Remembering Former Brandy Station Foundation President Joseph W. McKinney
- Brandy Station Foundation
- Sep 8
- 4 min read
The preservation community has lost an important leader. Joseph W. McKinney, who was President of the Brandy Station Foundation from 2011-2016, passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 15th. During his tenure, McKinney actively worked with the Civil War Trust (the CWT; now the American Battlefield Trust) to preserve fifty-seven acres at Fleetwood Hill on the Brandy Station Battlefield.
In December, 2011, Joe reported at the BSF board meeting that Joseph A. (Tony) Troilo, Jr. and Patricia Troilo had offered to sell their 57 acres, the old house, and the family’s new house on Fleetwood Hill for 4.975 million dollars. The property consisted of 4 parcels at the time. Joe had recommended that Tom Gilmore, Director of Real Estate at the Civil War Trust, call Tony directly. This was an important opportunity.
In August, 2012, Joe reported to the board that he had researched real estate records at the Culpeper County Courthouse and identified similar properties which were selling for more than the CWT appraisal of the Troilo property on Fleetwood Hill. Joe talked to Tom Gilmore about what he had found at the Culpeper County Courthouse. Subsequently, the CWT arranged for a new appraisal using a Charlottesville appraiser. The new house and 18 acres were currently on the market for $2.45 million dollars. Again, the total Troilo property and land for sale at Fleetwood was 57 acres including the old and new house. If the CWT did not purchase the land and houses, the BSF board discussed a contingency plan for the BSF to try to purchase the land between the top of Fleetwood Hill and BSF land on the western approach to Fleetwood Hill; we were looking at about 11 acres. That land and the top of Fleetwood Hill would be our priority. We would ask the BSF Advisory Committee for ideas for donors and marketing the effort. Grant opportunities could also be explored.
The CWT did come to an agreement with the Troilos. The purchase of the property by the Trust on December 7, 2012 capped almost twenty-five years of efforts to preserve the Brandy Station Battlefield by many people. Fleetwood Hill was the site of a ribbon cutting for the Culpeper Battlefields State Park last June 8, 2024.
In January 2012, Joe discussed with the BSF board a use permit request by a company called Recyc Systems to build a biosolids storage facility in the Elkwood area of the county. It would include two 100 x 200 feet concrete pads and the ability to temporarily store up to 8 million pounds of biosolids (sludge) used as fertilizer on farms. It was going before the Culpeper Planning Commission on January 11th and Joe would be there. A motion was made, seconded and passed to oppose the construction of the Recyc Systems facility in the Elkwood area. Joe’s emphasis at the upcoming meeting would be the historic importance of the area and the rural nature of Culpeper County. By the April 4th BSF board meeting, Joe had attended the (third) Board of Supervisors meeting the night before concerning the use permit requested by Recyc Systems to build that biosolids storage facility in the Elkwood area of the county. By a vote of 5-1, the request was denied by the supervisors. Emails from the Friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield, the Civil War Trust, VDHR, and others opposed the permit. The Civil War Trust responded right away and their response was filed. The CWT came to our assistance and we were grateful for the support of the CWT. Preservation groups, environmental groups, and the citizens of Culpeper County worked together for a common cause.
Joseph W. McKinney, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Retired), graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1970 and was commissioned in the Infantry. He saw subsequent command and staff assignments in Viet Nam, Germany, and the United States. After leaving the Army, Joe served for six years as a senior investigator for the Department of Defense Inspector General. In an May 30, 2011 email to the BSF newsletter editor—responding to recognition of his military service and that of his wife Rose—Joe wrote: “Thank you very much for remembering Rose’s and my service today. The greatest honor in my life, and my greatest responsibility, was leading American soldiers in combat.”
For twenty years, Joe and his wife, Rose, lived on a small horse farm in Brandy Station while Joe volunteered with the Brandy Station Foundation and Rose founded and led an animal rescue group. Joe served as a Graffiti House tour guide, battlefield tour guide, and lecturer with the BSF Sunday Lecture Series.
Following his five years as President, McKinney was a member of the Brandy Station Foundation Advisory Committee. Joe wrote Brandy Station, Virginia, June 9, 1863: the Largest Cavalry Battle of the Civil War, and, Trevilian Station, June 11-12, 1864: Wade Hampton, Philip Sheridan and the Largest All-Cavalry Battle of the Civil War.
The BSF board has voted to dedicate the new Brandy Station Foundation logo flag in honor of the memory of Joseph W. McKinney. A plaque in honor of Joe will be installed at the base of the flagpole in front of the Graffiti House.
