The 126-year-old Vicksburg National Military Park is getting some much-needed improvements through a $2.8 million private donation for critical battlefield restoration efforts.
The gift, which was given to the park by John Nau III, chairman and CEO of Silver Eagle Beverages, will be matched by $2.5 million in federal funding through the National Park Services’ Centennial Challenge program, totaling a $5.3 million incoming investment.
According to a statement from Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park & Campaign, the center of the project will be a full restoration of the Illinois Memorial, the most popular landmark and one the most significant monuments in the park.
“This gift from John Nau III is nothing short of visionary,” Brigadier General Robert Crear said. “It will not only preserve a national treasure – the Illinois Memorial – but also reclaim the battlefield from post-war development and restore its integrity for all Americans.”
As Crear pointed to, the project will also include removing a post-war condemned building that was erroneously constructed on the core battlefield ground, an intrusion that park officials say “obscures the story and sacrifices of the men who fought and died there in 1863.”
“Vicksburg is a prime example of how private-public partnerships can protect our nation’s most significant battlefields and ensure that future generations can understand and honor the events that shaped our country,” reads a portion of the announcement.
Learn more about the Friend of Vicksburg National Military Park & Campaign here.
