Camp Nelson National Monument

Walk the trails of a Civil War Union depot where thousands of enslaved Kentuckians enlisted and won freedom for themselves and their families.

6614 Old Danville Loop 2 Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356 · Nicholasville, KY

About Camp Nelson National Monument

Camp Nelson was a Union supply depot during the Civil War and became one of the largest recruiting and training centers for U.S. Colored Troops, as enslaved men from Kentucky enlisted to gain their freedom. A refugee camp for their wives and children grew up here, and an 1865 act of Congress freed the families of those soldiers. Today 525 acres are protected as a national monument, 20 miles south of Lexington. The visitor center has a museum and a 17-minute film, and about 5 miles of trails pass fortification remains and signs. There is no fee.

#civil war
#national monument
#african american history
#museum
#walking trails

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