The Grand Review Brandy Station Foundation September 2025
- Brandy Station Foundation
- Sep 8
- 7 min read
President: Howard Lambert
Vice President: Gregory A. Mertz;
Treasurers: Peter and Peggy Mocarski Secretary: Peggy Misch (newsletter editor)
Board of Directors:
Jane Brookins, Don Carlson, Elicia Belle, Myra Lane, Larry Pullen,
and Paul Warmack;
Honorary Director: Helen Geisler, Honorary Member of the Brandy Station Foundation Board of Directors
Remembering Former Brandy Station Foundation President Joseph W. McKinney
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.
Brandy Station Foundation President Joe McKinney talking to visitors at the Battle of Brandy Station Fleetwood Hill tour in June 2013.
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.
Highlights of Culpeper History
On August 16th, the BSF sponsored a van tour led by Jim Bish: Highlights of Culpeper History: from surveyor George Washington to the United States Colored Troops at Madden's Tavern. Stop highlights included George Washington's first survey in Culpeper County, historic Salubria, the Great Fork Church site of the 1730s, Lafayette’s 1781 Encampment, Madden's Tavern of the 1840s, and the site of the May 1864 murder of three United States Colored Troops. The tour also visited the BSF’s site at Kelly's Ford with its the newly installed Field Brothers marker which tells about the importance of the Field Family including Joseph and Reuben who would eventually join up with the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Brandy Station Battlefield 5K & 10K Run,
September 27, 2025
September 15 ($35) & 10k – $45, until September 15 ($50) T-shirts are guaranteed to runners that register before September 17. Bishop's Events will order extra t- shirts for those who register after that date, but it is on a first-come first-served basis. The race starts and ends on the Brandy Station Battlefield near the Culpeper Airport off of Beverly Ford Road. Details and course map may be found at this Bishop's Events link:
Spirits of the Graffiti House,
Friday, October 24, 2025
The Brandy Station Foundation will hold its annual “Spirits of the Graffiti House” event October 24th from 5PM-9PM featuring Culpeper Paranormal at the Graffiti House, 19484 Brandy Road, Brandy Station. Free & family friendly. Culpeper Paranormal will display equipment and share investigation findings.
BSF Holiday Open House,
Saturday, December 6, 2025
The BSF Holiday Open House will be held at the Graffiti House on December 6th from 1PM-4PM. Please join us for holiday fare and music.
President’s Corner
Greetings,
It is hard to believe that summer is drawing to a close. I hope that you had a safe and wonderful time over the last few months. Once again, it’s my pleasure to share with you the activities which have taken place at the Brandy Station Foundation over the last few months and planned activities for the remainder of 2025.
It has been another successful summer at the Brandy Station Foundation with a number of events taking place and a steady influx of visitors to the Graffiti House. The most significant event at the Graffiti House this summer was Descendants Day held on Saturday, June 7th. Our guest speaker to kick things off was Jeffrey Joyce. He gave a very informative presentation on the Civil War in Culpeper County. During the afternoon session, descendants of Civil War soldiers were given the opportunity to talk about their ancestors. Several of the speakers came from significant distances to attend the event. Some of the speakers shared
written documentation and others shared stories of those who served in the Confederate Army and others their ancestors who fought in the Union Army. There were two men in attendance both from the Brandy Station area who have been neighbors for years. While speaking on Descendants Day they learned that one was the descendant of a Confederate soldier and the other a member of the United States Colored Soldiers (USCT) who was born in nearby Fauquier County. Another local resident was the descendant of a Confederate soldier who was captured at the battle of Seven Pines. Following the war’s end, he returned to Culpeper and donated land to be used specifically as a final resting place for the “Colored” community. There were many other riveting stories throughout the day.
In August, we initiated the first ever Highlights of Culpeper History tour with nine sites along the driving tour including George Washington ’s 1st survey site at Brandy Station (1749) to the Field Brothers Marker at Kelly’s Ford on land owned by the Brandy Station Foundation. The dedication of the historic marker was held weeks earlier and the Brandy Station Foundation was given the honor of unveiling the marker. The event was sold out and a second van was added to accommodate those on the waiting list.
We continued to make progress with repairs to the Graffiti House and improvement to the grounds. We made improvements to the Media Room including installing a video system to enhance our ability to host conference calls. In the coming weeks, we have plans to meet with a curator to discuss making improvements to the displays and exhibits. The driveway was resurfaced in August and we officially took possession of the marker for the "Opening of the Gettysburg Campaign" which was removed and replaced along Old Brandy Road. This marker specifically commemorates the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, which is considered a significant start to the broader Gettysburg Campaign. We are in the process of finding a suitable location for the marker first installed in 1927 as one of the first Commonwealth of Virginia’s roadside markers. Finally, we entered into a contract with a local artist to paint a mural on the shed beside the Graffiti House. We are excited about the possibility of unveiling the mural later this year.
In closing, I would like to thank each and every member of the board for their many hours of dedicated service to the Brandy Station Foundation this summer. Thanks to our ever-increasing list of volunteers as we try to expand the program by reaching out to the local high schools for even more volunteers. Thanks to our guides and greeters who freely give their time and effort to making the experience of our visitors truly an experience to remember.
And finally last, but not least, we thank you–the members of the Brandy Station Foundation–for your ongoing support to the organization through your donations and year-round support.
Thank you, Howard Lambert