Geary Higgins, a delegate for Virginia, has announced that Governor Glenn Youngkin has pledged to include the Oak Hill State Park Plan in his final budget. This commitment follows nearly two years of collaboration aimed at preserving President James Monroe’s historic home. Higgins expressed gratitude to the DeLashmutt family, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, and The Conservation Fund for their contributions in making the 1,240-acre property available.
“I have been working with Governor Youngkin for almost two years to turn President James Monroe’s home Oak Hill into a State Park, and I am grateful that today, he is reaffirming his commitment to this future park, Loudoun County, and our Commonwealth,” said Higgins. “True to my word, I did not give up on Oak Hill, and now with Governor Youngkin’s commitment, we can be sure it will be back next session. I hope my Democrat colleagues in the Virginia General Assembly will do the right thing: support Oak Hill and preserve this piece of history for future generations.”
Governor Youngkin said, “I have been so excited about this project since we first started talking about it, and I am giving my commitment, today, that I will include in my introduced budget in December, authorization for the state to fund its portion of acquiring this historic property and establishing a new State Park in Northern Virginia,” according to a press release by Higgins.
According to LoudounNow, last year the Loudoun Board of Supervisors committed $22 million to acquire Oak Hill, with over $20 million allocated for park operations. A budget amendment allowing the state purchase passed the House but stalled in the Senate. Delegate Higgins worked with Governor Youngkin to reintroduce the plan; however, amendments were not approved. The property was acquired by Monroe in 1808, where he retired in 1825. It is noted that around fifty enslaved African Americans lived and worked on the estate.
Higgins serves in the Virginia House of Delegates and has an extensive record of public service within Loudoun County. He was elected to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in 2011 and served as chair of the Transportation and Land Use Committee. Previously, he represented the Catoctin District on the Loudoun County School Board. He is also a retired vice president of labor relations for the National Electrical Contractors Association and currently operates Geary Higgins LLC while serving as Republican chairman of Virginia’s 10th Congressional District.
