Help Build Replica Prisoner Shelters at Andersonville for “Park Day”

Volunteers construct a replica shelter based on a historic drawing

NPS/E. Leonard

News Release Date: March 12, 2014

Contact: Eric Leonard, 229 924-0343, ext. 201

ANDERSONVILLE, Georgia – As our nation commemorates the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, volunteers across the country will once again answer their nation's call to service. Each year in April, history buffs, community leaders and preservationists team up with the Civil War Trust, History™ and Take Pride in America at more than 98 historic sites across the country to participate in Park Day. Park Day is the nationwide volunteer effort created by the Civil War Trust, underwritten with a grant from History™ and endorsed by Take Pride in America, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Since its inception in 1996, Park Day has attracted volunteers of all ages and abilities bound by their dedication to serving their communities.In 2013, nearly 8,000 volunteers at 105 historic sites across the country donated more than 36,000 service hours.This year, organizers hope to build on these impressive figures.

In Southwest Georgia, Andersonville National Historic Site will participate in Park Day. Volunteers will assist with repair and rebuilding of replica prisoner shelters in the reconstructed northeast corner of the prison site. Refreshments will be provided free of charge thanks to The Friends of Andersonville.

WHAT:"Park Day" stewardship event at the Andersonville National Historic Site

WHEN:April 12, 2014, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

WHERE:Volunteers will meet at the National Prisoner of War Museum.
Work gloves are useful, but not required.

For more information about Park Day at Andersonville National Historic Site, please contact Eric Leonard by phone at 229 924-0343 or by e-mail at e-mail us.

Park Day is one of a variety of programs over the two-year period of the 150th anniversary of the prison in 2014 & 2015 that will explore the prison site and the prison experience at Andersonville while also addressing the larger story at other military prisons, in the north and south. Every two months during the anniversary period, the park will focus on a single word theme that represents the events, conditions, or emotions of prisoners during the war. To expand the prisoner story, the park will also feature other Civil War prisons and draw on their stories to present a fuller picture of the captivity experience.

For more information on anniversary programs, themes and other featured prisons, please visit the park website at: https://go.nps.gov/cwprisons

The Civil War Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.Its goal is to preserve our nation's endangered Civil War sites and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds through education and heritage tourism.To date, the Trust has preserved more than 32,000 acres of battlefield land in 20 states.Please visit the Trust's website at www.civilwar.org, the home of the Civil War sesquicentennial. (For a complete list of participating Park Day sites, visit http://www.civilwar.org/parkday/)

Andersonville National Historic Site is located 10 miles south of Oglethorpe, GA and 10 miles northeast of Americus, GA on Georgia Highway 49. The national park 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 the only national park within the National Park System to serve as a memorial to all American prisoners of war. Park grounds are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The National Prisoner of War Museum is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily. Admission is free. For more information on the park, call 229 924-0343, or visit at www.nps.gov/ande/ Visitus on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AndersonvilleNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/andeNHS

NPS

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