The message appended from Diane Huyer is less than clear what the issue is about. It is not specific about what battlefield, where, what was its importance, etc. What threatens it? What saves it? It appears to be an oversight where perhaps the trees got lost in the forest. I would be interested in knowing. . .I think. dhamrick@neo.rr.com Dan Hamrick 402 23rd Street NW Canton OH 44709 Phone and fax: 330-454-2376 ---------- >From: Huyers <huyers@hgo.net> >To: WVPENDLE-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: Endangered Ohio Battlefield >Date: Sun, Mar 5, 2000, 8:24 AM > >To any of you who aren't at all interested in this or by chance don't >see the relationship between historic preservation and genealogy, you >can stop reading this here and I apologize for cluttering your mailbox. >Although being, myself, very unappreciative of non-genealogy-related >subjects cluttering up our mailboxes, I personally think this could be >very important...not only for this battlefield, but for historic >preservation in general, and offer the following food for thought. > >This particular place does appear to be worth trying to help folks, for >history's sake, because of those enterred there, and for genealogy's >sake; but it's unclear just what we can do. Those leading the "fight" >want you to "sign" an online petition, but it's very unclear just what >steps they have already done or are trying to do to save this historic >place, or how long they have been fighting. > >As we all know, multiple names appearing on online petitions aren't >worth much, if anything, unless the site has you sign in with >identification and it places a cookie to make sure that the same >computer doesn't sign up twice. Even doing it that way, someone could >technically argue that anywone with a particular interest could >conceivably go to multiple computers themselves and place duplicate >names. > >When I first heard of this through a Gen-List (VAAUGUST-L) several days >ago, I e-mailed the Meigs County, Ohio, Historical Society to find out >just what else they've been doing or plan to do. For instance, has >there been a letter-writing campaign to legislatures, either federal or >state? Have they contacted the National Foundation for Historic Trust? >They haven't responded yet. If I do hear more, I'll pass it on. > >Based on my own experience in other areas (policing internet fraud and >certain political issues), historic preservation certainly might be >something that can be helped everywhere by bringing together many more >people with the advantage of rapid communication over the Internet. Far >too often local historical societies miss out on saving important places >because they lack sufficient resources (people, finances, and sometimes >experience) to wield any influence. Just as we do in researching >genealogy, through the Internet, we have the power to gather millions of >people to communicate and work together at the click of a button for >something good...virtually anything. An online petition won't do it, >though. Each person has to take the time to personally and >individually communicate, in person, by telephone, through letters, >and/or in e-mail with the people/organizations that count on the >issues. More and more legislators and government offices in the country >now use e-mail, so it is getting easier; but you should give them your >name and snail-mail address, even in e-mail. Legislators and government >offices really only pay attention if it begins to "inconvenience" them; >i.e. stacks of mail, phone calls, and personal meetings take up their >time so they have to pay attention...a mere list of names doesn't. > >Because of all of the above, I forwarded the message, with the above >information, to the PACAMBRI-L, MDFREDER-L, MDWASHIN-L. (Since it came >from VAAUGUST-L to me, I figured it would get around to other WV lists >without me.) If you are interested in helping (this or any other >"cause"), I do suggest following through on it and forwarding info on >to others; however I recommend you list in the body of what you forward >those lists to whom you have forwarded it, so we aren't getting hundreds >of repeats. > >Diane Huyer >Dallas (near Wheeling), WV >