When it comes to American history, there are few things that rank as high as the Civil War in terms of level of interest. The Civil War, or War Between The States, pitted the North against the South and had a huge and longstanding effect on the United States of America. There are many famous battles that took place during the Civil War and many famous people of the time were involved in it in some way or another. As one of the bloodiest wars in the country’s history, and seeing that it in some cases literally pitted family against family, the Civil War to this day has left some people sensitive about both how and why it was fought, and the treatment of the people of the South afterwards.
For those that are fascinated with American history, and more specifically the history of the Civil War era, there are a great deal of historical sites and museums that are well kept and set up today to accept visitors. With that being said, here are six Civil War related museums and historical sites that should not be missed:
1. Appomattox Court House National Historic Park - Located in Virginia and operated by the United States National Park Service, the Appomattox Court House National Historic Park is home to the actual site where the surrender meeting occurred between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The park includes a rebuilt McLean House where the surrender meeting took place as well as many other exhibits and areas of interest related to the final days of the Civil War.
2. Gettysburg National Military Park - Located in Pennsylvania at the site of one of the most famous battles in American history, the Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the most widely visited historical sites in the entire country. The Battle of Gettysburg is looked at by many as a turning point during the Civil War, with the Union victory, though costly, significant in forcing General Lee to retreat his Confederate army back within the borders of the Confederacy. The Visitor’s Center at the park houses one of a kind exhibits within its museum that is dedicated not only to this famous battle but to the Civil War as a whole. There is a unique exhibit that looks at the everyday life of a Civil War soldier and it really drives home what it must have been like to have served in the military during that time.
3. Andersonville National Historic Site - Possibly one of the most disturbing, yet important, Civil War sites to visit is the Andersonville National Historic Site located in Georgia and on the site of the famous Confederat-run prisoner of war camp. Officially known as Camp Sumter, Andersonville was home to over 45,000 Union soldiers at one time or another. Sadly, of those 45,000 solders, 13,000 died from a variety of causes while housed in the prison. The site today is home to the Andersonville National Cemetery which is the final resting place for many of the soldiers who died there in captivity. The role of this historic site is not only to commemorate the history of what happened there, but also expands in the form of the National Prisoner of War Museum and looks at the history of American POWs and their experiences.
4. Antietam National Battlefield - Set aside to commemorate the bloodiest one day battle in American History, Maryland’s Antietam National Battlefield today hides the devastation that happened long ago with its current beautiful landscaping and surroundings. In the twelve hour battle that took place there, 23,000 soldiers from both sides were killed, wounded, or missing. The battlefield site houses an extensive museum and visitor center and also offers both a live battlefield talk from a park ranger as well as a film about what happened there. The site also has a very interesting and enjoyable self guided automobile tour that is over eight miles in length. There is also a field hospital museum located there as well as a short hike through the actual battlefield areas.
5. Vicksburg National Military Park - Located in Mississippi, Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the famous siege of the city of Vicksburg. The Union army gained control of the entire Mississippi River when the city of Vicksburg fell after the long siege that resulted in many deaths within the city. Included in the Vicksburg battlefield are over 1,000 monuments and markers as well as a completely restored Union gunboat, the USS Cairo. One of the best parts of this historic site is the 16 mile self guided road tour that navigates its way through, in, and around the entire area that was once the site of such an important military event. The site is also home to a National Cemetery.
6. USS Constellation - Located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the USS Constellation is a floating museum that is open to the public and provides the kind of look at naval life from over 100 years ago that cannot be found any where else. The USS Constellation was the last all-sail warship that was ever built by the United States Navy. The floating museum offers many unique experiences that will long be remembered by any of the lucky visitors wishing to take advantage of them. There are a number of guided tours of several areas of the ship where visitors can learn about daily life, and astonishingly there is also an opportunity for those visitors wishing to experience Civil War naval life in an unforgettable way to spend the night on board the warship itself.
When it comes to American history, there is no more pivotal moment than the Civil War. At a time when people around the world looked to America as the birth of freedom, the country was fighting a war against itself. This internal struggle of a young country has interested many people for more than a century and will continue to do so for many years to come. There will no slow down in the demand for more information relating to such an enormous even in the history of the United States. Much can be learned from the many historical sites set aside to honor and explain this important chapter in history, and much thanks should be given to those that set them aside and continue to maintain them to this day.
I’ll have to check some of these places out while on my American Civil War Tour. A bunch of us just finished reading the David H Jones novel, “Two Brothers: One North, One South,” and we are creating a list of places to visit during the time of the Civil War. This book was so amazing, while reading I felt like I was actually there. I can’t wait to see in person the significant sites of our past.
Thanks for the tips of places to see.
Comment by Melissa — March 11, 2009 @ 7:39 am