Oak Hill State Park Proposal Faces Funding Deadline

Funding for the proposed Oak Hill State Park is now at risk.

Oak Hill is not included in the current draft of the Virginia General Assembly budget. If that omission stands, it could jeopardize already-committed funding intended to establish Oak Hill as Virginia’s next state park.

Several major funding sources are contingent on the project moving forward this year.

The first is $6 million in federal Land and Water Conservation Fund money. This stateside grant was awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2024 for acquisition.

While the funding has a three-year window for use, expiring in summer 2027, state land acquisition timelines are lengthy. If a decision is not made by July to proceed, the funding is effectively at risk. The grant is also non-transferable; if Oak Hill is not acquired, the funds return to the national program and are lost to Virginia.

A second source is approximately $5 million in private donor pledges held by The Conservation Fund. These contributions are contingent on Oak Hill becoming a state park. Donors have indicated they are not interested in a local or regional park designation, and the funds could be withdrawn if the project does not move forward.

A third source is $5 million to $10 million from the State Parks Acquisition and Development Fund. Under state law, these funds are restricted to new park acquisition or construction and cannot be redirected to maintenance or unrelated projects. The money is already allocated for use on eligible projects such as Oak Hill.

“Oak Hill is the only home of a Founding Father president still in private hands, and the land tells the whole American story—James Monroe, the enslaved people who built and worked it, and the families who’ve protected it since,” said Heather Richards, Vice President for The Conservation Fund.

“The Conservation Fund acquired this property to keep it whole, because 1,200 acres like this in Northern Virginia will not come along again. Now Governor Spanberger has the chance to finish the job and preserve it forever—not just for Virginia, but for every American who believes the places that made us are worth protecting,” she said.

In total, tens of millions of dollars in combined federal, private, and state resources are tied to the project.

Rejecting Oak Hill would not save Virginia money but rather forfeit funding that has already been secured or committed specifically for this purpose.

The Conservation Fund acquired the property in November 2025 to prevent development and has worked for years to position it for permanent protection as a state park. They say the opportunity window is narrowing.

Oak Hill holds historic and cultural significance as the former estate of President James Monroe, where he lived and drafted the Monroe Doctrine. The site also reflects a more complex history, including the approximately 50 enslaved people who lived and worked on the property, as well as the Indigenous presence that preceded colonial settlement.

At roughly 1,200 acres in Northern Virginia, the property represents a rare opportunity for large-scale public open space with potential for trails, fishing, equestrian access, and cultural interpretation. The DeLashmutt family, which stewarded the land for more than 70 years, previously declined larger development offers in favor of long-term preservation for public benefit.