2011 Fundraising Campaign:
A Note from our President
March 16, 2011 -
The Friends of Resaca Battlefield has announced plans to assist and support the Civil War Trust in launching a fund raising campaign to raise money for a 473 acre conservation easement in Gordon County just north of Resaca. Known as the Chitwood Farm, The easement will cover not only the historical areas but also a large tract of the Conasauga River corridor.
In 2008, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) purchased the endangered site to prevent a bank foreclosure. Since that time, TPL has tried unsuccessfully to sell the property to a preservation-minded buyer or organization. TPL opted for a conservation easement. The historic tract of land will be protected for now on from future development.
Many organizations, including the Trust for Public Land, Friends of Resaca Battlefield, Civil War Trust, Georgia Battlefield Association, and the Gordon County Commissioner's, have partnered to finalize this project.
Ken Padgett, President of FORB, Inc. stated, "I am proud that our organization has been included since day one in assisting TPL and Gordon County in providing background historical research, writing interruptive signage text, gathering GPS data on important historical areas, and on-site field interpretation of the entire site at no cost."
Once the easement is completed, the site will be permitted to have several pre-approved educational student activities days, Civil War related tours, and the annual Battle of Resaca Reenactment. Gordon County will invest $100,000 as their part of the preservation effort and will be the easement holder with no future cost involved.
Padgett stated, "We in Gordon County are blessed with three independent preservation projects on-going here, but it has caused some confusion to the general public. This easement is totally separate from the proposed state Resaca Battlefield Park located of GA Hwy. 136 along I-75 and the Gordon County Fort Wayne site located on GA Hwy. 136 East along the Oostanaula River. Gordon County will generate a great deal of tourist dollars into our local economy both during our nation's 150th Civil War celebration and beyond."
The $1,550,000 needed for the easement has been raised though various grants and donations from the partnering organizations and the American Battlefield Protection Program. The remaining $50,000 will be raised though the Civil War Trust through tax-exempt donations. For more information or to donate, please go to www.civilwar.org.
Sincerely,
Ken Padgett
President Friends of Resaca Battlefield, Inc.