2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Central Virginia Battlefields Trust’s

2021 Annual Conference

Back To Our Roots: Celebrating 25 Years of Preserving Battlefields

October 8-10, 2021

Welcome to a weekend celebrating battlefield preservation victories! We’ll be taking inspiration from the stories of courage enacted on these battlefields over a century and a half ago, and thoughtfully rededicating to the continuing goal of saving places where history happened. We hope you’ll choose to join us for this special event with camaraderie, battlefield exploration, preservation history, and anniversary festivities.

All-Inclusive Weekend Ticket supports battlefield preservation and gives you access to all the planned events on October 8-10, 2021. 

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Out of caution for our guests while watching health data, and  best forecasting for state regulations on gatherings, Central Virginia Battlefields Trust has changed the conference date from April 16-18 to October 8-10, 2021. If you have already purchased a ticket, please check your inbox for details about rolling your ticket to the new dates or requesting a refund or contact the Executive Director directly at the email address: executivedirector@cvbt.org.

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We understand that the future is uncertain with Covid-19, and that’s why we’ve taken purposeful efforts in the conference planning to ensure safety for all guests by following the guidelines from state and local health officials. We look forward to creating an exciting and safe event, with outdoor settings and self-transportation to tour starting points.

Friday

Join us on Friday evening from 5pm to 8pm for an open-house President’s Reception at the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust Office. It’s a great opportunity to visit with board members, meet new friends, and mingle with fellow preservationists and history enthusiasts. Complimentary beer, wine, soft-drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.  

(We are planning indoor/outdoor options and will be conscious of state and county health directives to ensure the best safety for all guests.)

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saturday

BATTLEFIELD TOURS

Keeping with our conference theme “Back To Our Roots”, this year’s tours will be highlighting preservation stories along with history from the 1860’s.

Salem Church, 9am to 11:30am 

Learn about the Battle of Salem Church—part of the Chancellorsville Campaign in May 1863—and how this “lost battlefield” helped to start the local preservation movement in Central Virginia. (Minimal walking)

Lunch at Old Mill Park

Enjoy a provided, casual picnic lunch at a community park near the Rappahannock River as a break in the battlefielding tours.

Sunken Road and Willis Hill, 1pm to 3:30pm.

Willis Hill was CVBT’s first-ever preservation victory in 1997. This tour will focus on the preservation history and how saving the land has kept the stories of December 13 and May 3 alive. (Minimal walking; a stroll to the top of Willis Hill will be optional at the end of the presentations)

Our battlefield tours this year have been planned with health safety in mind, while still offering as much of the traditional features as possible. Transportation will be in your own vehicle and arrangements for parking have been made at each site.

BANQUET & ANNUAL MEETING

Taking a page from CVBT history, we’re returning to a preserved tract of land for a private, barbeque picnic in an event tent and under the stars. The Stonewall Brigade Tract (sometimes also called “The Cooper Tract”) sits at the heart of land that Jackson’s men swept over during the famed flank attack during the Battle of Chancellorsville. It’s a key location to celebrate CVBT’s accomplishment and continue the vision of preserving more of this land. Our program this year will be sharing memories of CVBT’s last 25 years and sharing inspiration for the months and years ahead. Anticipate visiting and mingling with invited special guests, including historians, National Park Rangers, battlefield guides, and others. Expect some surprises! (Parking on-site; minimal walking; golf-cart transportation available if needed)

5:00 - Social Hour (wine and beer cash bar)

6:00 - Dinner, catered barbeque 

7:00 - Annual Meeting and 25th Anniversary Celebration

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SUNDAY

Brunch at Stevenson Ridge, 9am to 12noon.

One of the more recent and treasured traditions of the CVBT Conference is brunch at Stevenson Ridge. This beautiful event site sits adjacent to Spotsylvania National Battlefield and has trenches running through the back of the privately owned property. (Parking on-site; minimal walking)

Keynote speaker A. Wilson Greene will join us to share a special presentation, reflecting on the battlefield preservation’s past and future. Greene is a historian, author, and retired museum director, who has served as director for the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites and at Pamplin Historical Park. 

Updates and minor changes may be made as necessary, based on current health guidance closer to the event date; conference attendees may expect to receive communications and any necessary updates directly from the CVBT staff.