Fort Christanna Dedication This Saturday

Tuesday, April 21, 2009 10:52 AM EDT

By Sylvia Allen

Editor

LAWRENCEVILLE – A dedication ceremony will be held Saturday, April 25 at 2 p.m. at Fort Christanna on Fort Hill Road located off Christanna Highway (Route 46). The ceremony is the culmination of many months of hard work by the members of the Fort Christanna Site Development Committee, the Brunswick County/Lake Gaston Tourism Association and many dedicated volunteers.

The dedication will be a time for the community to come together to recognize the historic fort’s place in history and preserve it for future generations. Organizers are expecting a great turnout from surrounding counties and across the state. The ceremony will begin promptly at 2 p.m. so plan to allow plenty of time to park and get to the fort site. Some chairs will be available but the ceremony is expected to last an hour so you might want to bring a chair with you if standing is difficult. Fort Hill Road will be closed to through traffic from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

According to information provided by the tourism association, the JROTC from Brunswick High School will present the colors. Nathaniel Neblett, chairman of the Fort Christanna Site Committee, will preside. The Rev. Dr. Harry Nevels with Saint Paul’s Memorial Chapel and Dalton Lynch with the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe will offer the invocation. Gay Neale will share the history of Fort Christanna. The Haliwa-Saponi Singers will perform the Honor Song.

Guests include Congressman Tom Perriello, Senator Frank Ruff, Delegate Roslyn Tyler, Delegate Tommy Wright, Susan Clarke Schaar, clerk of the Virginia Senate, Richard Gibbons, chairman of the Virginia Scenic River Advisory Board, Mayor of Alberta Melissa Parrish, Mayor of Lawrenceville Doug Pond, Dr. and Mrs. Robert L. Satcher, Sr., president of Saint Paul’s College, and Dr. and Mrs. John D. Sykes, provost for Christanna Campus, Southside Virginia Community College.

Neblett will recognize representatives from the Virginia Council on Indians, Chief Otis Martin representing the Sappony of North Carolina and Virginia, representatives from the Haliwa Saponi Tribe of North Carolina and Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation.

Others who will be recognized include Carlton Abbot, site designer, Linda Consolvo, chairman of the Commonwealth Award given by the Garden Club of Virginia, Cabell West, president of the Garden Club of Virginia, Patricia Hatfield Mayer, vice president general of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and Honorary State Regent, Dwayne Altice, state cartographer, and Jeff Trollinger, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Neblett will express appreciation to the members of the Brunswick County Board of Supervisors and County Administrator Charlette Woolridge for their support for the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission was also a contributor. He will recognize other special friends who helped with the restoration project.