Petersburg National Battlefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Petersburg National Battlefield |
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Restored entrance to the mine destroyed in the Battle of the Crater
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 Petersburg National Battlefield
Location in Virginia
Petersburg National Battlefield
Location in the United States
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| Location | Southeast Virginia, USA |
| Nearest city | Petersburg, Virginia |
| Area | 2,740 acres (11.1 km2) |
| Established | July 3, 1926 |
| Visitors | 213,261 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Petersburg National Battlefield |
| Designated: | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference #: | 66000831 |
Petersburg National Battlefield is a National Park Service unit preserving sites 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. Over 140,000 people visit the park annually.
Contents
Park Units
Petersburg National Battlefield is composed of three major units and an additional managed component.
Eastern Front Visitor Center and Park Tour Road
Located off Virginia Route 36 east of Petersburg, the Eastern Front Visitor Center is the main visitor contact station for the Battlefield. Here, visitors can view exhibits and movies about the Siege of Petersburg as well as view Battery #5, an important early site in the Siege. The park entrance fee is also collected on the Eastern Front Visitor Center access road.
After leaving the Visitor Center, one can begin their park tour. A motor tour route runs from Virginia Route 36 to US Route 301. Along the way, visitors can view sites such as Fort Stedman and The Crater.
Five Forks Battlefield
Located in Dinwiddie County about 14 miles (23 km) southwest of downtown Petersburg, this unit contains the site of the Battle of Five Forks, which destroyed a sizable portion of the remaining Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Sometimes called the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," Five Forks helped set in motion a series of events that led to Robert E. Lee's subsequent surrender at Appomattox Court House.
City Point Unit
Sited next to the James River in Hopewell, City Point served as a major command and logistics hub for the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg. It is located in the City Point Historic District.
Poplar Grove National Cemetery
The 8.72-acre (3.53 ha) Poplar Grove National Cemetery is administered by Petersburg National Battlefield.
History
- Established as Petersburg National Military Park on 1926-07-03.
- Transferred from the War Department on 1933-08-10.
- Redesignated as Petersburg National Battlefield on 1962-08-24.
- Added to the National Register of Historic Places on 1966-10-15.
Images for kids
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Grant's headquarters at the City Point unit.
