Traveling with the ghosts of conflict virginia civil war trails

The Setting

Civil War sites abound in history-rich Virginia. But finding them and interpreting them was a job left to the visitor. Many war-related places were unknown outside their vicinities and others faced possible destruction by commercial and residential development. Wasn’t there some way to save the sites at risk, capitalize on the vast untapped tourism potential, and make the tourists experience more pleasant and informative?

What Happened Next

The Virginia Civil War Trails (VCWT) initiative was launched in 1997 to develop and market Civil War trails in Virginia. VCWT efforts to date include:

• developing and installing trailblazer signs
• producing engaging, user-friendly brochures
• developing and installing interpretive signs
• hosting a toll-free number for visitor inquiries
• sending out visitor information
• placing print and media advertisements
• producing a VCWT website at www.civilwar-va.com
• maintaining trails

Results

• Visitors can now experience the story of the Civil War in Virginia, and the program brings visitors to previously unvisited parts of the state.
• Visits to Virginia’s Civil War sites increased from 500,000 in 1996 to 580,000 in 1997.
• 50 new waysides have been created to provide vantage points for Civil War sites.
• The VCWT program has grown to include trails in MD, NC, SC, WV, TN and parts of PA.
• VCWT served as the model for a new Civil War Trails organization in Georgia.
• The trails build community pride and grassroots support for Civil War preservation.
• As of November 2009, the program included 1009 trail sites (908 of which have been interpreted for the first time, and 100 of which are accessible to the public for the first time).   

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National Trust for Historic Preservation ®