Historic Tract Along Potomac Set to Become Regional Park
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Thursday, December 4, 2008
A 275-acre swath of land with ties to the Civil War will be protected as a regional park in Loudoun County, officials said yesterday.
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has secured a contract to buy the tract along the Potomac River north of Leesburg. The park authority will pay private landowners about $2.8 million for the parcel.
The property, which was once the home of Confederate Lt. Col. Elijah V. White and was used as a strategic route during battle, will be known as White's Ford Regional Park. The park, a half-mile of which fronts the Potomac, will include a boat ramp, picnic pavilions, campgrounds, and cabins nestled on a hill. There will also be interpretive exhibits explaining the park's Civil War history.
"It's very important, and it will ensure that this land will be parkland forever and will always be a natural site that people can go to," said Paul Gilbert, executive director of the park authority. The agency owns 10,000 acres of land throughout Northern Virginia.
The park authority plans to close on the purchase within a year, pending zoning permits from Loudoun County. Gilbert said most of the $2.8 million will come from the settlement in a lawsuit. The agency also applied for a $150,000 state grant for the purchase.
Photo Gallery
White’s Ford Regional Park
An aerial view of White’s Ford Regional Park. The property as it appears here sprawls into the distance, bordered by the brief tree line on the left and the river. (Courtesy of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority)
An aerial view of the water front of White’s Ford Regional Park. (Courtesy of Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority)
Gilbert said the land was affordable, about $10,000 an acre, because its owners had obtained a conservation easement that restricted its development. "That reduced the market value of the property and really helped us out," he said. "We're not interested in buying land for its maximum development potential."
The easement helped the state toward its goal of protecting 400,000 acres of open space by 2010. But because the land was under private ownership, it wasn't open to the public, said Joseph H. Maroon, director of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. As a regional park, it will be "very significant in terms of adding recreation and active management of that property," he said.
The state's goal to preserve rural land always included acres that could be used for public recreation, said Nikki Rovner, deputy secretary of natural resources. White's Ford "is a significant contribution toward the goal," she said. "That's really exciting to see that there are going to be more [recreational] opportunities for Northern Virginia."
Lt. Col. White is best known for his role as an aide and scout for Col. Eppa Hunton's 8th Virginia Infantry during the Battle of Ball's Bluff, according to the park authority. For his valor during the battle, White was awarded a captain's commission and permission to raise a company of men, the 35th Battalion of the Virginia Cavalry. White and his men eventually played a role in the Battle of Gettysburg and were also part of the Laurel Brigade, according to the agency.
His land's frontage along the Potomac River played a strategic role in the movement of Confederate troops. White and his soldiers would take a ferry en route to battles in Maryland. But on their way back to Virginia, the troops traveled on horseback across shallow points of the river that lead to White's property. And during the battle of Antietam, about 40,000 Confederate soldiers crossed the river at White's Ford to join the battle in Maryland.
Gilbert said the park authority plans to continue researching the history of White's Ford in hopes of nominating the park for a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tagged: Leesburg, parks, potomac river, White’s Ford Regional Park
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Hopefully they will resist the urge to turn it into yet another soccer/softball park. There are ample places to play those sports in the area. Keep the property as natural as possible.
Posted by wildfyre99 (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Another good move. I agree with wildfyre99 that the land should be left as natural as possible and not turned into another soccer field.
Posted by Pearl77 (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If they wanted to do something really helpful for generations to come, they would purchase land and set aside to tunnel under the Potomac for another crossing between the American Legion Bridge and Point of Rocks.
Posted by ssolomo (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 8:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonderful News. A map of the area would be very helpful to locate it and to visualize the road access.
Posted by AhoyDavy (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 9:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, the conservation easement stipulates that the land CANNOT be used for athletic fields, so the usage here is passive - camp grounds, a boat launch, picnic areas, etc.
Posted by bbauer (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&am...
Copy and paste that to your browser.
Posted by jwilly_ (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Have lived in Leesburg Va, Waterford Va & Potomac Md, before moving. I used White's Ford Ferry regularly for pleasure & for commuting. Is it still open and if so, will it stay open as part of the park?
Posted by peteoreilly (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 12:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I applaud the purchase of the land. We need more of this. Buy why would the Park Authority name it after an officer of an army that committed treason and terrorist acts against the United States of America?
Posted by mouley (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a great move forward. Anytime we can save Loudoun acreage as parkland for future generations is a positive step to our legacy and to those who will follow us.
Although he was on the opposing side, Col. White was still an American and he did what he believed was right. His story needs to be documented and remembered.
You can never go wrong once you know the true historical record.
Posted by SnyderRP (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 3:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I applaud the purchase of the land. We need more of this. Buy why would the Park Authority name it after an officer of an army that committed treason and terrorist acts against the United States of America?
I wasn't aware there were terrorists during the civil war??? Treason??? I don't understand. The North fought the South. How would treason enter into the picture. No wonder they posted anonymously.
Posted by askgees (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who were the "terrorists?” I suppose it depends if you were a Northerner or Southerner at the time of the Civil War.
Anyhow kudos to Loudoun County for saving this piece of land….
Posted by waxtraxs (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a great purchase. It protects land that has historic value, and provides more camping and other outdoor activities here in NOVA. Though, I do hope they keep it as undevloped as possible to keep the general feel of the land.
Posted by anirishfan (anonymous) on December 4, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kudos to the county!!
As for mouley, he needs to do some historical research. There were REASONS that Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Elijah V. White, et al were not tried for treason. I suppose that mouley now would agitate to rename Mosby Highway, Lee Highway, Leesburg, et cetera. Maybe Obama Highway???????
Posted by segeny (anonymous) on December 5, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The area of land that is to be purchased is right by White's Ford. Elijah White bought the land in 1856, BEFORE the Civil War. The fordable area of the Potomac River that was directly in front of his property hence became known as White's Ford. Also, after the war Elijah White bought Conrad's Ferry and renamed it White's Ferry. To this day, that ferry is STILL called White's Ferry. These names are now ingrained into the area, so I am assuming the Park Authority decided on the name as a logical solution, because it will be a REGIONAL PARK at WHITE'S FORD.
Posted by deb_page_udc (anonymous) on December 7, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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