Wal-Mart and the Wilderness
By Stephen Anderson, Locust Grove
Regarding the Jan. 27 news story “Wal-Mart abandons its plan to build store near Civil War battlefield”:
As one of those who criticized Wal-Mart’s plans to develop a retail complex near the Wilderness Civil War battlefield, let me be among the first to applaud the retailer’s decision to preserve the property instead. Some may argue that the company should have reached that decision months ago, but I am just thankful it finally made the right choice. Whatever the reason, the land has been saved, and that is what truly matters.
As we begin the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, I hope Wal-Mart and local preservation groups can work together to make that parcel of land accessible to the public and treat it with the respect it deserves. I also hope Wal-Mart can work with Orange County to find a more suitable location for its store.
Despite what some have claimed, this battle was never about keeping Wal-Mart out of Orange County. It was always about saving historically significant land near a major battlefield site.
