Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Announces New Website
For immediate release—November 29, 2011
Contact: Denman Zirkle/SVBF (o: 540-740-4545 x202, m: 540-335-9322)
Harrisonburg, Va. Nov. 29, 2011 It is well known the primary mission of the Battlefields Foundation is to “preserve, conserve, and interpret the legacy of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley”. Less well known is its goal of economic development: “To stimulate the Valley’s economy by expanding heritage tourism, protecting productive farmland, and enhancing the quality of life in the Valley. The District will strive to balance preservation and economic development in the Valley.” (From the SVB National Historic District Management Plan, September, 2000.)
These goals were intertwined in the development of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields’ new website that was announced this afternoon at the Harrisonburg Visitors Center. With creative new features like the “Signature” program and custom-designed visitor tours, the website seeks to attract more tourists to the Valley, thereby increasing exposure to the battlefields as well as businesses.
The new site was announced by 6th District Congressman Bob Goodlatte, who lauded the site for its “ . . . imagination in creating new visitation opportunities for the Valley.” Goodlatte added, “Not only does the new site bring the legacy of the Civil War closer to millions of Americans and visitors from abroad, it stimulates the Valley’s economy as well as enhances income opportunities for the Battlefields Foundation. Both will increase economic activity along with funding for battlefield protection.”
SVBF Executive Director Denman Zirkle quoted from a study commissioned by the Civil War Trust showing the economic benefits of 20 Civil War battlefields. For the New Market battlefield alone, annual visitor expenditures exceeded $1.6 million which included state and local taxes of $166,000. For Winchester the expenditures were $1.9 million, including taxes of $196,000.
While the history and battlefield protection parts of the site are enhanced and more usable, the new content is largely found under the “Visit the Valley” tab. Here, the visitor finds appealing functions such as the “Signature” program that has identified distinct commercial and non-commercial sites that will be unforgettable visitor experiences. Some 85 heritage sites already have been identified in the District’s eight-county area, ranging from the Star Fort Civil War Defensive Site in Winchester, to the pedestrian swinging bridge at Narrow Passage in Shenandoah County, to the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton. These sites are now being woven into “Signature” tours that will be available to the web visitor, customized for the interests, budget, and length of stay of each visitor.
New website functions next year will include Civil War genealogy that will link to search engine inquiries on Civil War ancestors. The new site will be able to tell the web visitor where in the Shenandoah Valley the visitor’s ancestor fought.
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As authorized by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation serves as the non-profit manager of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, partnering with local, regional, and national organizations and governments to preserve the Valley’s battlefields and interpret and promote the region’s Civil War story.
Created by Congress in 1996, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District encompasses Augusta, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren counties in Virginia and the cities of Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, and Winchester. The legislation authorizes federal funding for the protection of ten battlefields in the District: Second Winchester, Third Winchester, Second Kernstown, Cedar Creek, Fisher’s Hill, Tom’s Brook, New Market, Cross Keys, Port Republic, and McDowell.
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ON THE WEB:
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields
