Prairie Ridge Battlefield State Park

Begun in 1908 by The Daughters of the Confederacy, this Arkansas state park commemorates the all-day battle on December 7, 1862 which the US forces won, though both sides suffered equal loss of life and injury. Over 2700 troops were killed or wounded. Our history books always spoke of the battles out east and I wasn't even aware of the momentous fighting in Arkansas during the Civil War, but this battle and the fighting at Pea Ridge were huge battles with much suffering. This battlefield has been nationally recognized as one of the most intact Civil War sites, as the ridge and the fields look much as they did on the day of the battle.


The Visitor Center seen behind Ellen above included a small museum with interesting displays and artifacts from the battle and the era, including displays of the weapons used as seen below.



A number of interesting buildings within the 6 mile area had been moved to the park grounds, giving a perspective of life in the 1800s. The walking trail followed the ridge line and passed the Borden home and orchards which represented the high ground occupied by the Confederate forces, as seen on the photo below taken in front of the house and looking below and to the north into the meadows (then corn and wheat fields and pasture land) which hosted the battlefield and was described as being "muddy from blood.")



The park hosts Arkansas's largest Civil War battle reenactment every other year.