Petersburg

https://www.nps.gov/pete/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petersburg_National_Battlefield Petersburg National Battlefield is a site related to the American Civil War Siege of Petersburg (1864–65). The Battlefield is centered on the city of Petersburg, Virginia, and also includes outlying components in Hopewell, Prince George County, and Dinwiddie County. Nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, the suffering of civilians, U. S. Colored Troops fighting for freedom, and the decline of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia all describe the Siege of Petersburg. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant cut off all of Petersburg's supply lines, ensuring the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, Gen. Lee surrendered. The Eastern Front (Main) Visitor Center is located approximately 2.5 miles east of Rt. 95 off of Route 36 in Petersburg. If travelling north on Rt. 95, take exit 50D and follow signs to Wythe Street. Once on Wythe Street, travel 2.5 miles east to entrance of Battlefield. If travelling south on Rt. 95, take Exit 52 (Wythe Street). Again, travel about 2.5 miles to entrance. Eastern Front Visitor Center The Eastern Front Visitor Center is the park's main visitor center, including museum, gift shop, and 18 minute video. The Visitor Center is open every day. Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Visitor Center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. From I-95 & I-85: Take the Wythe Street (Rt. 36 east) exit.[From south bound I-95 this is Exit 52; From northbound I-95 this is Exit 50 D; and from north bound I-85 this is Exit 69] Turn onto this one-way road and follow it 2.5 miles to the park entrance on the right. From 295: Take exit 9B onto Rt. 36 west to park entrance on the right just past Fort Lee. From Norfolk area: Take 460 west to Petersburg and take the Crater Road (Rt. 301) north exit. Follow Crater Road to Wythe Street, turn right and follow i Five Forks Visitor Contact Station Contact station includes small exhibit area, book store, and 12 minute video. From I-95: Take exit #51 onto I-85 south. Then take exit #61 onto 460 West. Travel seven miles and take left onto Rt. 627 - Courthouse Road. Travel three miles to contact station on right. From I-85 north: Take exit #53 and left onto Rt. 703. Then make a left onto Rt. 1 and then a right onto Rt. 627 - Courthouse Rd. Travel 5 miles to contact station on left. General Grant's Headquarters at City Point Station is located in the former plantation home of the Eppes Family. When open, visitors can view a 15 minute video and tour the first floor of the home including a room with interpretive exhibits and two rooms with original 18th and 19th century furniture that belonged to the Eppes Family. Exhibits focus on the Union Army's occupation of City Point, as well as the lives of the free and enslaved people who lived on the plantation before the war. From I-95 & 295: Take Rt. 10 east towards Hopewell. Cross over the Appomattox River and at the second traffic light past the bridge take a left onto Main Street/Appomattox Street. Follow until it meets Cedar Lane and take a left. As you come up to the plantation house the parking lot is on the left. From Williamsburg: Take Rt. 5 north and turn left to cross the Benjamin Harrison Bridge (Rt. 156). After crossing over the James River turn right onto Rt. 10 and follow into Hopewell. Turn right onto Main Street Appomattox Plantation (Eppes Home) Plantation home prior to the War. U.S. Quartermaster Headquarters during the Siege. This home and the grounds surrounding it were used by General Grant and his staff during the Siege of Petersburg. Snow Covered Cannon Snow covered cannon overlooking the Crater Battlefield Soldiers spent months in the trenches around Petersburg, including snowy winter mornings. Eastern Front Visitor Center Pictured is the front of the brick visitor center under a cloudless blue sky. Thousands of people gather information about the park, view the park's video, and conduct research on Civil War ancestors from this visitor center. Fort Fisher Earthworks covered in green grass. Earthworks at Fort Fisher Bat Population Monitoring in Petersburg National Battlefield Bats are serve an important role in eastern forests as nocturnal insect predators. In Petersburg National Battlefield, scientists are investigating what bat species are present and what habitats are most critical for these fascinating animals. To date, 11 species have been documented, including two rare species protected by the Endangered Species Act. A state-endangered little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Women Amidst War The extreme demands of wartime industry and the loss of traditional family breadwinners to military service caused hardship, but also presented opportunities to women for employment, volunteerism, and activism that previously had been unavailable to them. While many of these gains would be temporary, the Civil War nonetheless represents an important step forward in American society's view of the role of women. Women were increasingly seen (and saw themselves) as the foundat Photo of women at a house on the Cedar Mountain battlefield African Americans at the Siege of Petersburg Petersburg, Virginia was a major supply hub for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Interestingly, half the population of this city, whose rail lines would prove so essential