Long Bridge Road Acquisition

Photo Courtesy of CRLC

Battlefield Protected

Photo Courtesy of CRLC

Capital Region Land Conservancy (CRLC) purchased 38.5 acres on Long Bridge Road in Henrico County in March 2020. CRLC’s new acquisition preserves in perpetuity the land upon which 5 different Civil War battles took place, while adding to a protected corridor that spans over 6,000 acres.

The Long Bridge Road property is designated as a top priority conservation area in the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s ConserveVirginia model. The land is almost entirely wooded, containing 3,920 linear feet along Sweeney Creek as well as approximately 22.1 acres of Freshwater Forested/Shrub Wetlands, which closely resembles its wartime appearance.

Even more noteworthy is the particular Civil War history to which the Long Bridge Road property pays homage. Two of the battles fought here, the battles of First Deep Bottom and Second Deep Bottom, were critical to the Richmond-Petersburg campaign that led to Confederate surrender the following spring in Appomattox. In these battles, the US Colored Troops played a pivotal role and ultimately shaped the future of our nation by preserving the union and abolishing slavery.

Photo Courtesy of CRLC

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will hold a conservation easement on the entire property as part of the requirements of a National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program grant.