Civil War battlefield in Spencer makes 'most endangered' list again

Staff report

SPENCER — For the second consecutive year, the Civil War Preservation Trust has included a Spencer site as an endangered battlefield.

The site is at the banks of the Yadkin River, near the site of the proposed High Rock Raceway.

The Trust annually releases a list of the nation's 25 most endangered battlefields — History under Siege. With 60,000 members, the Civil War Preservation Trust is the largest battlefield preservation organization in the United States.

The battle at the Yadkin River Bridge took place April 12, 1865, and is considered the South's last victory of the war in North Carolina.

Developers of the planned High Rock Raceway have said they plan for work to begin in earnest this year. Moreover, Duke Energy is considering a new power plant nearby in an area also rich with Revolutionary War history.

Historian Ann Brownlee and the Trading Ford Historic District Preservation Association have worked for nine years to recognize the importance of the history and preservation of the Yadkin River Bridge Civil War battlefield and other historic sites concentrated in the Trading Ford area along the Yadkin River.

Artifacts have been found throughout the racetrack land, Brownlee said.

"Dave Risdon (developer of the proposed track) wants to destroy 200 acres of the heart of this irreplaceable battlefield," Brownlee said. "His denial is, unfortunately, typical of developers who don't care about our heritage. This hallowed ground is a testament to the courage, valor, and sacrifice of those who fought there. It would be a sacrilege to desecrate it in such a callous manner."

The most-endangered list includes two other North Carolina sites: Morrisville, April 14, 1865, and Averasboro, March 16, 1865.

Further information on Trading Ford area preservation efforts can be found online at www.trading-ford.org. The Civil War Preservation Trust's Web site is www.civilwar.org.