Andy Shield Receives Patrick Henry Award from Hampden-Sydney College

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Dr. David Marion, Director of the Wilson Center; Mr. Andy Shield; Dr. Christopher Howard, President of Hampden-Sydney College

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (04/13/2011)(readMedia)-- On April 1, the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest at Hampden-Sydney College presented the Patrick Henry Award to Henry Anderson "Andy" Shield, H-SC Class of 1963, in recognition of exemplary public service and preservation and restoration of historic properties in Virginia. The award is named for the patriot Patrick Henry, who was an early trustee of the College.

After graduating from Hampden-Sydney with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, Shield entered Cornell University where he received his MBA in 1966. Twenty years later, he started the Shield Company to construct new residential custom homes. The Shield Company is one of the largest privately owned development companies headquartered in Central Virginia.

In addition to his real estate development projects, Shield is devoted to preserving many significant properties in the Richmond area. One such property is Rural Plains, a 124-acre parcel in Hanover County that was the site of the 1864 civil war battle known as Totopotomoy Creek. The 1674 Rural Plains house, said to be the oldest house in the county, was part of 313 acres given to Patrick Henry and his new bride by her father as a wedding gift. In June of 2006, Shield donated the restored property to the National Park Service. Today the house and battlefield have become part of the Richmond National Battlefield Park.

Shield has been instrumental in preserving two other parcels of land in this area: 21 acres that is associated with the Civil War battle of Totopotomoy Creek and the Pine Slash property on which is situated the so-called Honeymoon Cottage where Patrick and Sarah Henry lived when they were first married. The 1750 cottage now completes a long effort to reunite for posterity four sites in Hanover County critical to interpreting Henry's life as a young man.

The historic Pole Green Church foundation was also the beneficiary of Shield's generosity. He purchased and then donated land to the foundation as part of their effort to restore the surrounding land to its mid-1700's condition. Patrick Henry attended the church from age 11 to 17 with his mother. It has been said that Patrick Henry's renowned rhetorical skills can be traced to the sermons of Dr. Davies, the presiding minister.

In conjunction with the Civil War Preservation Trust, Shield also purchased 212 acres on what is known as the Malvern Hill Battlefield. This parcel, along with 240 acres that the Civil War Trust purchased were donated to the National Park Service and added to the larger Malvern Hill Civil War Battlefield.

Shield was nationally recognized for his preservation work. In 2009 he received the "Shelby Foote Preservation Legacy Award" at the Civil War Preservation Trust Annual Conference.  Much of his time has been devoted to insuring that future generations will have the opportunity to visit these historic sites rather than merely read about them in textbooks.

In June of 2005 Shield became involved with a child development center which serves over 140 children from disadvantaged families. His role at the center continues to evolve from staff development to the implementation of specific programs intended to promote good learning skills in disadvantaged children. The center recently started a program that introduces sign language and a foreign language (Spanish) to infants beginning at six weeks. Healthy diet and nutrition programs are offered to all students over 18 months, music at two years old, and dance at three.