Coming Reenactment will be 16 - 18 July, 2010

The Battle of Laurel Hill Reenactment Committee would like to invite your unit to the 15th annual Battle of Laurel Hill Reenactment in Belington, WV.

This year's event will be held July 16, 17, and 18th at the Laurel Hill Battlefield. Please send your $10.00 registration fee so we know how many participants to expect and plan accordingly. There will be a cash bounty to some, due to complications with the hazardous materials restrictions and availability of powder.

We look forward to seeing you in July and thank you for your continued interest in
preserving the Civil War history, especially at Laurel Hill.

 Battle of Laurel Hill Fancy Logo

Sincerely

Kathy Hart
Belington Convention and Visitors Bureau
112 Howard Street
Belington, WV 26250
304-823-2557

For 2010 schedule and registration info, go HERE

 Previous Reenactment was 17-19 July 2009.

For photographs and other information on past events, see the new page HERE

Laurel Hill Event is Baptism of Fire for State Writer:

The official 2009 West Virginia travel guide  contains an article describing the experiences of a Charleston writer as he takes on the role of novice reenactor at Laurel Hill.

Sidebars give other information about West Virginia's Civil War events.

Read the original online HERE or see a local PDF version HERE.

(This material is copyright West Virginia Tourism and used here by special permission.)

 WV Tourism Cover 2009

Volunteers Create New Bridge As A Memorial

  Laurel Hill Battlefield footbridge

This bridge was re-created at Laurel Hill by members of the Kanawha Artillery, who supplied the material and did the labor to restore this footbridge between the Confederate and Union Camp locations. The project is in memory of a fallen comrade of Kan. Art, "Chip." He had been a long time participant of the Battle of Laurel Hill and it is an honor to have him remembered at a place he loved to be and where he was loved in return.

 Laurel Hill Memorial Bridge

 

 

 

Laurel Hill Gets Highway Sign

The Laurel Hill Battlefield has recently achieved recognition for the Tourism Oriented Destination Signs installation program. The project, under the direction of the West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Highways, has approved the location of the Battlefield for directional signage in their tourism promotion efforts.

 Laurel Hill Highway Sign

 Currently installed on Corridor H. on the east and westbound route are announcements of the Laurel Hill Battlefield exits. Delano Burford, WV Division of Highways, added that “directional signs will be installed for the turn-offs from route 250 in Belington, in the near future.”

2009 NEWS! See full story HERE

National Register Nomination Goes Forward

State Historic Preservation Office approves Laurel Hill Submission for Federal placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

CHARLESTON, WV — Late on the morning of February 22, 2008 the eleven member board of attending commissioners voted a unanimous approval for the nomination of Laurel Hill Battlefield Historic District on the National Historic Registry.

2007
Reenactment
 is History!

 

For photographs and other information on past events, see the page HERE

 

 Battle of Laurel Hill Fancy Logo


BRIDGE OVER SACRED GROUND:  Newly installed footbridge at Laurel Hill Battlefield site.

Footbridge Appears at Historic Laurel Hill

Laurel Hill Battlefield, site of the historic Battle of Laurel Hill, July 1861 and located 2 miles east of Crim Ave. in Belington on the Beverly Fairmont Turnpike/Laurel Mountain Rd., is undergoing developmental improvements. The first of these to be completed is the pedestrian bridge. The specially graded steel construction is of no-maintenance, with the exception of the wooden boards installed for the floor of the bridge. The rustic look is expressly designed for durability and longevity. It is located beyond the pavilion and connects to the road that leads to the Confederate Cemetery. An existing spillway borders the southern view of the foot-bridge.
Walking trails are also part of the development approved by the City of Belington and arranged by site coordinator, Jeff Nelsen of the Floyd Browne Group, Inc. , Charleston, WV. Interpretive signs are in the works. The text and graphics have been submitted for sign layout and manufacturing. Hunter Lesser, Project Consultant and Literary Designer and the Interpretive Signage Committee: Lars Byrne, Larry Corley, Art Dodds, Pam Dodds, Susan Foy, Kathy Hart, Sis McLean, and Lynne Snyder compiled the literature and selected the appropriate art work for the Kiosk (describes overall contents and locations within the park) and 5 other individual signs to be displayed at strategic locations.
The plans for acquisition of the property, a portion of the Griffith farm, began in 1996 by the Belington Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) through the Laurel Hill Reenactment Foundation. A contingent of two individuals, Kathy Hart and Larry Corley, both members of the CVB and the Foundation, approached Sen. Jon Blair Hunter with a dream of protecting the extraordinary piece of property. The senator was able to fulfill that dream by “finding” a source of revenue to make the purchase. The property was secured via funds made available by the State of West Virginia through the T-21 grant from the Division of Highways in 2004. And the rest…as they say…is history. -- Lynne Snyder

