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Under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, Antietam National Battlefield keeps 100% of all fees collected and uses that money to fund critical projects that improve services and protect resources. At Antietam Battlefield, fee revenue provides accessibility improvements, modern interactive exhibits and panels, media content, critical maintenance and facility work, and more. Read a few examples below, and remember, they were only possible because of money collected from park fees.
NPS Antietam/BBaracz Preserving the Indiana and Maryland State Monument The National Park Service has begun critical work to clean and repoint the Indiana and Maryland state monument. All of the park's monuments get routine maintenance every 3-5 years which is conducted by park staff or by specialized contractors. The Maryland state monument, dedicated in 1899, and the Indiana state monument, dedicated in 1910, are commemorative features which are central to the park's purpose and mission statement. Preserving the cultural resources of Antietam National Battlefield for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration for this and future generations. Work will include removing and repairing deteriorated lead and mortar joint, waxing and cleaning the bronze plaques, and a thorough cleaning of the monuments. For more information about these and other monuments on the battlefield go to our monuments page. 
Painting the Joseph Poffenberger Farm Budlings Throughout Antietam National Battlefield are nine historic farmsteads and their structures. Work has begun on the Joseph Poffenberger farm and its surrounding structures, located at tour stop 2, the North Woods. The Poffenberger farm is a contributing structure on the park's national register and is an important part of the historic 1862 landscape. The project includes the painting of the house, barn, corncrib, stone building, and blacksmith shop and will also entail repairing any deteriorated wood and roof panels. This farmstead serves as a window into the past, allowing park visitors to see a near perfectly preserved farmstead of Sharpsburg from the 1860s. For more information on this and other farmsteads at Antietam, visit our farmsteads page. 
NPS Antietam "Remembering Antietam" helps viewers understand the battlefield through Col. Ezra Carman’s combat experience, his meticulous work preserving the battlefield, and careful documentation of the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. The film captures the battle's immediacy and brutality through the words, experiences, and memories of the participants, and also invites viewers to consider the importance of preserving history and what the Battle of Antietam means to them. Filmed on location in and around Antietam National Battlefield, the making of "Remembering Antietam" spanned three years. Several key battle scenes were filmed on private property near Keedysville, Maryland. Filmmakers paid particular attention to historical accuracy, including planting a field of heirloom varieties of corn to recreate the authentic look and feel of the battlefield. This production replaced the film that was running at the visitor center for over the previous twenty years. Park entrance and recreation fees funded this project. 
NPS Antietam Visitor Center ExhibitsAfter a three year, multi-million-dollar, extensive rehab project, the visitor center reopened in September 2023. The work included adding an elevator to provide accessibility to all levels of the building, reconfiguring the walkway leading to the entrance of the visitor center, modernizing and adding a family restroom, and providing emergency exits from the exhibit area of the building. Using fee money, the park has completed a redesign and enhancement of our exhibit space in the museum. Exhibits include interactive displays on civil war photography, casualties of battle, troop position maps, and public input on the importance of memory and the American Civil War. |
Last updated: June 5, 2025