Governor Seeks to Preserve Funding for Oak Hill State Park Proposal

Gov. Abigail Spanberger has proposed restoring funding to support the creation of Oak Hill as Virginia’s newest state park, providing new momentum for a project that only days ago faced an uncertain future.

The governor’s budget amendment would preserve funding needed to move forward with the proposed acquisition of Oak Hill, the historic Loudoun County estate of President James Monroe.

The amendment, however, must still be approved by the Virginia General Assembly before it becomes part of the state budget. Lawmakers are expected to vote on the budget Monday, June 29.

“We’re thrilled that Governor Spanberger listened to the voices of thousands of Virginians and seized this opportunity to safeguard Oak Hill, preserving 1,200 acres of vital open space and the last founding-era home in private hands,” said Heather Richards, Mid-Atlantic vice president of The Conservation Fund. “Accepting this tremendous gift won’t cost taxpayers a dime, and making it a state park ensures that its stories will be told for generations to come.”

The proposal had appeared to be in jeopardy after Oak Hill was omitted from the General Assembly’s draft budget, raising concerns that several major funding commitments could be lost if the project did not move forward this year.

Among those funding sources is a $6 million federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant awarded to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in 2024 for acquisition of the property.

Although the grant expires in the summer of 2027, project supporters have said Virginia’s land acquisition process requires action this year to avoid risking the funding. Because the grant is non-transferable, any unused funds would be returned to the national program.

The project is also supported by approximately $5 million in private donor pledges being held by The Conservation Fund. Those contributions are contingent upon Oak Hill becoming a Virginia state park, and supporters say the pledges could be withdrawn if the project does not move forward.

In addition, between $5 million and $10 million from the State Parks Acquisition and Development Fund has been identified for eligible park acquisition and development projects.

Under state law, those funds are restricted to new park acquisition and construction and cannot be redirected to maintenance or unrelated purposes.

Combined, the project represents tens of millions of dollars in federal, private, and state funding tied specifically to the creation of a state park. Rejecting the proposal would not produce savings for Virginia but instead would forfeit funding already committed for that purpose.

The Conservation Fund acquired the approximately 1,200-acre property in November 2025 to prevent future development and preserve the estate intact while pursuing its transfer to the Commonwealth as a state park.

Oak Hill is the only home of a Founding Father who became president that remains in private ownership. It was the residence of President James Monroe, who lived there while developing what became known as the Monroe Doctrine.

The property also tells the story of the approximately 50 enslaved people who lived and worked on the estate, as well as the Indigenous peoples who occupied the land before European settlement.

If established as a state park, Oak Hill would provide opportunities for hiking, equestrian use, fishing, outdoor recreation, and historical interpretation while permanently protecting one of Loudoun County’s largest remaining open spaces.

The property was stewarded for more than 70 years by the DeLashmutt family, which declined larger development offers in favor of preserving the land for future public use.