Media Center - Press Release

Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 12, 2023
Contact: Kim Wells, Public Relations and Marketing Specialist, 804-217-1077, kim.wells@dcr.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation awarded $794K Semiquincentennial Grant

(Editors: Follow this link to download an image. Photo caption: Belle Isle State Park Manor House.)

LANCASTER , VA – The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation has been awarded a grant of $794,499 by the National Park Service for the rehabilitation of the historic Belle Isle Manor House located at Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster, VA. The manor and two flanking dependencies, built around 1760, were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

“Virginia is blessed to have best-in-class State Parks, and each one has its own story that contributes to the fabric that is the parks’ legacy,” said DCR Director Matt Wells. “Thanks to this grant, we are able to continue to educate the public about our historic and cultural resources at Belle Isle State Park.”

The funds will also support an update to the National Register of Historic Places nomination to include new research. While the buildings are not currently open to the public, the history of the property provides opportunities for learning about life in the 1700s, construction and design of colonial plantations, and represents a larger movement of people whose stories make the U.S. the diverse nation it is today.

“Virginia State Parks is proud to be stewards of some of the most significant natural, recreational, and cultural resources in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker. “This partnership with the National Park Service will help us maintain these significant resources at Belle Isle State Park.”

“We are excited to receive this significant grant from NPS to support the ongoing preservation of the Belle Isle Manor House,” said Belle Isle State Park Manager Katie Shepard. “The awarded funds will go toward critical preservation needs including exterior woodwork and masonry repairs, which will ensure the historic resource is protected for generations to come.”

The grant is part of $10 million awarded in the second round of funding from the Semiquincentennial Grant Program commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The program was created by Congress in 2020 and is funded through the Historic Preservation Fund.

-30-

Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more than 1,600 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call Virginia State Parks at 800-933-PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

Share this news release: