Published in the TRI-STATE ALERT on Thursday, July 30, 2026 by Anthony Panasiewicz
BERKELEY COUNTY- Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice are partnering with their Virginia counterparts in an effort to increase a major historical boundary that could benefit sites in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties.
Senators Capito and Justice joined with Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner in introducing the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Boundary Expansion and Partnership Act of 2026, landmark legislation that adds three West Virginia counties and one Virginia county to the District.
“I’m proud to help introduce this legislation to expand the boundaries of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. The battlefield provides an incredible opportunity for people to learn about the formation of West Virginia and the important role our state holds in the foundation of our nation.
By expanding the boundaries, we are able to enhance the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District partnership model, helping provide necessary resources and funding to preserve and improve this historic site for future generations,” Senator Capito said.
In 1996, Congress designated eight counties in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley as the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District, recognizing the region’s nationally significant Civil War battlefields and associated historic sites. Currently, the district runs from Waynesboro to Winchester through the valley and includes the;
- Port Republic Battlefield
- Third Winchester Battlefield
- Fisher’s Hill Battlefield
- New Market Battlefield
- Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum, and
- New Market Battlefield Visitor’s Center and Museum
Over nearly three decades, the Foundation has protected more than 8,000 acres of battlefield land while supporting the development of visitor centers, museums, educational programs, and interpretive resources that make the Valley’s rich Civil War history accessible to residents and visitors alike.
Recently, Berkeley County held a park dedication to honor the dead and those who fought in the Battle of Hoke’s Run with the creation of the facilities off the current WV-901 in Falling Waters.
“This is a big day for West Virginia. This bill would add critical Civil War sites in our Eastern Panhandle to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties saw some of the first actions of the conflict and suffered through all four years of the war—from Harpers Ferry and the Battle of Hokes Run to the Gettysburg Campaign and the battles of 1864, West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle played a significant role. West Virginia was born in the fire of the Civil War. Our people lived it, fought in it, and were shaped by it in ways no other state can claim. Expanding this District is about recognizing that unique role and making sure West Virginia’s chapter of the story is preserved and told for generations to come. West Virginia’s Civil War history is not a footnote,” Senator Justice said.
“It is central to who we are as a state. This bill makes sure that history gets the recognition and the resources it deserves, and it does it with both of our states working side by side. That’s the way it ought to be.”
