The Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) and the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association (VPHA) work to protect 8.6 5 acres of Fauquier County’s cultural, historical, and agricultural legacy.
MIDDLEBURG, VA, January 8, 2025 – The Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) and the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association (VPHA) proudly announce the protection of 8.654 acres in Fauquier County through a newly established conservation easement.
This easement, generously donated by Ted and Sarah Stettinius, safeguards a property rich in historical and environmental significance. Situated in the Upperville Historic District, the property is a vital part of the community’s cultural and natural heritage. If it had not been for the easement, the property could have been divided into a 9-lot subdivision. Thanks to the generosity of Ted and Sarah, the property will remain permanently intact.
The Stettinius property includes the Cranford House, a certified historic building constructed in 1810. Its preservation aligns with the goal of ensuring the enduring historical and architectural integrity of the area.
The property fronts on U.S. Route 50 (John S. Mosby Highway), a designated Virginia Byway, and a County-Designated Scenic Road, offering scenic enjoyment to residents and visitors alike. It is highly visible, being located directly across the street from the Upperville Post Office. The property lies at the heart of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area, which is the focus of VPHA’s preservation and stewardship efforts. The property is entirely within the Core Area of the Civil War Battle of Upperville and is partially within the Unison Battlefield Historic District. In the late afternoon of June 21, 1863, the site was engulfed in a furious cavalry and hand-to-hand battle during the Confederate screening action during General Lee’s march to Gettysburg.
In addition to the importance of protecting the property’s historic preservation values, the land also contains important agricultural value. The entire property contains “Prime Farmland” soils, as classified by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Ashton Cole, Executive Director of LTV, added, “We are grateful to the Stettinius family for their generous donation. Upperville is a beautiful historic village, and this easement is a wonderful contribution to its preservation. The family’s hope, which we certainly share, is that their easement donation will serve as an example for others considering the easement option. Properties in historic villages are often particularly vulnerable to development pressure. Whether large or small, those types of properties often define the historic character of rural villages, and it's very important to ensure they’re protected.”
Alexander Nance, Executive Director of VPHA, remarked, “We are very happy to have partnered with LTV in protecting this historic property. Promotion and support of this type of permanent preservation is central to our work at VPHA, and the collaboration between VPHA and LTV highlights how partnerships can help to protect vulnerable historic resources.” VPHA contributed towards the stewardship costs associated with the easement with a distribution from its Bondi Family Land Conservation and Battlefield Preservation Fund, and LTV provided funding through its Deborah Whittier Fitts Battlefield Stewardship Fund.
The Stettinius Easement is the latest success in LTV and VPHA’s ongoing shared goal of conserving Virginia’s exceptional natural and cultural landscapes.
For more information about the Land Trust of Virginia, visit www.landtrustva.org. To learn more about the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association, visit www.piedmontheritage.org.
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About the Land Trust of Virginia
The Land Trust of Virginia is a nonprofit organization that partners with private landowners who voluntarily protect and preserve properties with significant historic, scenic, or ecological value. To date, LTV has conserved 35,240 acres in 35 counties in Virginia.
About Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area
The Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area’s mission is to educate and advocate for the preservation of the extraordinary historic landscape and culture of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area for future generations.