Warner, Kaine & Wexton Announce $6 Million in Federal Funding for Land Acquisition Needed to Preserve President James Monroe’s Oak Hill Home as a New State Park

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, (both D-VA), and U.S. Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10) announced $6,000,000 in federal funds from the National Park Service's (NPS) Land and Water Conservation Fund to help the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation acquire the property needed to preserve President James Monroe's Oak Hill home as a new state park.

"Oak Hill is an important site with clear historic value to our nation," the lawmakers said. "We're glad this funding will help us take steps toward preserving this site to create public access, especially as we approach America's semi-quincentennial celebration in 2026."

Warner, Kaine, and Wexton wrote to NPS last year to request a reconnaissance survey to evaluate the suitability of designating Oak Hill, the home of President James Monroe located in Loudoun County, as a unit of the National Park System. They also submitted a letter of support for Virginia's LWCF application.

Already listed as a National Historic Landmark, the mansion at Oak Hill, located in Aldie, Virginia, was home to James Monroe during and after his presidency. The historic property is currently privately owned. The mansion and outbuildings have been well preserved by the owners, who now wish for the property to come under state management to share with the public the story of the former president and the craftspeople and enslaved African Americans who also lived there.

James Monroe was an influential founding father of America, whose long career of public service includes serving as a U.S. Senator from Virginia, the 12th and 16th Governor of Virginia, the U.S. Secretary of State under President James Madison, and the fifth President of the United States from 1817-1825. One of his most enduring achievements is the Monroe Doctrine, which continues to influence U.S. foreign policy.

In addition to helping more Americans experience history at Oak Hill, the park will feature new outdoor recreation opportunities including overnight camping, trails, water sports, and fishing. The site will also include historic sites and a diverse landscape that includes fields, forests, streams, rivers, ponds, and wetlands.

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