The National Park Service recently announced the awarding of over $1.5 million in grants from the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) to preserve Civil War battlefields in West Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia.

They include:

• $613,930 to help protect 280 acres of America’s battlefields in West Virginia threatened with damage or destruction by urban and suburban development. This grant will be used to acquire a portion of the Summit Point Battlefield;
• $748,298 in grants to protect 72 acres of America’s battlefields in Virginia threatened with damage or destruction by urban and suburban development. These grants will be used to acquire portions of the Fisher’s Hill and Opequon Battlefields;
• $$166,360 in grants to preserve 51 acres of Civil War battlefields in North Carolina threatened with damage or destruction by urban and suburban development. The grant will be used to acquire portions of the Averasborough and Bentonville Battlefields.

The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant Program is administered by the ABPP, one of more than a dozen programs operated by the National Park Service that provide states and local communities technical assistance, recognition, and funding to help preserve their own history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities. Grants are awarded to units of state and local governments for the fee simple acquisition of land, or for the non-federal acquisition of permanent, protective interests in land easements. Private non-profit groups may apply in partnership with state or local government sponsors.