The Mill Springs Battlefield Association, Inc., formed in 1992, is a non-profit, publicly supported 501 (c) 3 corporation dedicated to preserving, protecting, maintaining and interpreting the Mill Springs Battlefield. The battlefield is designated by the Department of the Interior as one of the top twenty-five “most endangered battlefields” in the United States.
The Association has steadily grown and continues its valuable efforts in the field of battlefield preservation. To date, over 400 acres of battlefield lands in Pulaski and Wayne Counties have been acquired and preserved with funding obtained primarily through the Pulaski County and Wayne County Fiscal Courts, the Civil War Preservation Trust, the American Battlefield Protection Program of the National Park Service, Land and Water Conservation Funds, the Transportation Enhancement Act (ISTEA/TEA-21) and through private donations and memberships.
Interpretation of the battlefield includes extensive use of split rail fences in the battlefield area, directional and interpretive signage, (a total of 30 interpretive signs are in place). Self-guided walking tours on designated trails gives the visitor a 360 degree experience of the battlefield. A driving tour can be taken using the 10-stop Driving Tour Brochure for the Mill Springs Battlefield Corridor which is available in PDF format (see “Our Downlaods”). Guided tours are also available for groups. The battlefield and all land associated has been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
New to the battlefield preservation effort is a $1.7 million, 10,000 sq. ft. Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum, which opened November 4, 2006, in Nancy, KY. The museum hosts authentic Mill Springs Battlefield artifacts, authentic Civil War artifacts, replicas of Civil War weapons and clothing and artifacts on loan from private collections. The Museum also occasionally hosts traveling exhibits and educational programs that related to Civil War or Local history. The Visitor Center includes a Civil War Reference Library, a Gift Shop, and a Community Room. The Visitor Center shows visitors a free 20-minute video on the History of the Battle of Mill Springs. The Visitor Center is the beginning point for a comprehensive journey through Kentucky Civil War history.
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