Visiting Civil War sites

[Gil R.]

This weekend I'll be beginning a two-week odyssey that involves visiting family and attending a wedding, and it's going to take me through Civil War country, so I figured I'd get some input on which sites along my route are most worth visiting.

Part of my drive will involve going from Raleigh to Atlanta, and I see that Bentonville is nearby. Does anyone know if that's an interesting site? There seem to be no other potential sites between the two, but for my drive from Atlanta back to Cleveland I'll be going via Chattanooga, which, of course, takes me near Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, etc. I know that these are worth stopping at, but are there other sites that are especially worthwhile between there and Atlanta, or along I-75 as it cuts through Tennessee and then Kentucky? I'd welcome any input. Thanks.

[Gray_Lensman]

Depending on whether you get as far as Nashville before heading north to Cleveland. The Nashville battlefield looks interesting.

see: http://www.bonps.org/peril.htm

edit: the link at the bottom of the page "Back to Home Page" give more info

[Gil R.]

Hmm. Interesting. I had figured I'd get back to Ohio via Knoxville, but going by way of Nashville adds only a half hour total to my drive (not factoring in traffic). Of course, Knoxville is the more scenic route, going near the Great Smokies.

[Gray_Lensman]

Decisions... Decisions [:D]
 
I'm considering a trip thru Wilson's Creek then over to Shiloh myself, after Labor Day. If I have enough time I was looking into Nashville also, that's why I sent you the link.

[Yogi the Great]

If you do go to Chattanooga, look for "Confederama" if I remember the name correctly.  It is a board of minatures set up that covers the entire campaign in the area.  It's pretty neat as you sit around the map and music, sound and light effects show cover the action and a nice historical narration of the campaign.  I have been to it twice, once when I was in about Junior High which left a lasting impression on me.  I returned a few years ago (we won't say how many years in between except I admit to quite a few)  and can say that I still found it very enjoyable.  Too often we are dissappointed when we revisit places we had fond memories of as a kid, but this one held up to my memories.
 
If I remember right, it is near Lookout Mountain & the Chattanooga Choo Choo - well worth the visit - I can't remember the cost, but I think it was fairly reasonable.

[LMUBill]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

This weekend I'll be beginning a two-week odyssey that involves visiting family and attending a wedding, and it's going to take me through Civil War country, so I figured I'd get some input on which sites along my route are most worth visiting.

Part of my drive will involve going from Raleigh to Atlanta, and I see that Bentonville is nearby. Does anyone know if that's an interesting site? There seem to be no other potential sites between the two, but for my drive from Atlanta back to Cleveland I'll be going via Chattanooga, which, of course, takes me near Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, etc. I know that these are worth stopping at, but are there other sites that are especially worthwhile between there and Atlanta, or along I-75 as it cuts through Tennessee and then Kentucky? I'd welcome any input. Thanks.

Well... There is not much to see in Knoxville. Fort Dickerson is still there and they are working on partial restoration so that might be an option.

Going north on I-75 (and depending on how far you want to get off the interstate) there is a side trip to Cumberland Gap possible to visit the Abraham Lincoln Museum and LMU (don't know if Dr. Earl Hess will be there, though... he lives in Knoxville)

You can take a side trip to Somerset and visit the Mill Springs battlefield (about 35-40 miles west of London).

Just off the interstate in the Daniel Boone national forest north of London is the Camp Wildcat battlefield. Some of the earthworks are still there and an interpretive exhibit. The road up the mountain can be a bit rough in places, unless they've worked on it in the last year or so since I've been there.

About 45-50 miles west of I-75 (take the Mt. Vernon exit and get on US-150) is Perryville. There is a very nice state park there. Plus, you can go back to Danville (just east of Perryville and where the state of Kentucky was founded) and hit KY-34 over to US-27. At the intersection of those two is the site of Camp Dick Robinson (nothing there but a sign) and a few miles to the north on US-27 going towards Lexington is Camp Nelson. In Lexington you can hit I-75 again. You can combine this with a visit to Mill Springs.... just take 27 north out of Somerset until you hit US-150 in Stanford. Turn left and Perryville is about 20 miles away.

If you don't get off to go to Perryville, then you go right by the Richmond battlefield.

