Winchester Green Circle

A tour through the Preserve’s natural area reveals evidence of the land’s varied uses over the years, including early dwellings, stone fences, and water facilities.  The area is rich in diverse bird populations and plant life.

It was the site of Native American encampments prior to being part of the property owned by the Hollingsworth family, early European settlers of Winchester.  The current property and areas mostly to the east and north were commandeered by Union General Philip Sheridan following the Third Battle of Winchester.  On this site the largest field hospital of its type during the Civil War was constructed.  The temporary tent facility was an integral part of a modernizing trend in military medicine.  At the turn of the 20^th century, the city constructed a water plant on the site, which was abandoned in the 1920s.  From that time the majority of the property remained undeveloped, and portions of it were farmed until the 1950s.  In the late 1980s it was threatened by development and, through a grassroots effort, it was generously donated to the city for permanent preservation as open space.

In 1992, a Phase I Archeological Study verified the location of a remnant of the hospital containing evidence of the original grid layout and the unique California Plan underground heating system.  This area has been preserved, and access has been provided in conjunction with a living history demonstration site.