Civil War battlefield site gets Park Service funding
By From staff reports
Published in News on December 26, 2013 1:46 PM
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This photo shows the entrance to the Bentonville Battleground Historic Site, with the Harper House in the background. The park has received federal funding to buy more land and expand the park to include more of the actual battlefield.
FOUR OAKS -- The Bentonville Battleground Historic Site has been awarded a $27,763 grant by the National Park Service to purchase 13.38 acres of the original battlefield site.
Bentonville Battleground, located in Johnston County just northeast of Newton Grove, was among seven Civil War battlefield sites in five states that received grants totaling $950,000. The grants from the park service's American Battlefield Protection Program will help protect more than 760 acres.
The other battlefields are Peebles' Farm, First Rappahannock Station and Second Rappahannock Station in Virginia, South Mountain in Maryland, Brice's Crossroads in Mississippi and Carthage in Missouri.
The Battle of Bentonville, March 19-21, 1865, was the largest ever fought in North Carolina. It also was the last major battle of the war in which a Confederate army was able to mount a tactical offensive.
The grants are from the National Park Service's American Battlefield Protection Program, one of more than a dozen programs administered by the National Park Service that provide technical assistance, recognition, and funding to help states and local communities preserve their own history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities.
Applications for funds are evaluated on the significance of the property as defined by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the nation's Civil War battlefields, on the property's location within defined core and/or study areas, the threat to the battlefield land to be acquired, and the availability of required non-federal dollar-for-dollar matching funds.
Grants are awarded to units of state and local governments for the acquisition of land, or for the acquisition of permanent, protective interests in land (easements). Private non-profit groups may apply in partnership with state or local government sponsors.
The Bentonville site, 5466 Harper House Road, is open Tuesday through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.