In an Executive Order announced today, Governor Larry Hogan established the Maryland Semiquincentennial Commission, to coordinate the commemoration and observance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Revolutionary War, and founding of the United States.
Today marks the start of the 442nd Session of the Maryland General Assembly. While this session may not look like those of years past due to Covid-19 precautions, Preservation Maryland stands ready to be the voice of historic preservation in Annapolis. We have a full slate of priorities in support of historic tax credits, economic recovery, community revitalization, preservation funding, and smart growth.
As a result of Preservation Maryland and its many partners’ ongoing advocacy, seven projects across Maryland recently received over $9 million in historic tax credit funding. As a result, over $33 million worth of projects will move forward – underscoring the significance of preservation advocacy and power of revitalization incentives.
In December, the Civil War Trust and Institute for Advanced Study announced a compromise to expand the Princeton Battlefield and provide additional housing for the Institute – ending a battle over the future of this historic site that dragged on several years.
Rendering of Princeton Battlefield. Graphic from Civil War Trust.
While the proposed project, which would have reduced a key Revolutionary War battlefield to new housing, fell beyond Maryland’s physical borders, Maryland soldiers fought for American Independence and shed their blood on the hallowed Princeton Battlefield. As a result, Preservation Maryland made the extraordinary decision to take a stand on this issue and formally announced their opposition to a project that would dishonor Maryland’s Revolutionary veterans.
Under the latest plan, the Civil War Trust, through its Campaign 1776 initiative to protect Revolutionary War battlefields, will purchase 14.85 acres of land from the Institute for $4 million, to be conveyed to the State of New Jersey as an addition to the existing Princeton Battlefield State Park. The acquisition includes approximately two-thirds of the Maxwell’s Field property in questions, along with an additional 1.12-acre tract north of the property that has been identified by historians as part of the battlefield.