
BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION
Prince William County, Virginia
Manassas Battlefield Viewsheds Study
The Manassas Battlefield, or “Bull Run,” is in fact two battlefields – the First Battle of Manassas (July 21, 1861) and the Second Battle of Manassas (August 28-29, 1862). While the actual battlefield included over 6,400 acres, the portion protected by the National Park Service (NPS) consists of only 5,072 acres. Even within the NPS lands, there are numerous existing visual intrusions that negatively impact the experience of battlefield visitors.
Because of tremendous growth trends within the area, the future threats are even greater.
Consequently, The Walker Collaborative was hired by Prince William County to lead a team of consultants to prepare a viewsheds protection plan for the battlefield. The scope of work included: 1) researching the battle; 2) identifying key viewsheds; 3) documenting the viewsheds through GIS mapping, photography and notes; 4) prioritizing viewsheds; and 5) providing detailed recommendations to protect those viewsheds.