Field Trip Friday: Pea Ridge National Military Park

Today I’m welcoming my dear friend, Lana, as my first guest poster. Since I’m busy packing for a getaway, I’m grateful for her willingness to share her experience to Pea Ridge National Military Park in Arkansas.

We met Lana and her family when we first arrived in Alabama and though she’s since moved with her family, I still love to hear about the many outings she takes with her children….plus she e-mails me and tells me about the places in Arkansas that she thinks my family will enjoy!

Pea Ridge National Military Park sits a few miles outside of Rogers, Arkansas. I can't tell you how many times I have passed the park entrance in the eleven years of living in Northwest Arkansas but I have never had the desire to stop until the last year or so. We were living in Alabama and had taken the kids to see a reenactment of the Battle for Decatur. My daughter enjoyed it so much that in my mind I knew we just had to attend the one held at the Pea Ridge National Military Park. However, we missed the reenactment held there this March.

On a recent trip to Northwest Arkansas, I decided that we would just ride out to the park and enjoy the day. I was so glad we did. I love when spur of the moment trips turn out so good!

Upon entering the Pea Ridge National Military Park visitor center we were greeted by a Park Ranger who asked if the kids wanted to participate in the Junior Ranger Program. I have a friend (that would be me! ) who had told me all about these programs and I was dying to try one out.

So the kids and I walked around the exhibits filling out the questions. We stopped in to watch the orientation film that was already in progress and I was quiet impressed that the kids watched as much of it as they did. It was almost over when my 7 year old got fidgety and cried out, "Why? Why did they have to die!"  It was then that we made our way to the car to begin the seven-mile road tour through the park.

Sadly, you can not enter the tavern.

There are 10 points of interest on this battlefield. (I had no idea that the Trail of Tears ran right through the park but I was intrigued). We stopped, ever so briefly, at most of the stops. It was hot! The children and I loved the East Overlook, "...the best view of the battlefield in the park."  They also loved Elkhorn Tavern that was used as a "field hospital caring for both Union and Confederate wounded" during the battle.

Pea Ridge National Military Park contains 4,300 acres. An orientation film and exhibits are available in the Visitor Center. A seven-mile tour road provides access to the battlefield and stops at important points of interest. This park has numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, including, walking, jogging, bicycling, picnicking and equestrian riding. There is an entrance fee that is collected in the visitor center. Living history programs are offered during the summer. Their battle reenactment is held the weekend closest to March 7th and 8th.

You may be wondering how my children liked the Junior Ranger Program. They loved it. They had to answer a few very easy questions and as we drove through the park they had a checklist of things to mark off as they saw them on the tour. They were so proud of their Junior Ranger badges. Unfortunately, my daughter left hers at the Buss Stop a few miles north of the park. If you ever get a chance to get an ice cream cone from the Buss Stop, I highly recommend a large. Yes, they come in sizes.

Becoming official Junior Rangers

What Civil War battlefields have you visited?

Interested in linking-up to Field Trip Friday? It’s easy, read the guidelines and join the linky below.

Until next month, Happy Field Trippin’!

Field Trip Friday: A Step Back to the Civil War

It’s time for Field Trip Friday and I have to tell you that this month has been so full of field trips that I had a really hard time determining which one to share! This week alone, we’ve gone ice skating for the first time, toured WAY-FM, a local listener supported Christian radio station and have plans to attend a ballet. I could have shared any of those outings, but this week I decided to transport you back in time, 150 years to the last days of the Civil War.

We didn’t travel to Appomattox Courthouse, but instead to the Earlyworks Children’s Museum in Huntsville*** to listen to a conversation  between Generals Grant and Lee as the Army of Virginia surrendered to the Federal Armies, which set in motion the surrender of the Confederacy.

I have to preface this post by saying that this program was intended for 4th grade students, but I was assured that our teen group would find the material interesting. I was convinced, but you should have seen the looks my children gave me when we stepped into the great hall and all the little kids turned to stare at the big kids. However, once the debate began, my kids were transfixed while the younger kids bounced up and down in their seats.       

