Save Historic Antietam Foundation

Donations to SHAF can now be made on-line through PayPal. We hope this will make it easier for you to support our efforts. All donations will still be acknowledged for income tax purposes, and we thank you for your continued support.  Use the “Donate” link in the right sidebar to use PaPal and donate. Follow the link to the Shaf Store and use PayPal to shop.

SHAF members, friends and the general public are invited to join us in our semi-annual work day at Antietam on Saturday March 12, 2011.  We chose an early date this year, so we need to hope Punxsutawney Phil was correct in predicting an early Spring.  If the weather is bad we will post a fallback date on the the SHAF website.  Division of Natural Resources Chief Joe Calzarette suggested we could either continue our clearing more of the Piper Lane and building fence there, or we can plant more trees in the East Woods restoration. Either are great projects, and we’ll try to get more specific information on the SHAF website as we get closer.  As always, there will be a short presentation about the history of the sites where we’re working.  Plan to be at the Visitor’s Center parking lot by 9:00 a.m., dress for the weather as it may be cold and/or blustery, and bring gloves, water, etc. The NPS will furnish tools.  Our Board of Directors will meet that afternoon, so you can convey any questions about our direction and/or projects to me or the other board members at that time.  We look forward to seeing you there.

On December 31, I will be retiring from the National Park Service after 37 years of Service to the American people. It has been my honor and privilege that for 15 of those 37 years I have served as your Superintendent at Antietam. During that time we have done many wonderful things, and I am sure that his progress will continue in the future.

I emphasize the fact that we have done this together; no one person can protect, preserve and interpret a special place like Antietam. We all must work as one to succeed. Over the years I have been blessed with the finest staff in the National Park Service. You can tell from the quality of the work they do, to them this is more than a job. They dedicate there days to remembrance and preservation, and each day they do their respective jobs to the best of their abilities.

Our partners and friends who have supported the Battlefield over the years have given us the strength and will to move forward with landscape restoration and protection of our viewsheds. You, the members of SHAF, have always been there to support us. Another example of all of us working together as one. I thank you for your dedication to this place and for making my job much
easier over these years.

When I first joined the National Park Service I never dreamed of becoming a Superintendent, let alone the Superintendent of one of the most important Battlefields in American History. It has been an honor to serve you here, one which I will never forget.

I wish you all much success and happiness.

John Howard

Here are a few photos from the workday this past Saturday.  About 20 SHAF members and friends turned out on a glorious fall day to clear brush and start construction on a post and rail fence along the historic Piper farm lane, just east of the house.  We got a lot of work done, clearing about 50 yards of the lane and building 9 sections of fencing.  Thanks to all those who attended!  Click on the thumbnails for larger images.

Our semi-annual work day is set for Saturday November 6 at Antietam Battlefield. As usual we will gather in the parking lot of the Visitor’s Center at 9:00. Please dress for the weather, bring gloves and water, the NPS provides tools. We will postpone if there is moderate or heavy rain. Check here or our Facebook page for updates and cancellation notice.