Heading in the right direction

Traffic on U.S. 15 buzzes by Cedar Mountain battlefield. Drivers focus on the road in front of them, usually never turning their heads to notice the historic killing grounds about six miles south of the town of Culpeper.

Home to the bloodiest battle in Culpeper County during the Civil War, Cedar Mountain is receiving much needed help in making it more visible to the public.

The Friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield recently purchased and, with the help of VDOT, placed four new signs alerting motorists about the battlefield’s presence. Two signs are along U.S. 15 and the others are on the exit ramps of U.S. 29.

“That’s our No. 1 criteria, to make the battlefield more visible,” board member Virginia Morton said. “It’s sad — even people who live in the area ride through it constantly and don’t realize it.”

Nearly four years ago, the group attempted to raise visibility by trimming trees and clearing brush. They constructed split-rail fencing to help draw visitors’ attention but only had one sign signaling the entrance to the battlefield.

Now, the signs direct drivers to General Winder Road to the parking area. To help save money — the project, two years in the making, cost $4,800 — the signs were added to existing Civil War Trails signs via the Virginia Logos Program.

The signs went up in early June, so Morton said it’s too soon to gauge their impact. Other than a weathered guestbook, there is no real way for board members to keep track of visitors to the site, which does not have a visitor’s center.

“We get a pretty good response,” Morton said of the guestbook. “We’re actually usually pretty surprised when we get the book out and look at it.”

The FCMB had discussed putting in a pull-off area with a grant it received through the Commonwealth Transportation Board, but have now turned its attention to possibly purchasing land with the grant.

Morton said the group receives most of its funding through memberships, donations or money she receives while giving tours about her book “Marching Through Culpeper.”

With the economic downturn, Morton says the group needs the community now more than ever.

“We haven’t been as visible as we have been in the past,” she said. “So it’s been a time of struggling for all of us. We just hope (to show) through the new signage we are here, we are alive and we need their support.”

Morton hopes an event in early August will also drum up support for the battlefield.

Noted Civil War historian Nick Picerno will be speaking at the Culpeper County Public Library Aug. 8 at 2 p.m. during the weekend of the 147th anniversary of the battle. Picerno will give a presentation on his collection of artifacts and letters from the 10th Maine Infantry, which suffered 40 percent casualties at Cedar Mountain.

“He said he wanted to support this in any would he could,” Morton said of Picerno. “He is going to bring a few items to display and tell some of the personal stories.”

While hearing about the battlefield is nice, Morton encouraged the public to come out and experience the battlefield for themselves.

“I think if it’s a beautiful day and they want to take a walk, they should come out here and walk this trail and read the markers,” Morton said. “It’s just a great treasure for our county to have this property here. We want to make it more visitor-friendly. That’s what we would encourage the community to become involved in.”