to the survival of Richmond, was comprised of both free African Americans and slaves. As the war closed in on this community, these individuals would play a critical role. Photo of United States Colored Troops at review in Washington, D.C. National Parks and National Cemeteries Currently, the National Park Service manages 14 national cemeteries. These cemeteries represent a continuum of use dating to a period before the establishment of the historical parks of which they are an integral part and are administered to preserve the historic character, uniqueness, and solemn nature of both the cemeteries and the historical parks of which they are a part. Setting sun lights up graves and decorations Death and Dying The somber aftermath of Civil War battles introduced Americans--North and South--to death on an unprecedented scale and of an unnatural kind, often ending in an unmarked grave far from home. Neither individuals, nor institutions, nor governments were prepared to deal with death on such a massive scale, for never before or since have we killed so many of our own. The Civil War revolutionized the American military's approach to caring for the dead, leading to our modern cult Photo of freshly buried marked and unmarked graves near Petersburg, Va. Women at City Point With more than 4 million men serving in the Union and Confederate armies during the course of the war, women during had opportunities to contribute to both the military and society in general in ways never before imagined. At the Union supply base at City Point, Virginia, as throughout the country, women served important roles as caregivers, laborers, hospital managers and more. Photo of U.S. Sanitary Commission office NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. sun rays through clouds Eagles Have Peaceful Easy Feeling Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nesting on national park and associated lands in the Chesapeake Bay are doing well. A recent study shows their numbers, once crippled by the effects of the insecticide DDT and other pollutants, are now growing. And juvenile eagles screened for pollutants generally showed low and undetectable exposure levels. A fluffy black eaglet sit on a towel in the sun 11 Ways National Parks Influenced World War I (and vice versa) Uncover the hidden history of World War I in the national parks! A Renault tank and infantry move through a field Training for Trench Warfare Shortly after the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, construction began on training facilities for hundreds of thousands of new troops. The 80th Division was organized at Camp Lee, Virginia for training in trench warfare. The system of World War I trenches that survives at what is now Petersburg National Battlefield is thought to be the largest and best preserved in the country. soldier demonstrates how to properly exit a trench The United States Military Railroad How do you make sure an army of 100,000 men encamped in front of Petersburg, Virginia for nine months, gets the food and supplies they need? Ulysses S. Grant turned to the U.S. Military Railroads for the solution. Depot at the U.S. Military Railroads, City Point, Va., showing the engine The Military Experience The course of the war was the cumulative result of political, economic, and social policies that affected (and were affected by) military operations and battles waged across a front spanning 2,000 miles. The battles and campaigns of 1861-65 ultimately demonstrated that the simple application of massive military force, even with innovations in technologies and tactics, was insufficient to resolve a conflict between two sections mobilized against one another politically, socia Engraving of soldier warming himself by a fire Photo of U.S. Sanitary Commission office. Fire Prevention Success--What’s Being Accomplished in the National Parks The People of Fire Prevention Everyone agrees--ZERO structures burned is the goal. With more than 26,000 buildings in its care, many of which are historic, it is easy to understand why fire prevention must be a priority to the Service. The Civilian Experience in the Civil War After being mere spectators at the war's early battles, civilians both near and far from the battlefields became unwilling participants and victims of the war as its toll of blood and treasure grew year after year. In response to the hardships imposed upon their fellow citizens by the war, civilians on both sides mobilized to provide comfort, encouragement, and material, and began to expect that their government should do the same. Painting of civilians under fire during the Siege of Vicksburg 2020 Weather In Review: Petersburg National Battlefield 2020 was an extremely warm and wet year at Petersburg National Battlefield. In all, it was the wettest year the park has ever experienced (since 1895). It was also the 3rd warmest year on record. Stormy clouds over the Adams Farm Abraham Lincoln: The War Years 1861-1865 No president up to that point in American history was called on to be commander-in-chief like Abraham Lincoln. From monitoring the War Department telegraph office to selecting of commanding generals and developing military strategy, Lincoln guided the nation through its darkest hour. Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan following the Battle of Antietam A Nation's Need - Poplar Grove National Cemetery After the Battle of Petersburg the dead were buried in shallow graves, most without grave markers. One year after the war ends a National Cemetery was established so that those Union soldiers who fell in the battle may be properly honored. Photo of Poplar Grove National Cemetery, with flags decorating graves for Memorial Day The Changing War Begun as a purely military effort with the limited political objectives of reunification (North) or independence (South), the Civil War transformed into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. As the war progressed, the Union war effort steadily transformed from a limited to a hard war; it targeted not just Southern armies, but the heart of the Confederacy's economy, morale, and social order-the institution of slavery. Woodcut of spectators watching a train station set fire by Sherman's troops Archeology ABCs Coloring Book Archeology paints a colorful picture of the past! Download and print this full coloring book packed with archeological objects from A to Z! Title page for coloring book entitled Archeology ABCs Coloring Book National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map White Hill Field Quarters Survey, Petersburg National Battlefield The remains of the White Hill plantation lay just outside of the city of Petersburg Virginia, within the boundaries of the Petersburg National Battlefield. Beginning in 2020, the Northeast Archeology Resource Program (NARP) partnered with the Cultural Resource Staff at Petersburg National Battlefield (PETE) to search for the plantation field quarters. Follow this link to find out more about this project and archeological survey at PETE! Archeologist, Dania Jordan screening at PETE White Hill Field Quarters, 2020 Series: African American History at Gettysburg Abraham Brian, Basil Biggs, James Warfield, and Mag Palm are just a few of the many individuals that were affected by the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg, and each has their own story to tell. We have collected their stories in one place so that you can learn more about their various trials during this tumultuous time in American history. A black and white photograph of a black family posing with a white man and his horse in a dirt road. Breeding bird monitoring at Petersburg National Battlefield: 2019 status and trends To help inform natural resource management at Petersburg National Battlefield, National Park Service scientists collect data about breeding bird populations. See what they learned from this data in 2017-2018. Small yellow bird perched on a limb. An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Petersburg National Battlefield Benthic macroinvertebrates are an important part of stream ecosystems in Petersburg National Battlefield. NPS scientists are studying these organisms in order to better understand and protect park natural resources. NPS staff in a creek with a net Grant on the Eastern Front Grant’s initial assault on Petersburg ended with heavy casualties without any significant breakthroughs. Additional attempts also ended in failure. Facing a reinforced and entrenched enemy, Grant settled in for a siege, setting the stage for the longest and final major engagement of the Civil War. Rolling hills on Petersburg Battlefield today. Series: The Odyssey of Ulysses An unknown 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S.-Mexican War later resigns the army. He rejoins and goes on to become lieutenant general of all Union armies. In his first term as President of the United States, he establishes Yellowstone National Park. From his first battle to his family home to his final resting place — the saga of Ulysses S. Grant is preserved in your National Parks. Color lithograph of Grant at the capture of the city of Mexico. 2021 Weather In Review: Petersburg National Battlefield At Petersburg National Battlefield, the year 2021 was much warmer than average but had near-normal total precipitation. Reconstruction of a Union soldier's hut Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests. Forest Regeneration Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are negatively impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals. Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings. I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below. Forest health monitoring Grant at Petersberg In January 1865, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens and other Confederate officials approached Grant’s headquarters to discuss peace. They were escorted to a steamer where they waited for Union President Abraham Lincoln’s arrival. Despite his feelings, Grant was a gracious and courteous host. Ulysses S Grant's headquarters Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively. Forest health monitoring Resilient Forests Initiative - Forest Complexity Much of the forest in the eastern United States is around the same age, regrowing after widespread land clearing that peaked between the 1880's and 1920's. Throughout the twentieth century, forests began to regenerate, eventually spreading onto abandoned agricultural lands. Canopy gap Petersburg Then and Now Historic photo and modern photo comparison activity. Two story white house surrounded by over frown vegetation. National Park Service Career Exploration Explore the variety of career opportunities in the National Park Service. A mosaic of small color pictures of the NPS employees working in different career fields. General Grant's Headquarters at City Point General Grant arrived at City Point on June 15, 1864 