Young Visitors Invited to Become Junior Civil War Historians

Date: January 14, 2011
Contact: Eric Leonard, 229 924-0343

Junior Civil War Historian Patch

NPS/Stones River National Battlefield

One hundred fifty years ago, our nation nearly tore itself apart. Soldiers in blue and gray struggled on battlefields across the country and changed the face of the United States of America.

Nine Southeast Region national parks have banded together to encourage young visitors and their families to visit the special places where the Civil War unfolded to reexamine what that terrible conflict means to us today. Children ages six and older can earn a special Junior Civil War Historian patch by completing the Junior Ranger programs at two or three of the participating parks and/or completing special online activities. During their visits, young visitors and their families will have the opportunity to explore how the Civil War impacted the lives of everyone American then and still affects us as a people today.

Why did they fight? What was it like to be in the middle of a Civil War battle? How did civilians cope with the destruction of war? How did enslaved people seize their opportunities to gain, and sometimes fight for, their freedom? These are just some the questions Junior Civil War Historians can answer for themselves while they earn their special patch.

There are two ways to become a Junior Civil War Historian:

Option 1
Become a Junior Ranger at three (3) participating parks. Make sure you get a ranger to initial and date your activity card (available at all participating parks) or your Junior Ranger program booklets.

Once you have become a Junior Ranger at three parks, turn in your activity card or Junior Ranger program booklets at a participating park to receive your patch.

Option 2
Become a Junior Ranger at two (2) participating parks and do one online activity. Online activities can be found at http://www.nps.gov/stri/forkids/jcwhonline.htm.

Turn in your activity card or Junior Ranger program booklets along with a printout of your completed online activity at a participating park to receive your patch.

Participating Parks

Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville, GA – [phone] – [e-mail] – http://www.nps.gov/ande

Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
Fort Ogelthorpe, GA - [phone] – [e-mail] - http://www.nps.gov/chch

Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Dover, TN - [phone] – e-mail us - http://www.nps.gov/fodo

Fort Pulaski National Monument
Savannah, GA - [phone] – [e-mail] - http://www.nps.gov/fopu

Fort Sumter National Monument
Charleston, SC – [phone] – [e-mail] - http://www.nps.gov/fosu

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw, GA – [phone] – [e-mail] – http://www.nps.gov/kemo

Shiloh National Military Park
Shiloh, TN - [phone] – [e-mail] – http://www.nps.gov/shil

Stones River National Battlefield
Murfreesboro, TN – [phone] – [e-mail] – http://www.nps.gov/stri

Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg, MS – [phone] – [e-mail] – http://www.nps.gov/vick