The Restoration of Ellwood

Our fundraising efforts, though long and sometimes tedious, have been most gratifying.  The enthus­iasm, hard work, and generosity of so many have enabled us to finish Phase I of the restoration and to advance with certainty the plans for Phase II.  With your continued support, May of 2009 will see completion of the first floor restoration.

IN 1998, the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield (FoWB) partnered with the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park  (FSNMP) to open Ellwood to the public.  Funded by a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program, the Friends placed five new interpretive panels around the grounds, recruited volunteers to interpret Ellwood’s history, and began maintaining the house’s surroundings.  Since the initial opening in June of 1998, 35,000 visitors have crossed its threshold.

FSNMP structurally repaired the building, installed a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and new electrical wiring, and returned the exterior to its Civil War appearance, but the interior remained a maze of open walls, deteriorated plaster, and the ravage of insects.  Ironically, the Civil War inflicted less damage to Ellwood than did the elements and time.  The Friends initiated plans to correct this situation.

With the help of two Washington, D. C. architects schooled in the art of historical restoration, FoWB completed a preliminary restoration plan for the interior of the structure that would allow the building to remain open to visitors during the restoration process.  This plan developed into a three-phase restoration process:

♦  Phase I:  The restoration and furnishing of the first-floor parlor (General Warren’s headquarters), entry hall, and north room

♦  Phase II:  The restoration of the first-floor stair hall, breezeway, and west room

♦  Phase III:  The restoration of the second floor.

The next step was to fund the project.  In 2003, a capital campaign plan was accepted by FSNMP, permitting the Friends organization to begin fundraising.  The ultimate goal was $500,000 and has been tackled in concert with the restoration phases outlined above.

The group has raised sufficient funds to complete Phase I and Phase II, as well as an archeological study of the south entrance to the breezeway.  Current fundraising efforts will support interpretation of the first floor and the second floor restoration.

It is an extremely gratifying endeavor.  Ellwood and the surrounding grounds are an integral component of American history.  Through its preservation and restoration Ellwood becomes the best of teaching tools, an unequaled learning experience.

Please, join us as we save an American treasure.

    ♦ Send a gift

    ♦ Become a “Friend”

    ♦ Volunteer

Hundreds have signed on to do all three and we are grateful.  Can we count you as a member of the team?

If you have chosen to send a gift to the Ellwood Restoration Project, please print the donor form and make your check payable to “Friends of Wilderness Battlefield – Ellwood.”  Those wishing to become Friend and/or a volunteer should use the membership form.  All donations are tax deductable under IRS code 501(c)(3).