New Battlefield State Park Coming to Virginia!

Nestled in the Virginia Piedmont, an area previously underserved by the state park system, the facility was authorized when Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the Commonwealth’s two-year, compromise budget plan on June 21, 2022.  

The Trust has spent decades protecting thousands of acres in Culpeper County, and this action allows us to donate the park’s initial 1,700 acres to the state outright. This sets the stage for Culpeper Battlefields State Park to open to the public on July 1, 2024. An additional $3 million appropriation in the budget will allow the Trust to pursue even more land, up to 800 acres, that, once preserved, will enhance the park’s visitor experience. 

The park’s creation from these Trust-protected landscapes is the culmination of a tremendous vision shared by not only elected officials across the Commonwealth, but also the preservation community and Culpeper residents.  

We believe it is important that we express our gratitude to those who uplift our mission and use their influence to highlight our nation’s history and make it accessible. Please take a moment to sign our letter of thanks to Governor Youngkin, his staff, and Virginia’s General Assembly, including Senators Bryce Reeves and Chap Petersen, as well as Chairman Barry Knight, plus Senator Emmett Hanger, Delegate Michael Webert, Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr., Delegate Alfonso Lopez, Senator David Marsden, Delegate Daniel Marshall and Senior Advisor to the Governor Andrew Wheeler. 

Land allocated for the new park is primarily associated with the battles of Brandy Station (June 9, 1863) and Cedar Mountain (August 9, 1862), but also includes elements of the battlefields at Kelly’s Ford (March 17, 1863) and Rappahannock Station (November 7, 1863). Moreover, Culpeper was not only a place of massive strategic importance in the Civil War but also a stop for thousands of enslaved peoples as they hurried northward to freedom; many crossed the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers there. These sites are welcome additions to the Commonwealth’s roster of scenic and meaningful park landscapes.