Join Us for the Annual Civil War Living History Weekend at Andersonville

Union prisoners huddle over a campfire inside the prison site.

NPS/Eric Leonard

News Release Date: March 5, 2012

Contact: Eric Leonard, 229 924-0343

ANDERSONVILLE, Georgia - Andersonville National Historic Site will host its annual Civil War Living History Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11, 2012. This educational program offers visitors the opportunity to gain a better understanding of what life was like between 1864 and 1865 at Andersonville, the infamous Civil War prison camp. Union prisoners and Confederate guards will be portrayed by Civil War period living historians.

A variety of interpretive programs will be offered on both days, including guard drills and artillery demonstrations. Living historians will be present in the area of the prison site from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10 and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. There is no admission fee and this event is open to the public.

At 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, the park will host a special presentation in the theater of the National Prisoner of War Museum about the discovery of another Civil War prison site in Georgia. Amanda L. Morrow, Georgia Southern University Archeology Graduate Student, will discuss the ongoing archeology occurring at the Camp Lawton prison site near Millen, Georgia.

At 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 11, join staff and volunteers in the Andersonville National Cemetery for a special program, "Every Stone Has a Story," to explore some of the many tales of the men who are buried here.

Schedule of Events
Times of demonstrations and scenarios are subject to change depending on weather and other factors.

Saturday 10:00 a.m. - Prisoner arrival / shelter building 10:30 a.m. - Guard drill and demonstration 11:00 a.m. - Artillery talk and demonstration 12:00 p.m. - Issuing of rations 1:00 p.m. - Special Archeology Program 1:30 p.m. - Artillery talk and demonstration 2:00 p.m. - Guard drill and demonstration 2:30 p.m. - Guard inspection of prison 3:00 p.m. - "Every Stone Has a Story" Cemetery Program

Sunday 10:00 a.m. - Shelter building 10:30 a.m. - Guard drill and demonstration 11:00 a.m. - Artillery talk and demonstration 12:00 p.m. - Issuing of rations 1:00 p.m. - Arrival of "fresh fish" 1:30 p.m. - Guard inspection of prison 2:00 p.m. - Artillery talk and demonstration 2:30 p.m. - Guard drill and demonstration 3:00 p.m. - Escape and punishment

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

 

Resources:
Photograph [1.6MB JPG file] Union prisoners over a campfire inside the prison site. Photo credit: NPS/Andersonville National Historic Site