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County promotes tourism
Spotsylvania supervisors plan aggressive tourism campaign to bring visitors to the county.
Date published: 7/19/2005
By GEORGE WHITEHURST If you build--or promote it--they will come. That's the philosophy behind the new tourism plan the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors has set in motion. Board members voted unanimously last week on a tourism blueprint that calls for construction of a visitor's center at Spotsylvania Courthouse and holding large Civil War reenactments every five years. The plan also calls for the county to develop a series of tour packages of its historic spots, and to hold more special events such as the Spotsylvania Family Film Festival. Supervisor Vince Onorato especially is keen for the county to host another large-scale reenactment like last year's, which marked the 140th anniversary of the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. He'd also like to stage some smaller reenactments during summer weekends--perhaps giving tourists a look at everyday life during the Civil War era. "As our new moniker states, we are the 'crossroads of the Civil War,'" he said. "Spotsylvania Courthouse had more casualties than any other county in the country. That is why we have to differentiate ourselves. Gettysburg was not the high point for the Southern army. It was Chancellorsville." The county already is working with Fredericksburg and other area localities to draw tourists to the region. But Supervisor Hap Connors said it's important for the county to differentiate itself from other tourist spots. "We are participants and partners in the regional tourism marketing effort," he said. "At the same time, we know we have to ramp up our efforts to market Spotsylvania's historical, cultural and environmental assets." He also wants to the county to make greater efforts to reach out to its own citizens. "We have to introduce or re-introduce Spotsylvania County to our residents," he said. "One way to do that is to have these attractions like the film festival, the farmers market, the Courthouse fireworks display--those kind of things to bring people into other areas of Spotsylvania County." Connors also wants the county to seek help in telling its story from a variety of heritage and history groups. "We need to work with other groups that have offered their help, like the Civil War Preservation Trust, to leverage our assets into a viable heritage tourism program," he said. To reach GEORGE WHITEHURST:
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 7/19/2005
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