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Having researched the Revolutionary War for over 30 years, beginning with the War’s Bi-Centennial, it became apparent to me that there was a wide range of disparity in the condition of the various battlefield sites. Many appeared in good shape, while others had nothing more than a remote monument commemorating an event. I found others that were completely fragmented due to urban sprawl. My observations have since been supported and confirmed by preservationists and members of The National Park Service.
The Preservation Society for the American Revolution, (PSAR) was incorporated in 2005 and received nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service in February, 2006. In 2007, PSAR received a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program, a unit of the National Park Service, to cover start up costs including the development of a website.
PSAR is networking with agencies within the federal government, as well as the legislature, to present a unified voice and message to the nation and to provide the tools for protecting these fields of freedom.
The U.S. Congress concerned that, “the historical integrity of many Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites is at risk,” enacted legislation calling for a study of historic sites associated with the two early American Wars. In 1996 the U.S. Congress commissioned the National Park Service to conduct this study. The Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States was released to the public in June, 2008. This comprehensive report concluded that 38% of Revolutionary War battlefield sites are in good or fair condition, and over 60% are in poor condition or are completely lost. Roughly 47% of the War of 1812 sites are in good to fair condition.
Of the battlefields that remain intact from the two wars, 20% are threatened by urban sprawl and could disappear in the next three years, while 40% could be lost within the next ten years. The report also states that, “a national advocacy group dedicated to full and permanent protection of early American historic sites would fill a distinct gap in the network of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 preservation organizations.”
*It is the task of The Preservation Society for the American Revolution to set a course, find the means and finish the job.
*An organization similar to PSAR was established less than twenty years ago dedicated to the preservation of Civil War sites (Civil War Preservation Trust.) Over this period of time, they have been instrumental in saving over 23,650 acres of Civil War battlefield properties.
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