Friends of Wilderness Battlefield

02/23/2026

Sign up today!

https://bishopsevents.com/event/2026-racing-towards-preservation-5k-10k/

Run in support of Friends of Wilderness Battlefield on March 7th at Racing Towards Preservation 5k & 10k!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 2026 is going to be amazing!

11/08/2025

Many thanks to everyone for coming out to our Annual Meeting today! Congratulations to re-elected board members Beverly Ellis, Kevin Hunt, Bob Lookabill, and Don Shockey! Many thanks to Generals Quarters Catering for a delicious meal! It was perfecto! We cleaned our plates! Many thanks to CVBT Chief Administrative Officer Tim Talbott for his excellent presentation about the US Colored Troops! Many thanks to everyone who pitched in to make everything run so smoothly and many thanks to New Hope Baptist Church for welcoming us into their parish hall!
Many thanks to Eric Atkisson for helping with photography! What an outstanding group of people!

11/03/2025

Excellent weekend! Loved seeing you all out there!

11/03/2025

Many thanks to Civil War Historical Impressions, Inc, and all of the reenactors who came out to Payne's Farm this weekend to commemorate the 162nd Battle of Payne's Farm in the Mine Run Campaign. Many thanks to Mike Block for taking lots of excellent photos! We enjoyed visiting with visitors and we learned a lot!

11/01/2025

The weather was perfect for the Living History event at Payne’s Farm today! We learned a lot and I am sure we will learn more tomorrow!

10/23/2025

Quick Reminder! FOWB members who plan to attend the Annual Meeting on Saturday, November 8, need to RSVP no later than Nov 1st! We have some exciting updates to share with you and some wonderful Silent Auction items that you will be interested in checking out! Yummy lasagna for lunch!

10/21/2025

We have exciting news to share! Check this out!

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) has been awarded a grant in the amount of $195,925 to the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield (FOWB) that will be used toward the purchase, preservation and interpretation of a significant piece of the 1863 Mine Run Battlefield, entitled the Randolph Artillery Tract, in Orange County, Virginia.

FOWB President Bob Lookabill remarks that “FOWB wishes to acknowledge the tremendous support received from VDHR personnel and is profoundly grateful for their guidance as we move forward in the preservation and interpretation of this important piece of Orange County’s Civil War history.”

This property was a significant part of the 1863 Payne’s Farm fight that occurred during the Mine Run Campaign in 1863. There is also other significant history that is pre- and post-Civil War connected to this property. FoWB looks to 2026 to begin completing the preservation and interpretive process as well as reaching out for support as we continue to move forward.

FOWB is fully committed to advancing Orange County’s heritage tourism and battlefield preservation. In addition, this property provides open space conservation, recreation and wildlife habitat opportunities along with the goal of presenting significant Orange County, State of Virginia and United States history.

FOWB’s purpose is to promote for the benefit of the public, the preservation, protection, and interpretation of the natural and historic resources located in the Wilderness area of Spotsylvania and Orange counties.

If you would like to donate towards this project, please visit our website to make a donation. Our webmaster is setting up the special button now and it will be called the Randolph Artillery Tract Project. She should have it up and running soon!