Farmland Forever

Perhaps you’ve never heard of Murphy Farm. You don’t know that it was the site of a Civil War battle, or that African-American leaders met there before the formation of the NAACP. But the Trust for Public Land (TPL) recognized the historical value of this 99-acre farm in Harpers Ferry, W.Va.: It purchased the land for an undisclosed amount from owners Josephine Murphy-Curtis and Karen Dixon Fuller in early November. Thanks to the TPL, Murphy Farm will escape its fate as a housing subdivision. Instead, the historic site will be transferred to the National Park Service and preserved as a landmark of America’s Civil War and civil rights history. Details about the TPL and Murphy Farm are online at <www.tpl.org>.