• North HillSide Photomerge

    Andersonville

    National Historic Site Georgia

History & Culture

Historic photo of woman standing at grave blendind with modern image of cemetery
On Memorial Day 1911, Emogene Marshall placed an American flag at the grave of her brother, Edwin Niver, who died at Andersonville.
NPS/Andersonville National Historic Site
 

Andersonville National Historic Site is the only park in the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Congress stated in the authorizing legislation that this park's purpose is "to provide an understanding of the overall prisoner of war story of the Civil War, to interpret the role of prisoner of war camps in history, to commemorate the sacrifice of Americans who lost their lives in such camps, and to preserve the monuments located within the site."

The landscapes of Andersonville National Historic Site serve as an ideal location to research and explore the people, places and stories which illustrate the prisoner of war experience and the significant cultural resources cared for and preserved by the National Park Service.

  • Common Myths About Civil War Prisons Common Myths About Civil War Prisons

    Discover the facts behind some of the most widely held beliefs about Andersonville and Civil War Prisons. Read More

  • Clara Barton at Andersonville Clara Barton at Andersonville

    Learn more about Clara Barton's connection to Andersonville Read More

  • Researching Civil War Prisoners Researching Civil War Prisoners

    Find out how discover more about Civil War prisoners of war Read More

  • Monuments Monuments

    Twenty-four historic monuments are located at the prison site and cemetery Read More

Did You Know?

Bronze panel showing a prison scene on the back of a stone monument

Most visitors exploring Andersonville National Cemetery are unaware that the New York monument has an image sculpted on the reverse side of the memorial. The image on the reverse depicts two Andersonville prisoners. One is seen as dejected while the other appears hopeful. An angel approaches the prisoners carrying an olive branch, the symbol of peace, which was used to represent the reconciliation between the North and the South.