Reenactment of Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Springfield MO, Aug 12-14 Marks 150th Anniversary

To observe the 150^th anniversary of the Battle of Wilson’s Creek just outside Springfield, Mo., the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation is planning a commemoration Aug. 12-14, 2011. This event will include a full-scale Civil War battle reenactment, period civilian activities, crafts, educational activities, historical information booths, and much more. It will be on property north of the battlefield, and all proceeds will support the battlefield.

The conflict that threatened the future of the nation came home for the residents of southwest Missouri in August 1861, when two armies descended on the oak hills south of Springfield.  The Battle of Wilson’s Creek, the second major Civil War battle, decided the fate of Missouri and defined its role in the war. More than 2,500 Union and Confederate soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after the battle.

In 1961 on the 100^th anniversary of the battle, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield was dedicated, becoming one of the best preserved and most pristine Civil War sites in the National Park System. Today, more than 150 years later, we are still remembering the events that took place there, the role Wilson’s Creek played in the struggle to save Missouri for the Union, and the larger effort to win freedom for an entire race of Americans. Visitors to the park can walk along the Wire Road like the young soldiers who fought and died, relive the battle from the perspective of the Ray family and understand the impact of the war through educational exhibits and artifacts in the Civil War Museum and Visitors Center.

Visit the nation’s historical sites over the next four years – the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the Civil War – to keep the meaning of these special places alive for future generations.

For more information about the Battle of Wilson’s Creek commemoration and reenactment, visit www.wilsonscreek.com. To learn more about the Springfield area, visit www.SpringfieldAdventures.com or call the Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-678-8767.

For more Civil War travel features, visit:

 www.travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate

www.examiner.com/eclectic-travel-in-national/karen-rubin