The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation will manage nearly $2 million in federal money after a bill was recently signed into law by President Barack Obama.

The funds will be used to purchase and preserve Civil War battlefields in eight Valley counties, including the Cross Keys and Port Republic battlefields in Harrisonburg.

Representatives of the foundation had doubts Congress would set aside money in this rough economy.

"Are plans were all held up, so there were a lot of anxious people, and there are activities of significance in Rockingham County," says foundation chairman Irvin Hess.

"These are places where we determined kind of what we would be as a country going forward," says foundation public relations representative Elizabeth Stern.

The money will be put to use right away, and the foundation expects to purchase and preserve the land this year.