National Park Service Awards $1.8 Million Grant to Protect Famed Chalmette Battlefield at New Orleans

(New Orleans, La.) — The National Park Service has awarded a Battlefield Land Acquisition Grantof nearly $1.8 million to protect a 40-acre parcel associated with the Battle of Chalmette, the final battle of the War of 1812. Portions of the iconic battlefield are preserved within Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Chalmette National Cemetery, but other sections, and much of the surrounding area, have been lost to industrial development. These 40 acres, across which several British regiments charged — and subsequently retreated — remain open and unimproved.

“Every acre of hallowed ground that we preserve is an opportunity for us and for future generations to have a better understanding of the formative conflicts that shaped our nation. As we honor the spirit of America’s 250th anniversary, it is ever more important to protect these historic treasures,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust.

Because of zoning considerations and intense development pressure, the transaction cost of the property is $3.6 million. In addition to the National Park Service matching grant, significant funding is being provided by the Louisiana Outdoors Forever Program. The Trust is also seeking to raise $1 million from individual private donors in order to complete the purchase.

The battle stands as a tribute to the American ability to transcend adversity in pursuit of a common goal. Badly outnumbered, the Americans inflicted more than 2,000 casualties on the British invaders, while suffering only 71 themselves. The battle’s unconventional story was popularized in 1959, when Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans” became a massive Billboard #1 hit, winning the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Performance.

“Much like the coalition of forces that came together on the battlefield at Chalmette, we have amassed an array of allies to push forward this outstanding preservation opportunity," said Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser. "It has been an honor to support and champion this effort to safeguard a unique moment in our state’s — and our nation’s — history.”

The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program promotes preservation of America’s most historically significant Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War battlegrounds, which is a meaningful commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The program is administered by the American Battlefield Protection Program, an arm of the National Park Service. This latest round of grant awards also included matching grants for the Stones River, Tennessee and Williamsburg, Virginia battlefields.  Under U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the National Park Service has awarded nearly $50 million in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants to save historic land at 31 battlefields.

Funds from the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program have been used to save 40,000 acres in 20 states, including some of the most famous battlefields in American history: Antietam, Md.; Appomattox and Fredericksburg, Va.; Gettysburg, Pa.; Charleston, S.C.; Princeton, N.J.; Saratoga, N.Y. and Shiloh, Tenn. Legislation is currently pending in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize this successful program, ensuring its ability to protect hallowed ground for the next decade.  Companion legislation passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin of 404-13 in June. 

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 63,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.

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