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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
November 27 2002
Status: offline
Donating Member |
 Posted - October 03 2003 : 7:12:19 PM
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"CEO needs to go. Revamp entire management, cut the overhead, and get with the program."
I have to say, Bill, that it is looking more and more like that would be the solution. But wait... there's more!
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Usurping Historic Land
Published September 17, 2003
In trying to get our Planning Commission, on Aug. 20, and our City Council, at the Sept. 11 meeting, to understand why building on historically sensitive land was wrong, I felt like everyone was disinterested. This is in reference to the new Colonial Williamsburg bus (I should say Penske) garage that will be built on fields where the Battle of Williamsburg took place. [My insert here: apparently they also feel that the bus drivers are in need of a lounge where they can hang out while waiting for their passengers to finish.]
CW had all of the pertinent people there to present the case for building this commercial venture. There were even Penske representatives there to answer questions. After the presentations to the commission and council, the votes were 4 in favor with 1 abstention, in each session.
I could tell that money was the moving force. Regardless of the fact that written evidence places this land as part of the battlefield, it didn't seem to make a difference. Even Marley Brown, chief archaeologist for CW, said at the commission meeting that he didn't doubt that this was part of the battlefield.
Councilman Billy Scruggs said at the council meeting that he appreciated my comments. However, he felt that the new garage would be a boon to the area. He said he understood the importance of the battlefield and its history, having played on the fortifications and in the fields while he was growing up years ago. All the more reason not to build this garage, I'd say.
So, CW will build this new garage, despite hard economic times and despite the fact that this land is where Americans laid down their lives for our country. Acre upon acre of historic land and sites nationwide disappear day in and day out. I realize that not all ground is historic, and that building and development will occur. What distresses me is that local governments and commissions everywhere seem to ignore the signs of lost heritage.
The very government they are privileged to serve has been maintained by the sacrifice of lives on battlefields, not only at the Battle of Williamsburg but all fields of conflict in our country's history. We owe an irreplaceable debt to those soldiers. To plow up those fields where they gave their lives with such a cavalier attitude is heartbreaking.
What is just as disturbing is that CW would attempt to build on this land after having been a good steward in the past.
As a CW museum professional, I'm proud to be knowledgeable and able to teach our history to visitors who come to the Historic Area. This recent episode concerning this new garage, however, has somewhat eroded my faith about our mission.
How are we to truly present ourselves as a historical preservation organization while building on this kind of ground? Those soldiers who are dead and gone deserve better.
Dennis Cotner, Williamsburg
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
This whole thing is just really dismaying. |
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Scott Bubar
Colonial Militia
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 17 2002
Status: offline
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Posted - October 03 2003 : 10:28:34 PM
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| May be back with a more considered response, but for the moment, I'll just say that this sucks. |
~~Aim small, miss small. |
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lanceman
Pathfinder
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
May 20 2004
Status: offline
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Posted - May 20 2004 : 10:16:09 PM
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| My family and I visited Colonial Williamsburg in April. We thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the kids. I think the presence of live people demonstrating 18th century life was far more interesting to them than seeing objects behind a glass case in a museum. We also visited the Yorktown Victory Center and the Jamestown Settlement. I was afraid that they might be too "touristy" but was pleasantly surprised. |
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