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Land Trust of Virginia Announces McGhee Easement

Historic family farm, agricultural and Civil War resources preserved


MECHANICSVILLE, Va., March 15, 2022 – The Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) is pleased to announce a conservation easement in Mechanicsville thanks to the generosity of landowners, Charles and Cathy McGhee. Their 86-acre property is the third easement recorded by LTV in Hanover County.


The McGhee’s property has nearly half a mile of frontage on River Road, a county designated scenic road and preserves the area’s rural vistas. Natural resources protected by this easement include 82 acres of “Prime Farmland Soils” and 405 feet of frontage along the Pamunkey River, a state designated Scenic River. The McGhee’s primarily use the property for crop production.


The property is within the Study Area for both the Battle of Haw’s Shop and the Battle of Totopotomoy Creek. Taking place between May 27 and 30, 1864, Confederate forces intercepted Union cavalrymen as the attempted to cross the Pamunkey River. While the Battle of Haw’s Shop ended in a virtual draw, the larger Battle of Totopotomoy Creek was a technical victory for the Confederates. Southerners remained in possession of the battlefield at the engagement’s end. Confederates suffered 1,100 men killed, wounded, captured, or missing. The Northerners sustained a similar number of casualties.


“The McGhee’s property is unique with numerous natural and historic values protected, combined with active agricultural use,” said LTV Executive Director, Ashton Cole. “This meant we could offer financial assistance through our Malcolm Baldwin Farmer’s Fund, used to offset costs on working farms, and our Deborah Whittier Fitts Battlefield Stewardship Fund, used on properties with documented battlefield events. Thank you to the McGhee family for working with LTV to become conservation leaders!”


The McGhee’s easement is the 234th easement completed by the Land Trust of Virginia. For more information about their work, please visit http://www.landtrustva.org.


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About the Land Trust of Virginia

The Land Trust of Virginia is a nonprofit organization that partners with private landowners who voluntarily protect and preserve properties with significant historic, scenic, or ecological value. LTV has worked with 240 families, conserving a total of 30,721 acres in 31 counties in Virginia. While LTV charges landowners for their services, the fees charged only cover about 28% of LTV’s actual costs, so fundraising is essential to our mission.

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