Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation (Chesapeake, VA)

General

• Mission:

In order to preserve a pivotal piece of America’s history, while offering critical educational opportunities to students and visitors of all ages, The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation (GBB&WHF), along with its public and private partners, seeks to create The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Historic Park and Visitor Center. The mission of the Foundation is to preserve the battlefield and promote to the nation the strategic importance of the Battle of Great Bridge and the economic and cultural contributions made by the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal (which bisected a portion of the battlefield in 1896) and the Dismal Swamp Canal.

On December 9, 1775, The Battle of Great Bridge, the first Patriot victory of the Revolutionary War in Virginia, occurred in the area now known as Chesapeake, Virginia. The outcome played a critical role in the struggle for American Independence and the subsequent creation of the United States. The direct result of this Patriot victory was the Virginia Convention’s adoption of the first public declaration expressing the spirit of independence. In 1896, the construction of the Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal intersected a small portion of the battlefield and paved the way for the growth of commerce and communities in Hampton Roads. Recognizing the national historical significance of these events and the opportunity to preserve the battlefield, a group of citizens formed The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways Foundation on December 9, 1999. By building strong partnerships with local, regional, state and federal agencies, private and public Foundations, groups, businesses and individuals and through a vigorous Capital Campaign, the Foundation has become the catalyst for this project's future. The Foundation recognizes that without direct assistance, the preservation of this historical site will not be possible. The Foundation intends to continue the momentum of its proven fundraising strategy.

The men and women of 1775 and 1896 faced all the challenges, tensions, paradoxes, and ambiguities we face today; some of them even felt that preserving their liberties and freedoms were worth their lives. The lessons that can be learned from their stories may help us make better sense of our lives today and take us to a greater understanding of what is important as individuals, as members of communities and as citizens of a nation today and in the future.

• History:

In the mid 1990s, plans for replacement of the bridge across the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal at the site of the battlefield by the US Army Corps of Engineers provided the final opportunity to reclaim and preserve a major portion of the original battlefield. The urgency of preserving the battle site prompted the City of Chesapeake to write an Historic Preservation Plan in 1996, stating that the greatest threats to the battlefield would be transportation improvements caused by urban development and redevelopment of vacant properties. The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways site had also been listed by the National Park Service as an historical site in need of immediate and direct preservation measures by state and local government and organizations. Without direct assistance, the historical site may not survive, removing an important source of public education and commerce within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation was formed on December 9, 1999 in order to save the battlefield. The Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation is a private, nonprofit, non-stock corporation. It is a tax-exempt charitable organization as described in Section 501 C (3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and was admitted to record by the State Corporation Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Executive Committee consists of the President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Chairs of standing committees and three At-Large advisors. The Standing committees are (i) Finance (ii) Project Planning and Research (iii) Historical Preservation and Presentation (iv) Resources and Grants and (v) Gifts and Contributions. The Board of Directors (Trustees) consists of a minimum of fifteen to a maximum of thirty directors elected for two-year terms. Trustees include the former Mayor of Chesapeake (the Foundation’s President), the former and current Provosts of Tidewater Community College, a retired Chesapeake City Manager, the President of the Virginia Canals and Navigation Society and various other community experts and leaders.Employees include a paid Executive Director who plans, coordinates, and organizes every aspect of the project and an Office Manager/Development Assistant who assists the Executive Director in the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. Unpaid Advisors include City of Chesapeake staff, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel, subject experts who serve as Trustees and Advisors for the foundation, and countless community volunteers.

By forming strong partnerships and accepting the challenge of raising six million dollars, the Foundation is finding creative ways to preserve a valuable piece of American history. This timely, extensive and orderly leadership of the project indicates how it is wielding an impact on the community and suggests that support of the project from the managerial level down to grass roots will endure.

• Year established:1999

Registration

• Organization type:Grantseeker
• Country of registration:United States
• Year established:1999
• Tax Determination Letter:Received Determination Letter
• IRS Section:501(c)(3)
• IRS Subsection:509(a)(1)

Web Listing

• Guidestar listed:No
• Charity Navigator listed:No
• Give.org listed:No
• Charity Watch listed:No