and established his headquarters in a tent on the east lawn of Dr. Richard Eppes’ home, Appomattox. This location would play a critical role in the Petersburg Campaign and shaping the nation after the war ends. Snow dusts the ground and a white two story house with a red roof and multiple chimneys. Battle of Five Forks The Battle of Five Forks was on of the last battles in the Civil War. Some call it the Waterloo of the Confederacy. A large rectangular monument and a small block monument next surrounded by green grass. Poplar Grove National Cemetery Poplar Grove National Cemetery is final resting place for over 6,000 people. Sadly only less than 2,150 are known. Drawing 3 "body-bags" in the foreground with two groups of men preparing graves between trees. Archeology and When War Came to the Hare House at the Eastern Front (An Informal Learning Activity) In mid-June 1864, Union forces swept through Hare’s property. In his haste to escape, Hare left everything behind. See what archeologists have found. Whole metal key Archeology at the Eppes Family Plantation at Grant’s Headquarters at City Point (An Informal Learning Activity) The Eppes family established plantations on and around Grant’s Headquarters at City Point, beginning in the mid-17th century. They enslaved Africans, who were the Eppes’ legal property. Archeology helps fill in missing details about people’s lives and work. Use this online activity to learn about aspects of everyday life at the Eppes’ plantation. Scratch blue lid fragment Archeology and the Indigenous Peoples at Grant's Headquarters at City Point (An Informal Learning Activity) Indigenous people first inhabited the place now called Grant’s Headquarters at City Point. Archeology helps the National Park Service tell the story of over 12,000 years of history at the park. In this activity, learn how to closely examine stone tools like an archeologist. Yadkin point 2022 Weather in Review: Petersburg National Battlefield Petersburg National Battlefield had a warm 2022 (i.e., 21st warmest year ever recorded) with total precipitation that was just below normal. Cannons pointing towards a pink sunset 2023 Weather in Review: Petersburg National Battlefield It was a very warm 2023 (i.e., 5th warmest year ever recorded) for Petersburg National Battlefield, but total annual precipitation was close to normal. Bright yellow-orange sunset over the earthworks of Fort Stedman. On to Richmond: Civil War 160th Programs & Events Beginning in the spring of 2023, special events at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania NMP, Richmond National Battlefield Park, and Petersburg National Battlefield will commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Overland Campaign and beyond. How would the events of 1864 shape the course of the war? How would the decisions made in 1864 determine the future of the United States? View of cannon at Prospect Hill on Fredericksburg Battlefield at sunset. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. 2023 Excellence in Interpretation Awards View the recipients of the 2023 National Park Service Excellence in Interpretation Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the practice of interpretation and education by NPS employees. 13 people in tribal attire, uniform, or hiking clothes amid mud bricks. Preservation of Historic Walls of Poplar Grove National Cemetery at Petersburg National Battlefield Supported by GAOA Funding National Park Service masons from the Historic Preservation Training Center repaired, rehabilitated, and stabilized 30 double wythe masonry recessed wall sections at Poplar Grove National Cemetery at Petersburg National Battlefield. The $197,000 project was funded by the Great American Outdoors Act. A masonry worker, in an NPS uniform and a hard hat, Project Profile: Managing Resilient Eastern Forests The National Park Service will improve the ecological health of eastern forests in 38 parks using an array of management techniques. The NPS has selected forest ecosystems of high ecological and cultural value across multiple parks from Virginia to Maine that are at greatest risk of forest loss due to chronic and interacting stressors. Person gazes up at a tall tree Project Profile: Restore Eastern Grasslands The National Park Service will restore up to 4,000 acres of agricultural fields and degraded lands across 37 parks in 15 states. This landscape-scale restoration project will expand the range and connectivity of native grasslands across the eastern US, restore biodiversity and critical ecosystem functions, reduce pesticide use, benefit people and wildlife, and create employment opportunities for diverse early career youth. A park manager and others standing amidst a grassy landscape. Inventory & Monitoring Partnerships Aim to Improve Park Forest Health from Coast to Coast From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own. Four people, one in NPS uniform, stand in a forest. Three look upward through binoculars. Hidden in Plain Sight: Old Growth Remnant Grasslands During 2024 scouting for a large eastern grassland restoration project funded by IRA and BIL, several old growth remnant grasslands were identified in National Capital and Northeast Region parks that were previously unknown. These remnants preserve the genetic integrity of the original grassland flora of the eastern US and are true unexpected treasures that in some cases, were hidden in plain sight. a grassland landscape with distant trees