Wilson's Creek

https://www.nps.gov/wicr/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson%27s_Creek_National_Battlefield Wilson's Creek National Battlefield at 6424 West Farm Road 182 near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, it was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate's failure to exploit their victory here resulted in keeping Missouri in the Union. Major features include a 5-mile automobile tour loop, the restored 1852 Ray House, and "Bloody Hill," the scene of the major battle. The site is located just southwest of the city of Springfield, in southwestern Missouri. Wilson's Creek was the first major Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River, and the site of the death of Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union general killed in action. The costly Southern victory on August 10, 1861, focused national attention on the war in Missouri. Wilson’s Creek NB commemorates and interprets the battle within the context of the war in the Trans-Mississippi West. From I-44: exit at Exit 70 (Missouri Highway MM). Continue south to U.S. Highway 60. Proceed through the intersection. Continue 1/2 mile to Missouri Highway ZZ. Turn right on ZZ. Continue south to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). At the roundabout, take the third exit; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right. John K. and Ruth Hulston Civil War Research Library The Research Library is housed in the Visitor Center and is non-circulating collection. The Research Library focuses on the Civil War with an emphasis on the Trans-Mississippi theater of war, Missouri, and the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The collection includes approximately 15,000 books and other items, such as regimental histories for many Civil War units, as well as a list of casualties for the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Staff members can perform limited research for patrons by mail, e-mail, or phone. Wilson's Creek Visitor Center & Museum The recently renovated visitor center contains a staffed contact station, exhibits housing items from our extensive museum collection, a twenty-eight-minute film, an eight-minute fiber optics troop movement map, a bookstore, and the John k. and Ruth Hulston Civil War Research Library. From I-44: exit at Exit 70 (Missouri Highway MM). Continue south to U.S. Highway 60. Proceed through the intersection. Continue 1/2 mile to Missouri Highway ZZ. Turn right on ZZ. Continue south to Farm Road 182 (Elm Street). Exit the traffic circle at ZZ & Farm Road 182 onto W. Farm Rd 182, the third exit; the entrance to the battlefield is on the right. Moonlight Tour Men in reproduction uniforms talk around a campfire Living history volunteers act out a scene during the annual Moonlight Tours event Edwards Cabin Women in reproduction historic dress sit and stand on porch of old cabin Living history volunteers give demonstration at the historic Edwards Cabin Lyon Marker A stone marker with engraving sits in front of a wooden fence and trees The 1928 Lyon Marker commemorates General Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union general to die in the Civil War. Henry Rifle The receiver of an 1864 rifle shows decorative engraving with the original owner's name A rare 1864 Henry repeating rifle from the park's museum collection belonged to Missouri Civil War veteran George W. Fulton Tour Road A man and woman walk with their dog on a paved road edged by trees and fields Visitors enjoy an evening stroll on the Tour Road. Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Visitor Center Front Entrance of Visitor Center and Arrowhead on sign reading "Wilson's Creek National Battlefield" Begin your visit at the newly remodeled Visitor Center at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. The Lyon Bed General Nathaniel Lyon killed at The Battle of Wilson's Creek was placed on this bed. The Lyon Bed. The Bed where General Nathaniel Lyon is placed, after being fatally wounded on the Battlefield. National Park Service Visitor and Resource Protection Staff Focuses on Week of Leadership Staff from all levels of the National Park Service in law enforcement, United States Park Police, as well as fire and aviation spent a week learning leadership lessons from one another as well as from a diverse group of leaders during the last week of September 2019. A group of women and men on a rocky outcrop in high desert. Slaves, Unionists, and Secessionists Local residents of the Wilson's Creek, Missouri area in 1861 were a microcosm of the divided nation, bringing with them different backgrounds and beliefs about slavery and Union. For example, John Ray and his wife, Roxanna, whose farm would be in the midst of the battle, were slave owning Southerners, though they supported the Union. General Nathaniel Lyon falling from horse after being shot during the Battle of Wilson's Creek Wildland Fire in Tallgrass Prairie: Midwestern United States Prairies depend on fire to maintain the ecosystem stability and diversity. One benefit of fire in this community is the elimination of invasive plants, thereby helping to shape and maintain the prairie. Bison grazing in recently burned area. Military Medicine at Wilson's Creek Elongated bullets, lack of equipment, unsterilized instruments, and live gun fire were just some of the issues hindering medical efforts for Civil War field hospitals and surgeons. Many soldiers were wounded in the Civil War but even more perished from disease. Learn about the medicine and medical professionals who served on the front lines. Modern photo of Civil War surgeon's amputation kit Wildland Fire in Oak Woodlands and Savannas of the Midwestern United States Oak woodlands depend on disturbances like fire to survive. Frequent fire created and maintained the open structure and make-up of the woodlands. Today, there are fewer oak woodlands across the central United States. Oak woodlands are converting into forests due to a lack of fire. Oak trees with an understory