Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield – Missouri
As I gather my photos from years of National Park exploration, there are many Civil War battlefields among them. These are sacred landscapes that once witnessed unimaginable bloodshed on our own U.S. soil. Missouri’s Wilson’s Creek is one of those places, marking a fiercely divisive battle during the earliest months of the Civil War.
Preserved as Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield near Springfield, Missouri, is the scene of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek that took place on August 10, 1861. This was one of the major engagements west of the Mississippi River where 30,000 Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in a brutal fight that signaled that war in the West would be just as consequential as the battles in Virginia. Here at Wilson’s Creek, the Confederate forces held the field which helped keep Missouri a bitterly contested border state. Among the fallen was Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union general killed in combat during the war.
Recognizing the site’s national importance, Congress authorized the preservation of Wilson’s Creek in 1960 and signed it by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Like so many National Historic battlefields across the country, Wilson’s Creek invites us to reflect on a time when our nation was at war with itself.
Read More From Nancy
Minute Man National Park – Massachusetts
On numerous acres stretches Minute Man National Historical Park. As a Massachusetts resident, we have visited this park several times. The park encompasses approximately 1,000 acres across the towns of Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord, preserving the landscape of April 19, 1775. This date was the opening day of the American Revolution. It was established as a National […]
Where a Nation Began: Standing on the Steps of Federal Hall – New York
Federal Hall is one of the most historically significant sites in New York, marking the birthplace of the American government. From Washington’s inauguration to the adoption of the Bill of Rights, it embodies the early struggles and triumphs that shaped the nation. Standing on the steps where George Washington took the oath of office on April […]
Voyageurs National Park – Minnesota
I have explored many National Parks on solo driving tours. There is something about the quiet rhythm of the road with long stretches of highway and time to think. Driving to Voyageurs in northern Minnesota was one of those journeys. I followed the North Shore of Lake Superior for part of the trip, marveling at its vastness. […]
