Seasonal Decorations at Andersonville National Cemetery march 2013

Date: March 18, 2013
Contact: Eric Leonard, 229 924-0343, ext. 201
Contact: Kim Robins, 229 924-0343, ext. 112

ANDERSONVILLE, Georgia - As the reappearance of leaves on the trees outside denotes the arrival of warmer weather, the National Park Service would like to remind the public of the following seasonal changes to the floral decoration policy in Andersonville National Cemetery.

• Fresh-cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time.
• During warmer months, from April 15 to October 10, artificial flowers and wreaths are not permitted.
• During the periods ten days before and ten days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day, potted plants and wreaths are permitted. After these times seasonal decorations will be removed and discarded.
• Plantings, statues, vigil lights, or other decorations are not permitted at any time.
• All flowers will be removed when they become faded or unsightly, at the discretion of cemetery staff.

"The upcoming Easter and Memorial Day holidays allow opportunities to decorate the graves of military veterans who are honored in the National Cemetery," remarked superintendent Brad Bennett, "we hope that families take advantage of this time to remember the men and women who have sacrificed so much in defense of our liberties."

Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA on Georgia Highway 49. The site features the National Prisoner of War Museum, Andersonville National Cemetery and the site of the historic Civil War prison, Camp Sumter. ­Andersonville National Historic Site is a unit of the National Park System and serves as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. with the museum opening at 9:00 a.m. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229 924-0343, visit on the web at www.nps.gov/ande/, or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS

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About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 398 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.