What Can You Do

Visiting a Battlefield Archeological Site in Virginia ABPP/NPS Photo

Rediscover the history of battles that took place in your community, state, or region through books, battlefield tours, and special events.

Familiarize yourself with battlefield preservation issues and techniques.

Teach young people the value of preserving battlefields as a tangible way to understand the history of the United States and its people. Encourage schools to do the same.

Visit battlefields and associated historic sites throughout the country that commemorate the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Indian Wars, and other American military conflicts.

Encourage your elected officials to support legislation that protects historic battlefields.

Attend local planning meetings to ensure that decision makers acknowledge and protect battlefields as historic places, open spaces, and revenue-generating tourist sites.

Join a local battlefield friends group. If one does not exist in your community, establish one.

Join and support national battlefield preservation organizations and historical associations.

Volunteer at a battlefield park or site.

Support your local or state battlefield preservation commission. If one does not exist, petition your elected officials to establish one.

Endorse battlefield preservation initiatives through newspaper editorials and at community meetings.