Myth #1:
The Walmart would not be built on, or near, the Wilderness Battlefield.
Reality:
Walmart would be built inside the historic boundary of the Wilderness Battlefield as determined by the 1993 Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC), a congressionally authorized study of every battlefield of the Civil War. The CWSAC report placed the proposed Walmart site in the “study area” of the Wilderness Battlefield, which means the site is important to understanding the battlefield’s context and setting. The Walmart site is outside of the National Park Service boundary, but would be a quarter-mile from the National Park line.
Myth #2:
Nobody objected when the McDonalds and Sheetz were built at that intersection.
Reality:
The construction of the McDonalds and Sheetz at the intersection of Route 3 and Route 20 was opposed by preservation groups, the National Park Service (NPS) and local citizens. McDonalds was receptive and made some design modifications to have less of an impact on the battlefield (i.e., no towering sign) and designed the interior with a Wilderness Battlefield theme. Sheetz, however, was completely uncooperative and built according to their standard design, much to the detriment of the battlefield.
Myth #3:
A planning study offered by the Wilderness Battlefield Coalition is only a delaying tactic.
Reality:
The preservation coalition is committed to a visioning process that would preserve the historic nature of the battlefield and its gateway while at the same time allowing commercial development along the Route 3 corridor in Orange County. The best way to achieve this compromise is to undergo a comprehensive, long-range planning process to determine how best to achieve these goals. The Coalition has offered to pay for the entire study so it would come at no cost to the county. In fact, Orange County’s Comprehensive Plan calls for “developing a comprehensive battlefield resource protection plan for civil war sites,” but so far the county has failed to pursue creating such a plan. In the end, this visioning process would save the county money on a plan the Comp Plan calls for and would provide a win-win situation for all parties involved. The King family, who own over 2,000 acres adjacent to the Walmart site, have endorsed the planning study, which further proves the sincerity of the proposal.
Myth #4:
The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition is anti-Walmart.
Reality:
The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition is opposed to any large-scale development at the site currently proposed by Walmart for its Supercenter. The Coalition would be equally opposed to a Target or Lowe’s (or any big-box store) at that location. The opposition has nothing to do with the Walmart company – only with where they want to build a store. The Coalition has repeatedly stated that it has no problem with a Walmart in Orange County if it does not harm the Wilderness Battlefield.
Myth #5:
Nobody visits the Wilderness Battlefield National Park.
Reality:
The Wilderness Battlefield is the most visited tourist attraction in Orange County, attracting over twice as many tourists each year as Montpelier or wineries. The Wilderness Battlefield received over 200,000 visitors in 2008, and Montpelier received approximately 78,000 visitors and the wineries around 100,000. It not only makes sense to protect the battlefield from a historic standpoint, but it clearly makes good economic sense as well. The battlefield is a national treasure and needs to protected for future generations to visit and enjoy.
Myth #6:
There’s nothing to see at the Wilderness Battlefield.
Reality:
Aside from outdoor exhibits already in place, the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield has invested more that $300,000 in restoring Ellwood, General Warren’s Headquarters, and the National Park Service has a $248,000 interpretive exhibit project in progress to turn the site into the primary visitor contact site for the Wilderness.
Based on experience around here, I bet there is a Walmart +- 15 miles in some (any) direction from your site. It is a shame that argument does not have more pull—it should.
I live in the wilderness battlefield area an have been here for 25 years. I welcome the wal-mart it will create new jobs and tax revenue for the county. I don’t understand why people who live 1000’s miles away should concern themselves with happenings in our community.
To Ed,
It is true, I do not live in your community; I live hundreds of miles away in New York City. The Civil War is part of all of our heritage in this country; we have a common interest in preserving its battlefields and sites, so that we may all learn and grow from the shared understanding of our common history.
There are many sites of national interest in NYC — from as far back as Henry Hudson’s first journey 400 years ago up the river that bears his name; to the Revolution & Civil War; to the WTC attacks of September 11th 2001. We have an obligation to the country to preserve these sites, too.
What kind of jobs will Wal Mart provide? How much tax revenue? At what cost?
I suppose somone’s gluttonous desire to have cheap junk made mostly in China, or some other Asian country could overwhelm what ought to be an inherent pride in being a Virginian, or for those who “do not live in our community” a United States’ citizen.
Last time I checked Richmond is not thousands of miles away, neither is Mr. Duvall’s home, neither is Maine or Florida, or the Border states. But be that as it may, Wal-Mart and it’s supporters are the flag bearers of decay of our country. Foreign made goods (nothing good about them), foreign governments (mostly if not all not democracies), foreign economies (keeping the rich wealthy and the poor in the sweat shops), and all feasting on the gluttony and sloth of those who claim to be citizens of our state and nation.
To support Wal-Mart, is like supporting that cretinous wretch Silver. How many of you love to visit Fredericksburg now? Money, avarice, greed, is what drives these economic crack dealers to supply the gluttony and sloth of the populace which support them.
Folks, as much as we may like to think these meetings will matter, the people in charge that we elected into office have already made up their minds and only display the pretense of democratic principals.
Wal-Mart will go where Wal-Mart wants it.
Virginia’s beauty and historical glory will be relegated to a comic strip written in Malaysia, and sold at Wal-Mart.
The coalition uses half truths and emotions to try and make their point. If they were honorable in any way, they would be honest and tell people that some of their members have a financial interest in land further up route 3 that they want Wal-Mart to build on. By their actions, they devalue the land at the proposed site and increase the value of land in which they have an interest. If they were truly intrested in preserving this site they would be raising money to buy it from the current owners and put it in a conservation easement.
To Ed and any other contributors to this blog that do not understand why “people who live 1000’s miles away” should concern themselves with happenings in your community, your apathy and lack of knowledge is just one of the reasons that our country is in peril and is headed down the slippery slope of ruin. The citizens of the United States of America owe a huge debt to all the patriots and veterans that have fought in every war beginning with the American Revolution. Remembering and honoring them is essential to the very fabric of our country’s being. Preserving hallowed battlefields is one way that we can pay our respect to those that have lost their lives defending their beliefs and their homeland. Our children need to learn, respect and have a true interest in the history of our country. In addition, battlefields such as the Wilderness Battlefield ultimately became final resting places for soldiers that perished there. How could you not feel reverence for the fallen soldiers that gave their life’s blood on that historic battlefield? Civil War battlefields must be preserved; our country’s history must be preserved. Wal-Mart can certainly find another area to open their new Supercenter that will not infringe upon a National Historical Treasure. I don’t live anywhere near your community, Ed. I live in Texas, but if the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter is built on the site of the Wilderness Battlefield, I can assure you that I will never shop at another Wal-Mart, in any community. Even though this issue is less about Wal-Mart and truly about preserving a National Treasure, it would behoove the retail giant to listen to the people and make the right choice and find another location to build their newest Supercenter.
Sue,
Your post is understandable in light of the coalition’s half truths on this issue. The proposed Walmart WILL NOT BE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. It is close to a mile from where actual fighting took place. If you believe the coalition’s definition of the battlefield then over 24 square miles of land is “sacred”. I have been to your wonderful city of San Antonio and visited the Alamo. If our forefathers had used the coalition’s definition for a battlefield, then none of San Antonio would exist today.
Moving the site is a “smoke and mirrors” argument as a recent draft study by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program draft review now includes all land on both sides of route 3 and its environs in Orange County. This includes the land that the coalition wants Walmart build on.
This is an issue on which the media has focused far too much attention and as usual provided sound bites but precious little in-depth reporting.