By David Macaulay, dmacaulay@dailypress.com | 757-247-7838
7:17 PM EDT, November 1, 2011
HAMPTON — With a stroke of his pen Tuesday, President Barack Obama confirmed Fort Monroe as a national monument, saying it was all about "preserving our nation's treasures."
The president paved the way for a national park of about 325 acres in a ceremony at the White House. It is the first time he has used the Antiquities Act to create a national monument since becoming president.
"Fort Monroe," he said, "…has played a remarkable role in the history of our nation. It was the site of the first slave ships to land in the New World. But then in the Civil War, almost 250 years later, Fort Monroe also became a refuge for slaves that were escaping from the South."
Obama said it paved the way for President Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation.
"In September, Fort Monroe closed its doors as a military base. But thanks to advocacy of some outstanding citizens and historians and elected officials who are represented here, as well as the great work of our Department of the Interior and Ken Salazar and … all the people who have been involved in making this day possible, we are going to continue this legacy, making Fort Monroe a national monument," Obama said.
Obama also suggested a national monument at Fort Monroe would be an "incredibly important economic boost to the region."
"Local officials estimate that this may end up creating as many as 3,000 jobs in the region. It will add millions of dollars to the local economy in and around Hampton," he said. "And so this is a win-win. Not only is it good for the people of that region now, but it also allows us to set aside this incredibly important site for the enjoyment and appreciation of generations to come."
The president declared Fort Monroe a national monument at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday when he signed a proclamation at the White House. And the historic citadel joined a list of sites including the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty.
A four-page declaration cited Fort Monroe's long history including the arrival of the first "enslaved Africans" who landed at Old Point Comfort in 1619 and the contraband decision of 1861.
Despite the wording of the proclamation and the President's reference to "slave ships," experts are divided on whether the first Africans to land in the English-speaking New World were slaves or indentured servants, with some evidence suggesting the latter.
The document said the Secretary of the Interior would prepare a management plan for the monument within three years of the proclamation. The Fort Monroe National Monument will comprise about 325 acres including an easement. The parcel owned by the National Park Service is expected to be about 244 acres, although this is not defined in the proclamation.
While some of this federal land is due to revert to the commonwealth of Virginia in early 2012, the proclamation makes reference to an agreement with the state to transfer land citing a Sept. 9, 2011, letter from Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell.
"The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Fort Monroe Authority, which would have responsibility for such lands and interests in lands upon their reversion, have agreed in principle to then relinquish to the United States ownership or control of those lands and interests in lands," the proclamation states.
A number of people were in Washington, D.C., for the signing including Ward, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, U.S. Reps. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, D-Newport News, and Scott Rigell, R-Virginia Beach, members of the Fort Monroe Authority, and Mark Perreault, president of Citizens for a Fort Monroe National Park.
In a statement, Salazar said: "With the strong support of the people of Virginia, from the congressional delegation to Governor (Bob) McDonnell to Mayor (Molly) Ward and the citizens of Hampton, President Obama has ensured that this historic fort, a symbol of the long struggle for freedom for African Americans, will be preserved as a national park for generations to come."
The 150th anniversary of the historic contraband decision was celebrated in Hampton in May. When Fort Monroe's commander, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, refused to return three slaves who came to the fortress in May 1861, effectively classifying them as "contraband" of war, it changed the course of the Civil War and the nation's history. Large numbers of escaped slaves flocked to what became known as "Freedom's Fortress."
Cross party support for the Fort Monroe designation meant Obama's decision to use the Antiquities Act, avoided opposition to the act, that has been expressed by some Republicans in recent months. They are concerned the government will seek to tie up thousands of acres in the western part of the nation.
House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings, R-Washington, is one critic of the Antiquities Act, but in a statement praised the consensus on Fort Monroe.
"In contrast to prior uses of the Antiquities Act that were done unilaterally and in the dark of night, this national monument designation was done with the backing and support of the Virginia governor, the Congressional delegation and the local communities. Additionally, this designation affects only a small, historically significant military site and was not done to rob people of potential jobs and economic growth."
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Copyright © 2011, Newport News, Va., Daily Press
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