Oak Hill State Park Wins Funding

The Virginia General Assembly approved funding for the proposed Oak Hill State Park, clearing the way for the preservation of one of the Commonwealth’s most historically significant properties and securing millions of dollars in federal, private and state funding tied to the project.

The budget action allows the Commonwealth to move forward with acquiring Oak Hill, the former home of President James Monroe, while preserving funding commitments that could have been lost had the project been delayed.

The project includes 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. 

An additional approximately $5 million in private donor pledges is being held by The Conservation Fund. Those donations were contingent upon Oak Hill becoming a Virginia state park and were not intended to support a local or regional park designation.

The project is also expected to utilize between $5 million and $10 million from Virginia’s State Parks Acquisition and Development Fund. Under state law, those funds are reserved for acquiring and developing new state parks and cannot be redirected to unrelated purposes.

Together, the federal, private and state commitments represent tens of millions of dollars dedicated to preserving Oak Hill for public use.

“Today’s action by the General Assembly is a landmark moment for Oak Hill and for Virginia,” said Heather Richards, Mid-Atlantic vice president at The Conservation Fund. “We don’t get many second chances to preserve history this important. 

“These 1,200 extraordinary acres are poised to become a crown jewel of Virginia’s state park system—a place where visitors can experience our nation’s history, explore the outdoors and make memories for generations to come,” said Richards.

“After many years of attempts, I promised to get Oak Hill preserved as a State Park during my first term,” Del. John McAuliff said. “After heavily lobbying the Governor, the House and Senate, I made good on that promise in time to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday.”

Former Del. Geary Higgins, who worked for years to advance the proposal, also welcomed the vote.

“On the eve of the celebrations to commemorate our Country’s 250th Anniversary, I am very glad to see that President Monroe’s home, Oak Hill, is back on track to finally become a State Park,” Higgins said.

The Conservation Fund acquired the approximately 1,200-acre property in November 2025 to prevent development while working toward its permanent preservation as a Virginia state park.

Oak Hill holds national historical significance as the home of President James Monroe, where he lived and developed the Monroe Doctrine. The property also reflects the lives of the enslaved people who built and worked the estate, as well as the Indigenous history that predates European settlement.

The property represents one of Northern Virginia’s last opportunities to preserve such a large, contiguous landscape for public use. Plans include hiking trails, fishing, equestrian access, wildlife habitat protection and interpretation of the site’s historical and cultural significance.

The DeLashmutt family, which owned and cared for the property for more than 70 years, declined larger development offers in favor of preserving Oak Hill for future generations.

Governor Abigail Spanberger is expected to sign the state budget June 30, completing the budget process. The project will then move into the administrative and planning phase, including archaeological and historic resource assessments. Supporters hope Oak Hill will welcome its first visitors as a Virginia state park in 2027.