The Alliance to Preserve the Civil War Defenses of Washington (Alliance) is a private, non-profit association of people interested in the Civil War and historic preservation of the Civil War Defenses of Washington (Defenses or CWDW). The Alliance was incorporated as a District of Columbia non-profit corporation on June 13, 2008 and received its IRS Sec. 501(c)(3) tax exempt status on May 30, 2009. Donations from "friends" are voluntary; there are no required membership dues.
The Board of Directors and Advisors consist of individual Civil War experts, historians, scholars; representatives of Civil War groups, preservation and conservation organizations, neighborhood associations, citizen activists, and other interested persons. The Alliance has an Advisory Board of historians, representing Civil War organizations, preservation and environmental groups, and well-known scholars.
The Alliance works with the federal and local governments to preserve, protect, improve, interpret, promote, and connect the Civil War Defenses of Washington for all visitors to enjoy. Through its advocacy and community outreach efforts, the Alliance encourages conservation and interpretation efforts, youth education and engagement, and preservation of the Defenses’ place in our nation’s story for future generations.
In the past we have worked with the National Park Service to create the hiking and biking trail that makes use of the significant outdoor recreational opportunities provided by the Civil War Defenses of Washington. The trail provides people in a major urban area an opportunity to enjoy green space and natural beauty while exploring history, and all in their own backyard. The recreational benefits also improve health and energy while helping to ease the stress of daily living.
The Alliance encourages the efforts of the National Park Service to connect all Americans to the considerable contributions of African Americans to our nation's history and particularly to its national capital. Through educational and community outreach programs at the various sites, the Civil War Defenses of Washington help to honor and tell the story of the African American experience.
The Alliance also supports the National Park Service’s Civil War Defenses of Washington in the Classroom program. The program provides the Civil War Defenses of Washington Curriculum Package for 8th grade students that is designed to meet DCPS standards and includes six themed lessons based on primary sources. The Defenses also provide educators teaching Civil War and/or Washington, DC history a framework for making connections between local resources and history and the broader contexts of the Civil War and our nation's social history by using the Historical Context for Fort Circle Parks document. Site visits and Ranger programs for the classroom can also be arranged.
