Relic hunting is illegal in all Chesterfield County historical parks, such as Parker’s Battery, shown here.

With Civil War battle sites littered across Chesterfield County, many residents spend their free time relic hunting, looking for artifacts to help preserve the history of the War between the States. While the process is perfectly legal when doing so on private property with the landowner’s permission, the hobby has gotten a bad reputation as many relic hunters are trespassing and digging on public and private lands, making no effort to fill in large holes that they have dug up.

“We have some members of our camp who relic hunt and they are very respectful of property owner’s rights,” says Eric Chandler, Past Commander of the Chester Station Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. “They know leaving open holes is not safe and creates a bad impression of relic hunters.”

However, many of these relic hunters who are respectful of private property are finding it harder and harder to obtain permission from landowners to hunt on their property.

“On one occasion a three -foot hole was dug under the living room window of the historic Point of Rocks plantation house,” says Chandler. “Another landowner expressed his outrage about the individuals who dug up graves in his family cemetery and removed relics from another parcel he owns without seeking his permission.”

Private property owners aren’t the only ones hit by disrespectful relic hunters. Though it is against the law to relic hunt Chesterfield County historical park sites, relic hunters continue to dig holes and remove artifacts, destroying sites set aside for preservation.

“These parks belong to the people of Chesterfield, but without parking lots and trails, they are perceived by some relic hunters as fair game. Every time I visit one of these sites I see more evidence that they are being dug up,” says Scott Williams, Chairman of the Military History Committee for the Historical Society.

Such is the case at the Ware Bottom Church Battlefield site on Ware Bottom Rd. Acquired by the county in 2003 with funds from the National Battlefield Protection Program, the site is home to 10 acres of earthworks. Though not yet open, several historical groups are currently designing the layout for trails and a parking area, raising funds and researching the history of the site. However, illegal relic hunting could destroy sites like these before they are even opened.

“I myself have relic hunted for many years. The relic-hunting group I am a member of has given thousands of dollars to help with the preservation of Civil War sites and artifacts in central Virginia,” says Williams. “Most people I have run across in the hobby respect property rights and don’t trespass on park sites. There are a few bad apples out there though, who don’t follow the rules. That not only gives the hobby a bad reputation; it also destroys irreplaceable historic resources that belong to all of us. That is why the Historical Society is working so hard to bring attention to these park sites. If we don’t get these sites opened and maintained, they will slowly be destroyed right under our noses.”

nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421

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