of grasses and forbs. The Border States The existence of divided populations in Border States had a profound impact on Union and Confederate strategy-both political and military. Each side undertook military and political measures--including brutal guerilla warfare-- in their attempts to control areas of divided loyalty and hostile moral and political views held by local civilians. Painting showing removal of Missouri civilians from their homes by Union troops NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Missouri Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. [Site Under Development] living history presentation to school group 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 Women in Fire Science: Sherry Leis Sherry Leis, a plant and fire ecologist, shares her story about being a scientist and her love of prairie ecosystems. A woman takes notes while standing near the edge of a fire at night. Fish Communities at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Scientists have been monitoring fish populations since 2006 in Wilson’s Creek and two tributaries. Fish are measured and inspected for diseases and abnormalities. Monitoring fish allows scientists to determine which species are in the park and how well they are doing in the streams. Rainbow Darter at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. Volunteer Bird Monitoring at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Heartland Network staff and volunteers monitor birds within the park during the Spring-breeding season. Volunteers are key to the success of this monitoring effort as they are able to survey birds in years when the Heartland Network is not scheduled to do so. This allows Heartland staff to establish continuous records on bird population trends for the park. Northern Cardinal Woodland Succession after Multiple Intense Disturbances The Manley Woods unit of Wilson’s Creek NB has been subject to intense natural and anthropogenic disturbance events such as a tornado in 2003, timber removal in 2005, prescribed fires in 2006 and 2009, an ice storm in 2007, and periodic drought. Manley Woods at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield The water quality in Wilson's Creek has improved since the 1960s, but urbanization still threatens streams in the park. We monitor aquatic invertebrates at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield to understand water quality conditions in streams. They provide an early warning system for potential water quality problems. Some invertebrates can live in poor-quality water, while others need cleaner water to survive. Wilson's Creek Bird Community Monitoring at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, 2020 Heartland Network scientists began surveying for birds at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in 2008. We have found 119 different bird species in 13 years of surveys. Unfortunately many bird species are in decline in the region. We measure changes in birds and their habitats to determine the health of bird communities and park ecosystems. Grasshopper Sparrow, a small brown-mottled bird Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Things to Do in Missouri Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Missouri. Purple flowers bloom on a grass-covered landscape under a partly cloudy sky. Prairie Plant Community Monitoring at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Restoration of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield prairies began in the 1970s. Prescribed fire, mowing, and herbicide treatments help maintain prairie plant communities at the park. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors the restored prairies to help park managers understand how the prairies may be changing over time. A monarch butterfly on a cluster of pink milkweed blossoms Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. The NPS Wellness Challenge at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Whether you choose to move in the footsteps of Federal and Southern soldiers, expand your knowledge of the Civil War and Missouri politics, or enjoy the native plants and animals, you can improve your wellness at the site of the second major battle in the Civil War. NPS Wellness Challenge logo (orange head with nature scene). Prairie field behind Problematic Plant Monitoring in Wilson's Creek National Battlefield At Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, we collect information on the cover and distribution of problematic plants, which include exotic, invasive, and weed species. We have found 53 problematic plant species at the park. Managers use the information from our surveys to develop treatment plans for these plants in park habitats. Green plants with tall flowering stalks in a clearing in front of forest Plant Community Monitoring in Manley Woods at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield At the time of the Civil War battle in 1861, Manley Woods at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield was probably a savanna or open woodland. The park uses prescribed fires and mechanical removal of trees to reduce tree canopy and maintain an open oak-hickory woodland. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors Manley Woods to understand how it might be changing over time. A scientist standing next to a stretched out measuring tape in a burned forest. Deer Monitoring at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Deer are charismatic creatures at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. Without natural predators, deer can become overpopulated and die of disease and starvation, as well as have a negative effect on trees and other plants by overbrowsing. The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network has monitored deer on the park since 2005 to help park managers manage deer, conserve park ecosystems, and assess safety risks to visitors. A deer standing in a field of browned vegetation next to a wood fence. 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.