President Obama is expected to designate Hampton’s Fort Monroe a unit of the National Park Service tomorrow afternoon. Senator Warner and the region’s bipartisan congressional delegation have encouraged the President to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to preserve the Fort, which the Army transferred to Virginia last month. Most recently, Senator Warner testified before a Congressional subcommittee about the need to maintain the Fort and its incredibly rich history. 

According an interview Interior Secretary Ken Salazar gave to the Virginian Pilot, the President was persauded by overwhelming support from the Hampton Roads community, as well as the potential for a National Park presence to create jobs. "It's a huge economic opportunity for southern Virginia," Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said to the Pilot.

"A National Park Service presence at Fort Monroe will go a long way in preserving and highlighting the remarkable role of 'Freedom's Fortress' in our nation's history,” Senator Warner said about the decision.  “I applaud Secretary Salazar's announcement and welcome the President's decision to use his unique authority to protect this special place. Now that we have solidified a National Park Service role, it is critically important that the city, the region, and the Commonwealth continue to work cooperatively together to make the most of this tremendous opportunity to showcase Fort Monroe's incredible but little-known place in our nation's history."   

Fort Monroe was built between 1819 and 1834 to protect the entrance to Hampton Roads. During the Civil War, Major General Benjamin Butler issued his famous "contraband decision” at Fort Monroe, ordering that escaped slaves who reached Union lines could not be returned to bondage. This courageous decision earned Fort Monroe the nickname “Freedoms Fort,” and thousands of slaves ultimately sought safety and sanctuary at the Union facility.