November, 2000

November 5
Fredericksburg, Va., 
Free Lance- Star 
Green light for battlefield Site 
subject of $6 million infusion

By ELIZABETH PEZZULLO

The National Park Service is poised to buy land within Spotsylvania County's affluent Fawn Lake subdivision, which contains a key portion of the Wilderness battlefield.

The much-discussed purchase can occur now that the U.S. Department of Interior's fiscal 2001 appropriation bill has been signed into law.

The bill includes $6 million for Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park to acquire Civil War battlegrounds.

The park service plans to use the money to buy 462 acres in western Spotsylvania County once slated for houses in the gated community off Orange Plank Road.

"I'm delighted that Congress has placed such importance on acquiring these tracts," said Sandy Rives, superintendent of the park, which commemorates the four major Civil War engagements fought in the area.

Last year, Congress gave the park service authority to buy the Fawn Lake tract as well as two adjacent properties.

This year's land-acquisition appropriation is the largest the park here has ever received.

"I think over the last five years, the park staff has been able to point out to members of Congress the need to purchase these lands quickly or they'll be developed," Rives said.

During the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet led a surprise flank attack against federal troops.

Up to that point, the Union army was convinced it had won the day. But then the Confederates unleashed their fierce assault. In the midst of the fighting, the dense woods caught fire, leaving thousands of men to perish in the flames.

Fawn Lake's developers had planned to build 117 homes on the battlefield site, but signed a "no development" agreement last year with Spotsylvania County giving the park service three years to get approval from Congress to buy the land and to make
an offer on it.

The park service is negotiating with the Fawn Lake developers on a purchase price, Rives said.

"What happens is we do an appraisal, make an offer and they think about it," he said.

Efforts to reach NTS Residential Properties Inc., which manages the development, were unsuccessful.

The park service cannot offer more than the appraised value of the land.

Although the park service can seek outside help to buy historic land within he park's boundary-as it did in 1996 with the Fredericksburg battlefield-that's not likely to occur with this transaction.

Four years ago, the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust contributed money toward the purchase of Willis Hill in Fredericksburg.

"It's very rare that third-party money is used to help complete a federal acquisition," said John Hennessy, the park's assistant superintendent.

November 1

To those interested in obtaining records from the National Archives:

We have heard for some months that fees were going to be raised significantly. A new fee schedule was officially approved, published, and will go into effect November 13, 2000. From the new schedule, it would appear that the familiar form, NATF 80, will be obsolete on the 13th and will be replaced by: NATF 85 for pension files more than 75 years old - complete file costs $ 37.00 Most other records, many using all new forms, are around $ 17.00 to $ 17.75 Full details can be found at: http://www.nara.gov/nara/newfees.html  
Fraternally,
PDC Steve MichaelsDept. Council Chair