Message from the President 2024
Patriots, This promises to be a busy year with a lot going on at the park. The Coble Barn is undergoing renovation by an expert team to insure its preservation. This project is also being used as a teaching site for other restoration teams to gain experience. If you’ve been in the park anytime recently you will notice the trail renovation going on. This is a long-needed renovation and once complete will greatly enhance the visitor’s experience. The Long-Range Park Plan and the Interpretive Plans are moving ahead and should be completed this year. Neither have been updated since the 1997.
The Park is increasing its staff and capabilities to reach the community. Multiple schools have been targeted for inclusion in a program designed to make students aware of the park and its history. A Ranger Teacher Ranger program is being initiated as well.
We are still looking at the possibility of creating a Land Acquisition Fund to assist in obtaining properties in the designated Historical Footprint adjacent to the park. We are also planning to see what the American Battlefield Trust can do to assist us in this effort. We will keep you updated as we progress on this project.
We welcome Mike Nelson our newest board member and look forward to working with him in the future. Mike is the Leader/Organizer of the GBC Fife and Drum Corps. We have incorporated his organization into the GBC and look forward to supporting and promoting this amazing organization.
We continue to advertise our General Greene license plate in Our State magazine and an ad for both the National Park and the Guilford Battleground Company in the Tanger Center Playbill for this upcoming season. We hope these efforts will reach a larger audience and increase our memberships in the Patriot organization.
Lastly, Jim Kirkpatrick our first President and long time Park supporter has retired from the GBC. Jim was our leader for many years and continued in an advisory capacity long after he gave up the presidency. He started the GBC in 1986 and his unfailing support and guidance has been a pillar of support for our organization. There is a Bio attached to the newsletter about Jim. We wish him well on his retirement and we will continue his legacy of service to Guilford Courthouse National Military Park.
That’s all for now. As always if you see a way to improve the newsletter, please let me know. I can be reached at Deatoned@gmail.com or you can call me at 336-509-2079. Thank you for your interest and support. We can’t do it without you and protecting, preserving and promoting the Battlefield Park is our top priority.
Regards,
Ed Deaton, President, GBC