I can give you better directions if you'd like. IMHO if you only stop at one of these, then try Perryville. The museum there is pretty good and most of the battlefield is in the park and is pretty well marked.

Hope that helps!
Bill

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: Yogi the Great

If you do go to Chattanooga, look for "Confederama" if I remember the name correctly. It is a board of minatures set up that covers the entire campaign in the area. It's pretty neat as you sit around the map and music, sound and light effects show cover the action and a nice historical narration of the campaign. I have been to it twice, once when I was in about Junior High which left a lasting impression on me. I returned a few years ago (we won't say how many years in between except I admit to quite a few) and can say that I still found it very enjoyable. Too often we are dissappointed when we revisit places we had fond memories of as a kid, but this one held up to my memories.

If I remember right, it is near Lookout Mountain & the Chattanooga Choo Choo - well worth the visit - I can't remember the cost, but I think it was fairly reasonable.

Thanks for the tip. And what, pray tell, is the "Chattanooga Choo Choo"? I know the line from the song, of course. But is there some sort of tourist attraction with that name?

[Gil R.]

ORIGINAL: LMUBill

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

This weekend I'll be beginning a two-week odyssey that involves visiting family and attending a wedding, and it's going to take me through Civil War country, so I figured I'd get some input on which sites along my route are most worth visiting.

Part of my drive will involve going from Raleigh to Atlanta, and I see that Bentonville is nearby. Does anyone know if that's an interesting site? There seem to be no other potential sites between the two, but for my drive from Atlanta back to Cleveland I'll be going via Chattanooga, which, of course, takes me near Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, etc. I know that these are worth stopping at, but are there other sites that are especially worthwhile between there and Atlanta, or along I-75 as it cuts through Tennessee and then Kentucky? I'd welcome any input. Thanks.

Well... There is not much to see in Knoxville. Fort Dickerson is still there and they are working on partial restoration so that might be an option.

Going north on I-75 (and depending on how far you want to get off the interstate) there is a side trip to Cumberland Gap possible to visit the Abraham Lincoln Museum and LMU (don't know if Dr. Earl Hess will be there, though... he lives in Knoxville)

You can take a side trip to Somerset and visit the Mill Springs battlefield (about 35-40 miles west of London).

Just off the interstate in the Daniel Boone national forest north of London is the Camp Wildcat battlefield. Some of the earthworks are still there and an interpretive exhibit. The road up the mountain can be a bit rough in places, unless they've worked on it in the last year or so since I've been there.

About 45-50 miles west of I-75 (take the Mt. Vernon exit and get on US-150) is Perryville. There is a very nice state park there. Plus, you can go back to Danville (just east of Perryville and where the state of Kentucky was founded) and hit KY-34 over to US-27. At the intersection of those two is the site of Camp Dick Robinson (nothing there but a sign) and a few miles to the north on US-27 going towards Lexington is Camp Nelson. In Lexington you can hit I-75 again. You can combine this with a visit to Mill Springs.... just take 27 north out of Somerset until you hit US-150 in Stanford. Turn left and Perryville is about 20 miles away.

If you don't get off to go to Perryville, then you go right by the Richmond battlefield.

I can give you better directions if you'd like. IMHO if you only stop at one of these, then try Perryville. The museum there is pretty good and most of the battlefield is in the park and is pretty well marked.

Hope that helps!
Bill

Thanks. These seem interesting, though I'm trying not to get too far away from the highway, which runs the risk of adding an extra day to my drive.

What's Mill Springs like?

[LMUBill]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

Thanks. These seem interesting, though I'm trying not to get too far away from the highway, which runs the risk of adding an extra day to my drive.

What's Mill Springs like?

You can loop back to the interstate if you go to Mill Springs and/or Perryville.

As far as Mill Springs, they just opened a museum where you can see a video about the battle. There is a driving tour (You can get the brochure from the web site) that hits the major spots of the battlefield.

There are a lot of photos online if you do a google image search of Mill Springs Battlefield.

Basically Zollicoffer marched out of entrenchments near the river northward until he encountered the Union forces. After he was killed the CSA forces retreated back tot he river (followed by Thomas' union forces) and they crossed the river in the night. There is a small park at the spot where Zollicoffer died with a short walking trail through the area of heaviest fighting. The rest of the stops are along the line of advance/retreat. You can see the earthworks and trenches of the Confederate entrenchments though.

