Dr. H. O. Malone, in memoriam.
 
Please see our What's New
page for news and events.
 

Nov. 20, 2009: NOV. 19 WAS A RED-LETTER DAY IN THE HISTORY OF POST-ARMY FORT MONROE. THE FORT MONROE AUTHORITY IS ASKING VIRGINIA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO TAKE ACTION TO CREATE FORT MONROE NATIONAL PARK. For this enormous step in the right direction, we applaud the authority's chairman, Preston Bryant, his colleagues John Quarstein and Bill Armbruster, and many others. At a minimum, the proposed national park would comprise the moated fortress and some additional sites nearby. The full arrangements still need to be worked out. As Williamsburg Mayor Zeidler observed, "It really means the work is just beginning." Friends of Fort Monroe will want not to ease up. Some national parks are mostly history. Some are mostly land and nature. Fort Monroe ought to be both, of course -- but the danger still remains that this national treasure could be mediocritized. WE'LL BE POSTING MORE INFORMATION ON THIS RED-LETTER DAY IN POST-ARMY FORT MONROE'S HISTORY.
 

**YET AGAIN IN 2009**

Civil War Preservation Trust

reaffirms Fort Monroe at risk (Read more)

 

APVA Preservation Virginia declared
Fort Monroe most endangered 2007-08 (Read more)

 

We think the contrasting pictures that appear below show the wisdom in the alarms reported above. (Read more.)

Developers also like this picture, made by a Hampton consultant in 2006. Like the one above, it shows what some find to be unnecessary, "viewshed"-harming, character-of-Fort-Monroe-demeaning overdevelopment beside the moated fortress. This picture was resurrected in the fall of 2009 in an important Army document about Fort Monroe's future called the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

And here's the view of a local real estate leader. (Note: Mr. Garrett said we could use the picture, but he also expressed disagreement with our view that it connotes an "open season" view of Fort Monroe real estate. We're grateful for his goodwill in allowing the picture's use here. If he changes his mind when he sees this page, we'll remove it.) Now please note the stark contrast between these three pictures and the picture appearing just below. (And by the way, we think that in the long run, something like what's shown below would profit the region not less, but more.)

OPPORTUNITY: The Army is leaving two-century-old Fort Monroe   in Tidewater Virginia—a national historic, cultural, and recreational treasure with views across Hampton Roads harbor, up the Chesapeake Bay, and into America’s past. It’s ideal for a national park. (more)

PROBLEM: With the Pentagon's blessing, some political, civic, and business leaders want Fort Monroe “redeveloped” merely as an “economic engine” by and for a single city, Hampton—which is mobilizing for this “redevelopment.” (more)

SOLUTION: We propose a national park that would flourish without overly burdening taxpayers and that would benefit the Hampton Roads economy in many ways. There’s a proven precedent and inspiration: San Francisco’s similar former Army post, the Presidio.(more)

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Fort Monroe will become a national park if citizens and civic organizations demand it. You can help by:

* Subscribing to e-mail updates from CreateFortMonroeNationalPark.org.

* Having your civic organization endorse the effort to create a national park.

* Contacting legislators. (more)

* Submitting a letter to the editor. (more)  

* Contacting us.

OUR VISION FOR FORT MONROE

What's new        About us        FAQs        Talking points        Articles & op-eds

Updates archive        Myths vs. realities        Multimedia        Visit Ft Monroe

Brochure (printable)

President boosts national parks    

National park paragraph in Virginia law

Historic Quadrangle, not Historic Triangle?

Organizations endorsing a national park

Page maintained by CFMNP.org Webmaster
webmaster@cfmnp.org
Revised: 2 February, 2010