Posted on 01/28/2011 2:57:15 AM PST by markomalley
Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it has dropped plans to build a superstore near the site of an historic 1864 Civil War battlefield in Virginia, bowing to pressure from preservationists.
The world's largest retailer had been approved to build on the 52-acre site near Orange, Virginia, but ran into strong opposition from those looking to preserve the site near one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
The Battle of the Wilderness, considered one of the war's turning points, marked the first clash between the two sides' top generals -- Ulysses Grant for the Union and Robert E. Lee of the Confederacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Wal-Mart should be thanked and encouraged for having dropped this insulting scheme.
And heer I wuz thinkun that “neer” ment thre milz.
Large companies like Wal-Mart don’t do anything out of the goodness of their heart. I wonder what they’re planning?
Well, how near is near? Didn’t see anything in the article other than the appearance of maybe on the site of the battle, but nothing specific.
...and meanwhile, the second supercenter to be built in Rapid City, has been put on hold and in question due TIF denial by city council.
The comical thing here...is that the US is one of the few countries in the world...that turns battlefields into major areas that cannot be touched. If you go to France, Germany, Italy, or the Netherlands...there are battlefield monuments but no one takes up a 1k acres and demands it to be preserved for eternity. Even if you did....and you counted up Roman battles and all the various campaigns over a thousand years...then most of Europe would be some forbidden-to-build area.
I think they responded to public pressure. Besides, its good PR.
These civil war battle sites are sacred ground. Americans died fighting for what they believed there by the tens of thousands.
Visit the Battlefield Cemetery at Fredericksburg. You will see row on row of markers with numbers on them 2, 3, 5. 6. The number of unknown American soldiers buried there.
These sites need to be preserved so future generations MIGHT be prompted to learn what the Bolsheviks in the school systems refuse to teach them.
Europe is a comical monument to stupidity, greed and war. Other than that I have no problem with Europe.
I don’t think Walmart’s decision will cause the Walmart haters to have a change of heart. It sounds to me like Walmart realized that they couldn’t prevail against a non-relenting barrage of negative press. There is a concerted effort, using union money, to force Walmart to unionize. The “Walmart is bad for America” stories will not stop because of this decision to not build at this site.
Chatham is a fascinating place. http://www.nps.gov/frsp/chatham.htm
A few years back Disney wanted to put a theme park near Bull Run. The locals fought them tooth and nail.
Disney does everything pretty much first class, I think that it would have actually enhanced our appreciation of the war and what happened there.
How far was Walmart from The Wilderness Site?
I think and this only my opinion, if you looked deeply at the so-called public outrage, you would find it was ginned-up and not a true reflection of the locals feelings. Maybe at the end, after much agitation, but not at first
Here’s a map from a preservation organization that shows the Walmart site...
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/wilderness/maps/wilderness-battlefield-appeal.html
The Battle of the Wilderness site is about 12 miles west of Fredericksburg, Virginia, partly in Spotsylvania County and partly in Orange County...
http://www.nps.gov/frsp/planyourvisit/upload/Driving%20Tour%20Map.pdf
Orange County is disappointed with the decision...
http://orangecountyva.gov/documents/PressRelease-Walmartfinal_001.pdf
Large companies, like Walmart, are made up of people. People like you. The corporate culture of Walmart, DOES include lending a hand to those in need. Perhaps you forgot this?
A convoy of Wal-Mart trucks carrying supplies for victims of Hurricane Katrina waits to enter New Orleans three days after the storm hit.
Real Katrina hero? Wal-Mart, study says
I personally know a Walmart employee, who is Cherokee, is empowered by Walmart to reach out to the high school children of the very poor for the sole purpose of distributing Walmart scholarship money.
Thank You.
comical? Who gives a rats ass what the europeans do. There’s nothing wrong with preserving our history.
What do unions have to do with historical battlefield sites?
If you were truly a free market supporter you wouldn’t condemn the market when it pushes back against a company.
“Disney does everything pretty much first class, “
Yeah! Just imagine having Gay Days and learning about the Civil War at the same time!
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