American Battlefield Trust

Honorable mention accolades go to A. Wilson Greene and Richard Bell in award contest that seeks to showcase how the power of place informs historical scholarship American Battlefield Trust Prize for History 2026 winner Rick Atkinson.

The Opportunity Preserve 155 acres at Bristoe Station and Cold Harbor before it’s too late! At Bristoe Station, 152 acres of battlefield land are under significant threat, having already been approved for a residential subdivision development. And at Cold Harbor, a vulnerable and significant three-acre tract is at risk.

Our Enduring Legacy: The Campaign to Preserve, Educate and Inspire transformed the organization’s ability to proactively pursue acquisition opportunities (Washington, D.C.) — Just 15 months after entering the public phase of a capital campaign timed to commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, the American Battlefield Trust has declared victory in the most ambitious fundraising effort in the history of the battlefield preservation movement.

After several high-profile defeats in lower courts, developer QTS quietly drops its appeal in support of a massive data center campus adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park (Manassas, Va.) — In a major win for the Manassas Battlefield, and the wider historic preservation movement, the years-long fight to halt a colossal data center complex adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park has ended in victory.

(NEW ORLEANS, La.) — A major tract on the Chalmette Battlefield, where General Andrew Jackson, known to history as “Old Hickory,” fought to victory in the final, climactic battle of the War of 1812, may soon be saved forever. If the American Battlefield Trust is successful in its $1 million fundraising campaign, the 40-acre tract, hemmed in by industrial development, will be the battlefield park’s first major expansion in a century.

(Washington, D.C.) — In celebration of Giving 4th — a national initiative by America 250 to mark the nation’s Semiquicentennial anniversary through charitable impact — the American Battlefield Trust is asking history lovers to help us safeguard a remarkable witnesses to America’s founding: a centuries-old live oak standing watch near the entrance to the Eutaw Springs Battlefield in Eutawville, S.C. A “witness tree” is a rare, living link between past and present, and this ancient oak embodies...

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, in celebration of America’s 250th birthday, President Donald J. Trump unveiled the Make America Beautiful Again report, detailing the work of the Make America Beautiful Again Commission in protecting America's natural and historic landscapes while promoting economic growth and expanding outdoor recreation.

Have you seen a lot of singing and dancing Founding Fathers lately? Like, more than normal? No, we don’t mean Alexander Hamilton (no offence, Lin Manuel, we love you!). We’re talking about the O.G. Founding Fathers Musical—1776. If you haven’t seen the stage play or the cinematic adaptation, we courteous-LEE request that you fix this oversight. Immediate-LEE. It’s the semiquincentennial after all, and the events depicted in the musical unfolded exactly 250 years ago. Picture the scene.

(Washington, D.C.) — In Philadelphia, Pa., on July 4, 1776, delegates from the 13 American colonies agreed to the final text of the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain and enshrining unalienable rights for citizens. Now, Americans still gather to celebrate this date and the freedoms it represents.

The achievement comes amid exciting new projects celebrating America’s 250th birthday When the first video was uploaded to the Trust's YouTube Channel on March 20, 2009, the Trust had saved only 25,000 acres in 19 states. A lot can change in 17 years, not least of which the growth of the channel to more than half a million subscribers.