The Wilderness Battlefield.

Longtime readers of this blog will know that the National Trust been following (and fighting) Walmart's plans to build a superstore in Orange County, Virginia because the location selected was part of the Wilderness Battlefield and immediately adjacent to the National Park. In January, the news arrived that Walmart had decided to select an alternate location - a choice we applauded.

Today, that process is complete - Walmart has announced it will be building three miles down the road at the intersection of State Route 3 and Somerset Ridge Road.

Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, issued the following statement:

“The new Walmart location is a win-win solution that benefits the citizens of Orange County, the retailer and the preservation of a nationally significant place. This outcome proves that protecting our national heritage, and advancing Orange County’s development goals, can go hand in hand.”

Read the full announcement, including statements from our coalition partners, the Civil War Trust, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, and Piedmont Environment Council.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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