At Capitol Bill Signing Ceremony relating to the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 on Thursday,  June 16th,  from left to right:   Delegate Rosalyn Dance of Petersburg, Honorable Walter Craigie of James Madison's Montpelier, and G. William Thomas, Jr., of the James Monroe Memorial Foundation.

By Preston Knight - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEW MARKET -- If Scott Harris could be cloned, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation would endorse such cutting-edge technology.

"That'd be great," said Beth Stern, the organization's policy and communications director. "There aren't enough superlatives [for him]."

In Harris, the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park's director, the foundation has a worthy partner who recognizes the importance of the battlefield, can tell its story in a compelling way and attract tourists to visit, she said. That made Thursday a bittersweet day for Stern, as Harris announced he is leaving New Market after 10 years to become director of the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library in Fredericksburg, beginning July 1.

"He's been really great at listening to partners and knowing that partnership is a two-way street," she said. "He's an example of the kind of leader that is important to have."

Harris' last day will be June 30, although he will continue living in Broadway until his daughter graduates from high school next year, he wrote in an email to friends and colleagues Thursday.