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Perryville Battlefield plans cleanup day in April

March 10, 2008

PERRYVILLE - Seven generations after the beginning of the Civil War, another wave of volunteers is about to descend on America's storied battlegrounds - only this array of dedicated men and women will be armed with paint brushes, trash bags and weed whackers.

On April 5, history buffs and preservationists from around the country will team up with the Civil War Preservation Trust to help clean and restore America's priceless battlefields, cemeteries and shrines.

The nationwide effort - dubbed Park Day - is underwritten with a grant from The History Channel. For the second time, this year's Park Day is presented in partnership with Take Pride in America, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Park Day, now in its 10th year, is an annual hands-on preservation event created by CWPT to assist local groups with the maintenance of Civil War sites.

Participants gather at the sites to help with activities that range from trash removal to trail building. In exchange for their hard work, volunteers receive T-shirts and have an opportunity to hear a local historian discuss the significance of the site.

The group also will re-plant about 40 sapling trees to help re-establish Maney's Woods. This is the wooded area that the Confederate Infantry charged out of to assault Parsons' Guns on the open knob.

Additionally, the group is a planning a major cleanup of Crawford Springs. The Crawford Ford and the Chaplin River Road to the east of the river were the route of the Chaplin River Road to the east of the river were the route of the Confederate flanking march to get beyond the Union right flank.

The Confederate troops first intended to launch their attack from the vicinity of the Goodknight farm. Upon learning that the Union flank was being extended, the Confederates marched further north to Walker's Bend. The spring was used as a source of water for the parched Confederate troops.

The park will provide lunch and refreshments to volunteers. If you are interested in helping,contact Joni House. Signups will be at the park the morning of the cleanup, beginning at 8 a.m.

Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site is one of the sites that will benefit from Park Day-related activities.

Volunteers are needed to for a variety of activities including cannon repair and horticultural activities.

For more information about Park Day at Perryville Battlefield, contact Joni House at (859) 332-8631 or joan.house@ky.gov.

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