Thousands of volunteers gather this weekend for a clean-up at America’s Civil War battlefields. From Maryland to California, they’ll clear away winter-time debris and make the parks ready for summertime visitors. At the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, organizer Joan House says they’ll work on 500-acres of battlefield just acquired for the site.
“Our goal is to get that open to the public and we use the public, very generously as great volunteers, to help us get those areas open by cleaning trees and old barbed wire fences from cattle and things like that,” said House.
House expects about 60 volunteers, but more are needed.
“You know, we’re probably going to get between 50 and 60. We have a couple re-enactment groups, the Green River Rifles and the 6th Ohio comes down from all over the State of Ohio to just help. So those are big, burly guys and that can really do great things in about eight hours. And then we have some Cub Scout groups that are going to come out and pick up along the road sides and stuff. So, it’ll be a busy day,” said House.
Similar clean-up efforts also take place at the Battle of Richmond, theFort Boone Civil War Battle Sitenear Boonesboro, and at Camp Wildcat Civil War Battlefield near London.
