Thought this might be of interest to some of you following the Fort  
Monroe story.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2011


Contact: Brandon de Graaf
             Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland  
Security
Phone: 804-692-2597
Email: [log in to unmask]


Fort Monroe Authority Chair, Secretary Terrie Suit, and Hampton Mayor,  
Molly Ward’s Support for a National Park Service Unit at Fort Monroe  
is Echoed by Local Citizens
-Citizens of Hampton Roads Come Together to Show Their Unity in  
Elevating Fort Monroe’s History to the National Level

HAMPTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security, Terrie  
Suit, today acknowledged the great turnout and showing of support at  
last night’s Fort Monroe public hearing held at the Hampton Roads  
Convention Center in Hampton, VA.  Over 800 citizens showed up to  
voice their opinions to the National Park Service on Tuesday.  All  
levels of government including members of Congress, members of the  
state House and Senate, local mayors and city council members all came  
together to represent the Commonwealth.  Audience members from all  
walks of life including the armed services, historians, teachers,  
parents, environmentalists, tourists and life-long Hampton residents  
also came to show their approval.

Many organizations also offered their support to include the Citizens  
for a Fort Monroe National Park, National Trust for Historic  
Preservation, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association,  
Preservation Virginia, Hampton Roads Partnership, Chesapeake Bay  
Foundation, Hampton Watch and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

“I’m extremely pleased to see the outstanding support we are receiving  
from the public,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland  
Security Terrie Suit who is also the Chairman of the Fort Monroe  
Authority.  “Our ability to show our unity as a Commonwealth will go a  
long way in seeing us accomplish our goal of preserving the tremendous  
historical value that Fort Monroe has not only to Virginia, but the  
nation.”

Familiar refrains heard throughout the night from the public included  
“Let’s get it done” and “Thanks for listening.”  So many people wanted  
to voice their opinions that both two hour public hearings went thirty  
minutes over.

“The National Park Service meetings in Hampton on July 19 were an  
equivocal success,” said Hampton Mayor Molly Ward.  “Citizens from all  
over the region and the East Coast came to the Hampton Roads  
Convention Center to voice their support for a National Park Service  
presence at Fort Monroe through legislation or an Antiquities Act  
designation by the President.  Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, business  
leaders, regional organizations, state and national conservation  
organizations all made their support known. The Hampton Roads  
community undoubtedly wants Fort Monroe to be the next great urban  
park.”

Resonating loudly and becoming a general theme during the evening was  
the virtually unanimous support for the National Park Service creating  
a unit at Fort Monroe and for the President using the Antiquities Act  
to designate it a National Monument.  Continuing to pursue legislation  
through Congress was another important theme that was touted as making  
this project a reality.

Fort Monroe is steeped in history from the days of the Kecoughtan  
Indians to Captain John Smith’s first landing at Point Comfort, the  
arrival of the first Africans brought to the New World, and the  
beginning of the end of slavery through the famous “Contraband”  
decision by Major General Benjamin Butler.  Natural assets at Fort  
Monroe include two miles of beachfront along the Chesapeake Bay, two  
miles of marsh front and live oaks that date back several centuries.   
The Fort Monroe Authority, the City of Hampton, and Commonwealth of  
Virginia have supported this endeavor from the beginning.  They have  
collectively lead the call for the National Park designation and  
sincerely wish to thank those who attended yesterday.

Alyson L. Taylor-White
804-920-2783




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