We’ve studied the Civil War and visited many battlefields and sites relevant to the war but the debate was also great for those that had no knowledge of that era. Not only did they provide insight into the reasons behind the War between the States, they also spoke candidly about the character of one another, the reasons they fought, the soldiers they’d lost along the way, and the devastation that ensued.

Meet the generals, who graciously allowed me to capture their images with the camera before continuing on their way.

                     General Ulysses S. Grant                    General Robert E. Lee

After we met the Generals, we made our way through the rest of the museum where we met other key figures from the time period which included a female Civil War spy, a Buffalo Soldier and some names that you should readily recognize.

We talked to Harriet Tubman, also known as the conductor of the Underground Railroad. During her lifetime she led thousands of slaves to freedom in Canada. What I didn’t realize is that she also fought for women’s rights and was part of the Woman’s Suffrage movement.

We met Clara Barton as she described gathering bandages and aid for the wounded during the Civil War and later went on to become the founder of the Red Cross.

We listened spellbound as Union General O.M. Mitchel described how he captured the Huntsville Depot without firing a single shot. In April of 1862, General Mitchel and his troops left Shelbyville, Tennessee and began the long 50 mile walk to Huntsville. They crossed over Monte Sano mountain and stepped out of the fog as the sun was rising in the early dawn. The Confederate Army thought they were ghosts and ran.

Finally, we met Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln as she spoke of her girlhood, meeting Honest Abe and eventually becoming his wife, though her family was disappointed that he was only a poor lawyer. She recounted the hardships she encountered as First Lady, during the Civil War when some of her own family members fought for the Confederate States, she shared the heartbreaking loss of several of her children and the anguish she felt as she sat in Ford Theater, clasping her beloved’s hand as a man snuck up behind them and murdered him with a gunshot to the head.    

As we left the steps of Earlyworks, and returned to the year 2011, we were reminded of the hardships of those that have gone before and the words of a humble general who saw too much bloodshed in a battle that he’d rather have not fought.

Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia

After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

I need not tell the survivors of so many hard-fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them; but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that would have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged.

You may take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.

With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell.

~ Robert E. Lee

***FYI- Earlyworks is one of the largest children’s museums in the South and though you’d enjoy a visit at anytime, our experience encompassed a special school program so your visit will differ from ours.

Have you been on a field trip lately? You can link up to Field Trip Friday so we can learn right along with you. You’ll find the guidelines here.

Field Trip Friday: Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park

After driving past the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park several times on our trips from Alabama to Atlanta, we finally allowed ourselves plenty of time to stop and explore last spring. This battlefield in Northern Georgia was the first to become a national military park and was used as a model for those that would follow- Gettysburg, Shiloh and Vicksburg. We began our tour at the Visitor's Center where we enjoyed touring the museum-like exhibits and the impressive collection of firearms from a private collection.
Visitors Center A glimpse at the private firearms exhibit on display. My guys couldn't get enough!
I had no idea they even had grenades in the Civil War!
You won't want to miss watching the free 23-minute film, "The Battle of Chickamauga" that is shown every hour on the hour. If you're from the North, you'll leave with a better appreciation of the South's opinion of the war.

The seven-mile driving tour will allow you to see the major points of interest in the park. You can enhance your tour by purchasing an audio tour from the bookstore, or you can also access the Dial and Discover service on your cell phone free, depending on your usage terms. For some reason, we weren't able to access any information after the 7th stop, but that could have just been a glitch the day we visited. Along the tour, not only will you hear about the events that took place leading to a short lived victory for the South, you'll also see over 600 monuments recognizing all the regiments that participated in the battle.




This home was used as a field hospital during the battle.
Although the South won the battle, the Union managed to gain control of Chattanooga, the gateway to the Deep South, as they'd hoped.

Today as you visit, it's hard to believe that such a beautiful, serene setting was once the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. '


While we spent several hours exploring only the Chickamauga Battlefield before the impending rain clouds chased us away. If you're in the area and you're interested, you may also choose to visit Lookout Mountain Battlefield, Point Park, Missionary Ridge and the Chattanooga National Cemetery.

There you have it, a bit about our day at the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park.

Chattanooga