In Memoriam


Gavin Fogg and friends in July of 2001

Laurel Hill Battlefield Foundation would like to commemorate the passing of Gavin Fogg on October 28th of this year, at the age of 18.

“Gavin was one of the most courageous and valiant soldiers I have ever had the privilege to know,” noted Lynne Snyder, Battle of Laurel Hill Reenactment spokesperson.  

He is shown above, standing below the American Flag and aiming at the enemy in a 2001 photo of the Battle of Laurel Hill. He has now gone victorious to another, more peaceful location, but his memory will be forever in our midst.

The 2007 Reenactment will honor and memorialize his support of the Battle of Laurel Hill and the inspiration he gave to others in his brief, but full, life.

Those who wish to send memorials may do so by sending contributions to the:

Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association
5 West 36th Street, Suite 404
New York,  NY 10018

or to:

Mountain Hospice
P.O. Box 175
Belington, WV 26250

Meeting Discusses The Future of the Battlefield:

    The Laurel Hill Battlefield, an acquisition of the City of Belington, (2004) through the efforts of The Battle of Laurel Hill Project Committee,  was the topic for discussion at a meeting held in the Gathering Room of Belington City Hall.  Presenter, Jeff Nelsen, of Floyd Browne Group, (Division of Environmental Design Group) addressed the proposed development of the property and current progress of plans. An overview of the grounds, taken by aerial photography, was displayed. Designated areas for attention were pointed out and discussed. Among the proposed enhancements were trails with identifying signs (interpretation) along the routes depicting where battle events took place.   Attending, in addition to Jeff Nelsen,  were Michael Gioulis, Jean Boger and Dan Bock representing the Michael Gioulis, Historic Preservation Consultant; members of the Laurel Hill Foundation and Belington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Kathy Hart, Larry Corley, Linda Watson and Lynne Snyder; Don Harris, Laurel Hill project associate,  represented the City of Belington, as did Councilman Craig Bolton III.  Cost opinions and phasing recommendations for the project are expected in the near future. Nominations for Historic Registry of the battlefield will be included in upcoming efforts.

Interpretive Marker Placed in Town

Reenactors at the 2005 event (see the LINK below) saw the installation of a new interpretive marker at the corner of Watkins Street and U.S. Rt. 250 in Belington. The folks there are very proud that their very own "First Campaign" interpretive sign is the first to see the light of day anywhere in West Virginia. The Battle of Laurel Hill marker will begin a series of Civil War Trail signs in the state.

2008 UPDATE:
Recent Progress on Interpretive Signs

Five interpretive signs are now in position at Laurel Hill Battlefield, through the efforts of the Interpretive Signage Committee (shown in the photo below). In addition to the 5 signs, a Kiosk (see PDF file) notes where you are and where the signs can be found.

Laurel Hill Interpretive Signage Committee

Assembled to work on the interpretive signage project for the Laurel Hill Battlefield, are:
Seated, left to right: Sis McLean, Lana Fowler, Susan Foy.
Standing: Hunter Lesser, Lynne Snyder and Larry Corley.

 

Past Laurel Hill Reenactments —

For photographs and other information on past events, see the page HERE

Contributions for future events or for developing and maintaining our location can be sent to:

Laurel Mountain Reenactment Foundation
P.O.Box 921
Belington, WV 26250

 

Contact: Kathy Hart @ 304-823-2557
or e-mail to :info@battleoflaurelhill.org