A sudden, unexpected announcement in December that a new, high voltage transmission line was about to be strung across Western Loudoun County sent residents of the region spinning. If approved by the state, the lines would end forever protected rural areas of the county, damage heritage sites and parks, destroy tourism, and run out of town commercial farms, wineries and breweries. Opposition forces immediately formed, and forces normally at odds began joined together to fight the battle for Western Loudoun. Meanwhile, the story drew in intensity as layers of government jumped into the approval process, leaving residents, community leaders, and business owners baffled as to “who is in charge.”

In a podcast by the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association, this confusing, complex and ever-changing story of how the nation’s mammoth need for electricity moved to darken one of the last, great historic green areas of the Eastern U.S. Listen on your favorite podcast app to hear how this existential war is being waged and why you should care.

The importance of conservation easements to the preservation of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area cannot be overstated. Without them, our green space, historic sites, and unrivaled vistas would be overrun and boxed in by suburban development. The fifth episode of Piedmont Crossroads – The Path to Preservation tells us why the area is worth saving, the significance of the easement solution, and how to go about getting one. It also shows the benefit to the easement holder. This episode of Piedmont Crossroads is somewhat different from other podcasts in in our series because it was primarily recorded at a live event in March 2023. The intimacy of the live event is enhanced by a recorded Q and A with Ashton Cole, Executive Director of the Land Trust of Virginia. So, if you are interested in learning all about easements – what they are, how the work and what good they do – sit back and listen to Episode 5.

Data Centers are everywhere in Northern Virginia and more are coming. In 2018, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a data center complex directly on Goose Creek, a state designated scenic river, despite enormous opposition from preservations, environmentalists and voters. In December of 2022, the Prince William Supervisors abruptly eliminated their “Rural Crescent”, a sacred protected space they established in 1998 as a permanent Urban Growth Boundary. The reason? To allow a 2,100 acre Data Center Complex next to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. And last week, the Warrenton Town Council voted to allow a data center in their historic town despite a year of well-organized, loud and overwhelming opposition from local citizens and preservation organizations.

Why is this happening? Why are our representatives approving these colossal industrial structures all across our treasured landscape? Why can’t they be stopped by protests and resistance? What is the scale of money involved? The answers to these questions - and some solutions - are available in Episode 4 of Piedmont Crossroads - The Path to Preservation presented by the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association. This release of the podcast address the environmental, financial, political and historical issues surrounding the data center crisis in the Northern Virginia Heritage. On the VPHA website, you also will find long versions of the original interviews with participants and drone footage of the Warrenton center site.

An earlier version of this podcast was released prior to the vote by the Warrenton Town Council permitting a Data Center in that town’s gateway. This version is updated and expanded.

Here is a link to a video of the proposed site.

The historic village of Philomont sits astride Snickersville Turnpike in Western Loudoun County. It has a remarkable history, from its initial settlement in the early 19th century through the Civil War and up to its identity as a well-preserved village today. Learn more about this historic village, and some of the preservation challenges that it faces now, including the threat to the village’s historic horse show grounds.

Carter Hall is an historic home in Clarke County, Virginia, in the lower Shenandoah Valley, built by Nathaniel Burwell in 1792. Over the centuries the property has hosted a number of historical figures, including Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan, Virginia Governor and U.S. Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, and Confederate General Stonewall Jackson. Carter Hall is a landmark in Clarke County, and its future has been hanging in the balance since it went on the market in 2018. The historic property was finally purchased in October of 2021 and the preservation community is hopeful that it will be more accessible to local residents under new ownership. Join us to learn about its rich past, and hear directly from one of the new owners, Langdon Greenhalgh, the 5th great-grandson of Nathanial Burwell, about their promising plans for the future of Carter Hall.

In our inaugural episode of Piedmont Crossroads, we take an in-depth look at the properties known as the Aldie Assemblage. These important parcels are home to the 1820 Aldie Tavern and are integral to the historic fabric of the village of Aldie, one of the most preserved turnpike towns in Northern Virginia. The Aldie Assemblage also stands at the gateway to western Loudoun and it could be ruined by inappropriate development if it falls into the wrong hands.

Join us to learn about the fascinating history of Aldie, the complex story behind the Assemblage, and why the Piedmont Environmental Council's purchase offer is the perfect solution to protect this important piece of Heritage Area history.

As a reminder, each month we will release a new podcast episode that will examine an historic resource that is threatened or may need more attention from the public. We will also address successful preservation efforts that have a positive story to tell. Some issues will have been covered at length in the media while others may be unknown by the public, but we will always explore some amazing local history and what steps are being taken to protect our important historic resources.