Local
Sesquicentennial Committees
Virginia
leads the nation by being the first state to
create a Sesquicentennial Commission and formally
begin planning for the commemoration. The 150th
anniversary of the Civil War holds tremendous
educational, economic, and tourism opportunities
throughout the Commonwealth. Not only was Virginia
the central focus of the Civil War in the 1860's,
but it is still at the center, in terms of what
visitors can see and experience today:
- Virginia has, far and away,
more Civil War sites than any other state,
including over 400 that are linked by the
Civil War Trails program. In addition to touring
the battlefields, travelers can visit world-class
museums, historic homes, cemeteries, Civil
War libraries and research centers, and much
more.
- 'Heritage tourism' is one
of Virginia's biggest resources. Civil War
scholars and enthusiasts flock to the Commonwealth
from all over the United States and internationally.
In fact, data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation
shows that the Civil War traveler tends to
stay longer and spend more money than the
average visitor to Virginia.
- The story of Virginia's participation
in the war is statewide - - there is not a
county, city, or town in the Commonwealth
that was unaffected by the Civil War. There
are hundreds of Civil War-related sites throughout
the state that serve to better educate Virginians,
and those who travel to Virginia, as to the
pivotal role the Commonwealth held in the
war. The strength of that geographic dispersal
means that visitors do not have to travel
to a specific place to experience the history
- no matter where they are in the state, there
is nearby Civil War history to take in.
Joining in the statewide commemoration, each
locality has been asked to form a sesquicentennial
committee to begin planning for the four-year
commemorative period. Strong involvement at
the local level is crucial, and the Commission
is working with statewide partners, such as
the Civil War Trails program, to promote local
participation. Local history, after all, is
the foundation on which all else is built.
To every extent possible, the
local sesquicentennial committee should include
representatives of:
- Office
of the chief administrative official
-
Governing body (i.e., City Council or Board
of Supervisors)
-
Tourism industry organizations
- Convention
and Visitors' Bureau or visitors' services
office
-
Chamber of Commerce or economic development
office
-
Education community (e.g., Superintendent,
teachers, PTA representatives, etc.)
-
Local battlefields and National Park Service
personnel
- Civil
War Trails local coordinator
-
Civil War museums and facilities
-
Public and private nonprofit organizations
and agencies engaged in commemorating historical
events
The following localities have
answered the call to form a sesquicentennial
committee and participate in this historic commemoration:
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