A family’s efforts to preserve land has been recognized.
The bridge on Groveton Road that goes across I-66 was named Wotring Memorial Bridge by the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
Pauline and Raymond Wotring lived near the Manassas Battlefield National Park, according to a release from Prince William County.
Some individuals hoped to build shopping areas, theme parks and condominiums on the battlefield and the surrounding area, according to Pauline and Raymond Wotring’s grandson, Ray.
Instead of giving in to the proposed ideas, the Wotrings chose to maintain the battlefield.
“The big drama with this battlefield happened when I was in high school, and so that was a big part of my high school experience,” Pauline and Raymond’s daughter, Duffy Simonpietri, said in a release. “We were all just knee-deep into preserving this land.”
When the Wotrings passed away, they left their home to the Civil War Battlefield Trust.
“My parents always said, ‘When we’re done with the land, when we’re done with people living here, we want it to go to the battlefield,'” the couple’s son, Dan Wotring, said in a release.
He explained that the bridge, which is located near Gainesville, was symbolic.
“The bridge has real significance for us… my mom always felt she was home when we crossed that bridge,” Dan Wotring said.
