Our Legacy Supporters

“We’ve been members of the American Battlefield Trust for over 25 years. In that time, we’ve seen them leverage the donations we can make with partnerships that have made a difference in saving historic battlefields and sites. They are on the cutting edge of battlefield preservation; and we feel that they are always using our donations wisely and for the purpose intended. Their multi-year, four-star rating on Charity Navigator speaks for itself about the wise stewardship they display. We’ve spent many years supporting the work of historic preservation; and truly believe in preserving the past for future generations to learn from. We’ve included the American Battlefield Trust in our estate plans because we want to leave a financial gift that will allow the continuation of the organization’s important mission of saving these historic sites.”

“I became interested in the Civil War, as did many other people, when I was young. I read a kids’ biography of Clara Barton when I was eleven or twelve; Clara came under fire during the battle of Antietam, and I still remember that book’s description of “the dark, quiet valley of Antietam Creek” on the night before the battle. As I look back, I know that’s when I was “hooked.” My fascination with that battle has endured and grown, as has my interest in the Civil War.

I became involved with the modern battlefield preservation movement in the late 1980s when, as a history teacher and graduate student, I saw the grave threat posed to Antietam by the possibility of commercial development at the historic Grove Farm, scene of the iconic Alexander Gardner photograph of Abraham Lincoln and Gen. George McClellan taken near Sharpsburg soon after the battle.

One of the great privileges—and joys—of my life has been my affiliation with the Civil War Trust (now a division of the American Battlefield Trust) and, before that, with one of its predecessor organizations, the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites. I was an early member of the APCWS, whose board I joined in the late 1990s.

As a human being, mother, grandmother, and citizen, there are few things more important to me than leaving this legacy of preservation behind when I am gone and providing for the work’s continuation.”

“I’m truly humbled by the courage and conviction it takes for anyone to risk his life for something he believes in, and I feel that the very least we can do- especially in the case of this hugely-momentous event in our nation’s history- is to honor that devotion by remembering it, by learning from it, but mostly by respecting it. Paving it over (literally) does none of these things.

I know from experience that the best way to understand the Civil War is to walk the ground where it happened. I appreciate the difference in being able to see the actual ground where a battle took place as opposed to imagining it by trying to ‘edit out’ the fast-food joints and shopping malls that have sprung up on it. Enough already!”

–Twyla Jackino

“We all want to have some meaning in our lives. We all want to wake up and say we’ve done something that day that matters. Remembering the greatest pain our nation has ever suffered, preserving the sites where the pain was felt at its most acute, passing on respect for those who fought from then to now-that is meaning and is a great day’s work when we know that we have participated in this whole group’s work. Our children’s children will be able to walk these sacred fields and have a hint of an idea of the sacrifice it took to build this glorious nation.”

–Ben Stein

“Preserving our nation’s battlefields honors the sacrifices of those who fought there. Leaving a gift to the Trust in my will to perpetuate the memory of what they did for us is my part of that legacy.”

–Harry Bulkeley

“My wife and I made battlefield preservation a signal cause for our philanthropy and have designated the Civil War Trust (now a division of the American Battlefield Trust) as a beneficiary in our wills. The Trust fills a huge gap in public and non-profit preservation and education activities. Our battlefields tell stories that compliment classroom, television, and museum education. America does a much better job in battlefield preservation than any other nation, and the Trust has done more than any other organization, public or private, in the last 20 years, saving over 50,000 acres of truly hallowed ground. It has also provided crucial educational support and extensive resources – free to the public – to promote understanding and appreciation of our nation’s history. And the Trust has done so with rigorous financial management; roughly 85% of all donations goes to the programs of preservation and education. We have made our legacy commitments to the Trust, because we know it succeeds and will continue to succeed on its mission – and to honor the 23 known direct and collateral ancestors of our families who served on Civil War battlefields from the Outer Banks of the Carolinas to the Wyoming Territory, from Gettysburg to the Red River in Louisiana, and campaigns in Virginia, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia.”

–Bill Vodra

“We both became aware as we walked the battlefields that they were there for us because someone in the past thought that they should be given to the future for generations to enjoy, study and perhaps wonder at what occurred there. For us it is a unique feeling to leave something to the future for people we will never know, but to realize now that they will experience what we have experienced.”

–Ken and Wanda Hayward

“I’ve been a donating member for many years. I’ve always felt that my money was being well managed in helping to directly purchase battlefield land. I always knew exactly where my money was going and to what purpose. I appreciate and have often used information on the website, and feel the Trust’s internet presence is equally well managed.”

–Charles W. Nagelvoort

“We have walked across the field at Gettysburg where George Pickett’s men marched on the third day of that battle, and we have stood in the shadow of Burnside Bridge at Antietam where our ancestors fought. One cannot experience these things by reading a book or seeing a film, one must walk these fields for themselves. Like our cherished national documents- the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and others — these fields need to be there for future generations, and we consider it a privilege to do whatever we can to make that happen.”

–Beverly and Michael Wirtz

Lieutenant Kistler was able to pursue his passion of American military history at an academic level, receiving special permission while a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy to teach a course on battle tactics and soldier experiences at Gettysburg.  Graduating near the top of his class from the Naval Academy in 2013, Lieutenant Kistler served in naval deployments overseas, eventually reaching Norfolk, VA for a position on the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), a post he held until his untimely, unexpected passing in April of this year.

The Civil War was not Lieutenant Kistler’s single interest – he enjoyed traveling and was an avid sportsman who spent time hunting, sailing, hiking, and skiing – but it was his greatest passion.  Through researching his family’s involvement in the Civil War, Lieutenant Kistler was able to collect information on his fourth-great uncle, Major Franklin Zentmyer, who served in the 5^th PA Reserves.  Major Zentmyer was seriously wounded at the Slaughter Pen Farm at Fredericksburg and succumbed to his injuries at Libby Prison in December 1862.  Lieutenant Kistler believed that there is no more compelling way to understand the innumerable sacrifices of our veteran ancestors than to behold and walk the ground on which they served.

Lieutenant Kistler was moved to support the American Battlefield Trust in his estate plans to ensure that a bright future exists for battlefield parks and historic sites.  According to Hobart, being involved with the Trust “…allowed me to participate in the tangible, measurable preservation of our priceless heritage – a heritage that can be enjoyed by history lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.   If our ancestors gave their lives, can we not come together to give a fraction of the fruits of freedom we now enjoy, honoring their sacrifice?”.  We recognize Lieutenant Kistler today for his dedication to saving hallowed ground, his service to our country, and his commitment to igniting the next generation’s passion in studying the great American story.