Tweet
One hundred and fifty-five acres near Gilberts Corner has been added to the public parkland protected by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.
Eighty-eight acres of the land is property that had been owned by Mt. Zion Church Preservation Association. That land sits across U.S. 50 from Mt. Zion Historic Church.
“At the urging of Supervisor Jim Burton and Del. Joe May, we purchased this property so it could become public parkland,” said Su Webb, NVRPA chairman.
The second property is 67 acres that was purchased this year by Piedmont Environmental Council; it is being leased by NVRPA to make a combined parkland area of 155 acres.
The new park is rich with Civil War significance and is part of the study area for the Battle of Aldie, which took place on June 17, 1863.
This land is also significant as the home site of Alexander G. Davis, a farmer originally from Connecticut who lived on the property during the Civil War. On Oct. 18, 1861, he was attacked and beaten because he was a northerner. He was considered too old for active military service, but after this attack he served as a civilian scout for the Union throughout the war.
In addition to its Civil War significance, the area includes part of the Carolina Road, which was an active route between Frederick, Maryland and the Virginia/North Carolina border. It was originally a Native American trail used by the Algonquin and Iroquois Indians and a popular north/south route during the 18th and 19th centuries. It roughly follows the course of today's U.S. 15.
The church property as well as the new 155 acres of parkland will be managed out of Aldie Mill Historic Park, also owned and operated by NVRPA.
“The primary goal of this new parkland is to preserve the historic and scenic values of the area," Webb said. "With this general goal in mind, we will be working with community groups and stakeholders like Journey Through Hallowed Ground, PEC and others to help create a vision and plan for the area."
Eighty-eight acres of the land is property that had been owned by Mt. Zion Church Preservation Association. That land sits across U.S. 50 from Mt. Zion Historic Church.
“At the urging of Supervisor Jim Burton and Del. Joe May, we purchased this property so it could become public parkland,” said Su Webb, NVRPA chairman.
The second property is 67 acres that was purchased this year by Piedmont Environmental Council; it is being leased by NVRPA to make a combined parkland area of 155 acres.
The new park is rich with Civil War significance and is part of the study area for the Battle of Aldie, which took place on June 17, 1863.
This land is also significant as the home site of Alexander G. Davis, a farmer originally from Connecticut who lived on the property during the Civil War. On Oct. 18, 1861, he was attacked and beaten because he was a northerner. He was considered too old for active military service, but after this attack he served as a civilian scout for the Union throughout the war.
In addition to its Civil War significance, the area includes part of the Carolina Road, which was an active route between Frederick, Maryland and the Virginia/North Carolina border. It was originally a Native American trail used by the Algonquin and Iroquois Indians and a popular north/south route during the 18th and 19th centuries. It roughly follows the course of today's U.S. 15.
The church property as well as the new 155 acres of parkland will be managed out of Aldie Mill Historic Park, also owned and operated by NVRPA.
“The primary goal of this new parkland is to preserve the historic and scenic values of the area," Webb said. "With this general goal in mind, we will be working with community groups and stakeholders like Journey Through Hallowed Ground, PEC and others to help create a vision and plan for the area."