McClelland Letters Project
- In 2008, the Tawani Foundation completed a $34,000 grant commitment to the Civil War Preservation Trust for the publishing of a manuscript containing the letters of George P. McClelland. McClelland was a young Union soldier who fought in many of the famous battles of the Civil War.
- In 2007, Tawani Foundation was proud to participate in the opening of public trails at the Third Winchester Battlefield. The trails were made possible, in part, by a $300,000 grant from Tawani Foundation. The trails have increased visitorship to the battlefield and, in turn, increased the public’s knowledge of the many citizen soldiers who fought there nearly 150 years ago.
Funding Report
CWPT does not keep records of activity at battlefields, however, the key volunteers who watch over the trail, estimate that about fifty people use the trail every day. Using that as a guide, and accounting for bad weather and holidays, we estimate that nearly 35,000 people have used the trail since it opened in 2007. The property is also the site of frequent special events that bring relatively large groups, including historic tours and biking or jogging events.
The Third Winchester trails have had a very positive direct impact on people who have used the trails. This includes Civil War enthusiasts from across the nation who is now able to access different parts of the battlefield and learn about the history from the new interpretive signs, as well as others who now also enjoy the property for biking, jogging, birding, and other recreational values. In addition, the trails have provided a significant benefit for the broader cause of historic and open space preservation by making the land available to the community and demonstrating a valuable alternative to development.
