used as a tool for all state parks in developing civil war educational programming that covered all facets of the Civil War in Virginia – political, military, civilian, social and cultural, we built partnerships with local stakeholders and local sesquicentennial committees, and we supported our signature civil war sites of Staunton River Battlefield, High Bridge Trail and Sailor’s Creek Battlefield with their anniversary events.

Signature Civil War sites offer educational programming that covered all facets of the Civil War in Virginia – political, military, civilian, social and cultural.

With the Sesquicentennial anniversary of the Civil War coming to a close, Virginia State Parks' signature civil war sites will continue to "leave a positive and rich legacy well beyond 2015." For more information on these sites, click here.