Childs F. Burden has been on the board of the Mosby Heritage Area Association (MHAA) from its inception in 1995. He has served as the second president and currently serves as Chairman Emeritus. Childs has a vision for this unique area in the northern Piedmont of Virginia. In 1995 he took this vision to the Board of Supervisors of Loudoun and Fauquier Counties to solicit their support for the founding of a new organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the historical, cultural and natural heritage of the area. He has spoken to numerous organizations and individuals soliciting their support in MHAA’s effort to educate and promote our heritage.

Mr. Burden has taken an active role in the MHAA’s programs and the development of new projects, which promote the heritage of Loudoun County. He was instrumental in the production of the Mosby Heritage Area map and its two driving tour tapes and is currently working on the production of the Mosby Heritage Area map and is currently working on the production of a third tape. Through his initiative, Childs brought together the history, the historians, the narrators, and the technology to make these excellent educational products available to residents and non-residents.

In 1999 Childs was part of a MHAA initiative to produce an economic study within the area, which outlined the economic benefits of preservation. “Profiting from Preservation” was the first such study conducted in a rural area. Childs introduced the publication to the Loudon County Board of Supervisors and has continued to work with the county to promote the principals of this publication whenever issues concerning development have arisen.

Childs conceived and implemented the creation of the Mosby Heritage Area Civil War Conference to promote and educate the public concerning the rich Civil War history of our area. The fall weekend features lectures with nationally known writers and historians, tours of local Civil War sites and a bus trip to Civil War sites in or near the Mosby Heritage Area. In 2001, participants came from across Virginia and 14 other states to attend this conference. As a tribute to Childs’ excellent planning and implementation of this program, a third of all conference participants have returned two or more years.

Childs is also active in other preservation groups throughout Loudon County and beyond. He serves on the boards of the Loudoun Historical Society, Mount Zion Church, Oatlands, Long Branch, the Route 50 Task Force, the Frick Art and Historical Center in Pittsburg and the Catoctin Farmers Club. Childs works in area schools by speaking to students about their heritage and is often asked to judge history fair projects

View his video below.