To mark the sesquicentennial anniversary of the American Civil War and create a lasting legacy of that commemoration, the Civil War Trust on June 30, 2011, announced a national campaign that will permanently protect 20,000 acres of battlefield land over the next five years. The Trust, which has already protected more than 30,000 acres at 110 battlefields in 20 states, recognizes that the war’s 150th anniversary offers an unprecedented opportunity to encourage public support for a large-scale preservation initiative.

'Campaign 150: Our Time, Our Legacy' kicked off on June 30th with an event held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (PA), a key landmark of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle.

The campaign was announced by Civil War Trust chairman Henry Simpson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom James McPherson and the organization’s newest Trustee, country music superstar Trace Adkins.

www.civilwar.org

Image by Ron Cogswell on June 30, 2011, using a Nikon D80 and minor Photoshop effects.