And if you go there, Somerset has tons of restaurants. Lake Cumberland might be worth a look right now as well. The area around the dam is leaking so the lake is about 40 feet lower than normal (and the Army Corps of Engineers wanted to drop it another 30 feet.)

[oldspec4]

This thread is very timely for me....I have one trip planned to the Chickamauga/Chattanooga area and a another to the Perryville area. FYI, I am using the U.S Army Command and General Staff College Staff Ride Handbooks as a detailed guide for both. I'm anal on walking battlefields off the main tour roads.

[Yogi the Great]

ORIGINAL: Gil R.

Thanks for the tip. And what, pray tell, is the "Chattanooga Choo Choo"? I know the line from the song, of course. But is there some sort of tourist attraction with that name?

Yes - it is a train that climbs a very steep grade right up the side of Lookout Mountain. Who knows, maybe they play the song on your way up. If just sight seeing non-civil war, there is a good aquarium, I-max theater, Rock City and Ruby Falls (a waterfall in an underground cave) that might interest you. Have fun whatever you decide.

[LMUBill]

You'll love Chickamauga and Perryville then.

There are really only four roads in the Perryville park. The road from the Mackville Road to the visitor's center, a branch of that road through the picnic area that goes back to the Mackville Road, a gravel road from near the visitor's center that goes over to the Hays-Mays Road (part of the tour road) and Whites road, which you'll cross if you hike to the "new" section of the park (150 acres bought a couple of years ago and recently opened with trails and markers). There are a couple of sites outside the park along the Mackville, Whites and Hays-Mays roads that you might want to see as well. Also the location of Sheridan's forces in what is now the Perryville Cemetery (not the one in the park) I believe is marked as well. Downtown Perryville might be worth a look as well. Lots of Civil War-era buildings still atandng and in use.

Perryville virtual tour on CWPT site

[Yogi the Great]

I just did some checking and apparently Confederama may now be called the Battles for Chatanooga Museum

http://www.battlesforchattanooga.com/

or another view

http://ngeorgia.com/tenn/bcm.html

[Yogi the Great]

ORIGINAL: Yogi the Great

I just did some checking and apparently Confederama may now be called the Battles for Chatanooga Museum

http://www.battlesforchattanooga.com/

or another view

http://ngeorgia.com/tenn/bcm.html

That was a great Link Yogi, thanks for posting It!

-------------------

You're Welcome.

[Drex]

I'll probably never get there but I sure wouldn't mind a visit..

[chadandpia]

Also, for anyone interested, I found this cool site http://www.civilwartraveler.com/

and there are free podcasts available from iTunes .. just type CivilWarTraveler.com in the search field.

[LMUBill]

Also, for anyone interested, I found this cool site http://www.civilwartraveler.com/ and there are free podcasts available from iTunes .. just type CivilWarTraveler.com in the search field.

So the Civil War only happened on the East Coast then????!?!?! Wow. [:-]

[chadandpia]

LOL ... I don't think they are implying that. Just think they only chose to concentrate there but perhaps you should send an email to them and ask why the only chose to do the east coast states? [;)]

[Yogi the Great]

ORIGINAL: chadandpia

LOL ... I don't think they are implying that. Just think they only chose to concentrate there but perhaps you should send an email to them and ask why the only chose to do the east coast states? [;)]

My guess would be they are an area tourist promotion group in that area ando they are showing "attractions" in their own area of their own contributing members.

[Gil R.]

So, having visited Gettysburg on Monday, I got to drop by Manassas today. Since my nephew was in tow I couldn't do 2nd Manassas, so it was purely a 1st Manassas day (which was fine). I must say, while it's a great place to visit, the park service really could do a better job explaining what happened and where it happened. At the visitors' center there's a 6-minute display that uses lights on a map to show how the battle unfolded, but the narrator leaves out some key points (e.g., the fact that the forces at the Stone Bridge were there as a feint, which is hinted at but not stated outright). And there's no comparable show for 2nd Manassas. Since the map for the site that everyone gets shows terrain but not where the armies were and where they moved, it's hard for anyone who doesn't know much about the battles -- 2nd Manassas especially -- to know what was going on where.