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Contact: Steve T. Phan, 859-382-6902
NICHOLASVILLE, KY – The National Park Service (NPS) is excited to announce the new operating hours and the September-October Calendar at Camp Nelson National Monument. The park’s Visitor Center and Museum will be open 5-days a week (Wednesday-Sunday) after Labor Day (September 5, 2022). The building will be open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The grounds remain open sunrise to sunset.
The calendar features National Public Lands Day, the Fall History Hike, and the 2nd Annual Luminaria and Memorial Walk.
Saturday, September 24th: National Public Lands Day (9:30 am – 12:00 pm)
Join the NPS for National Public Lands Day—traditionally the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort—at Camp Nelson National Monument. Volunteers will assist park staff with removing barbed wire fencing at several sections in the park as we continue to transform the cultural landscape back to the Civil War Era.
Participants should wear long sleeves and pants and bring water. Working gloves and tools will be provided.
Saturday, October 1st: Fall History Hike (10:00 am – 12:00 pm)
Join the NPS as we usher in a new season at the park. NPS Rangers will lead visitors on a guided-hike that will explore the site’s natural and cultural resources. The hike will be conducted on paved and grass paths and will involve moderate inclines.
Participants should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring water.
Saturday, October 22nd: 2nd Annual Luminaria and Memorial Walk (6:30 pm – 8:00 pm)
The NPS invites you to participate in a remembrance luminaria and memorial walk to mark the anniversary of Camp Nelson's largest expulsion.
On November 22, 1864, the US Army forcibly expelled 400 African American refugees from the camp during a winter storm, resulting in the deaths of 102 souls. It was the eighth and largest expulsion of refugees from the base since its establishment in April 1863. The November Expulsion garnered national attention and reached the halls of Congress in Washington DC, which passed legislation on March 3, 1865, granting emancipation for any enslaved person seeking refuge with the US military.
The special event will feature interpretive talks by NPS staff and special guests, a musical performance, and a guided-walk to Graveyard No. 1, where 400 luminaries will be light to honor the people expelled.
The event begins outside the park’s Visitor Center. The ½ mile walk will be conducted over paved roads and a mowed grass path. Visitors are advised to wear comfortable footwear and warm clothing, and bring flashlights.
All events start at Camp Nelson National Monument’s Visitor Center.
The park is located six miles south of Nicholasville along Highway 27 and directly north of the Camp Nelson National Cemetery. The US Army established Camp Nelson as a supply depot in 1863 during the Civil War. The base later became one of the country’s largest recruiting and training centers for African American men, who served in the United States Colored Troops (USCT), and also a large refugee center for enslaved people seeking emancipation.
For more information on Camp Nelson National Monument, visit the park’s website at https://www.nps.gov/cane or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/campnelsonnps
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for over 400 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, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Last updated: September 8, 2022