We are excited to learn that President Obama has signed an executive order making Fort Monroe in Hampton, Va. the nation’s newest National Monument (and the first in Virginia)!
Fort Monroe closed as a military base in September. It was the site of the first slave ships to land in the New World. Later on, during the Civil War, it remained in Union possession and became a place where escaped slaves could find refuge.
The National Monument designation has the potential to bring thousands of new jobs and millions of tourist dollars to the region.
Read more at the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website, where you can also sign a thank-you note to the President for his action!