Lend a Hand for History, Park Day Saturday, April 10

Park Day 2021

New Bern Battlefield Park and American Battlefield Trust Invite Volunteers

You are invited to join New Bern Battlefield Park and the American Battlefield Trust in the 25th anniversary of Park Day, an annual hands-on preservation event to help Civil War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 battlefields and historic sites take on maintenance projects large and small. This year on April 10, New Bern’s Battlefield Park will once again join in this national event.  Battlefield Manager, Jon Miller explains, “While our beautiful park reflects the work of many volunteers from Battlefield Guides clearing trails, to Boy Scouts building observation platforms to Marines building bridges, there is always much to be done.”  Miller hopes volunteers will help clear out the original Civil War fighting positions and do some general Spring cleaning. “While we expect this to be a workday, we also expect it to be a fun day.” Volunteers are asked to arrive at 9:30am. The first 25 volunteers will receive a water bottle commemorating the day.

This year Park Day falls on the same weekend as the New Bern Historical Society’s new event, the Hallowed Ground Lantern Tour.  While this special lantern-light tour occurs in the evening of April 9 and 10, re-enactors from the NC 26th will be on site Saturday morning with their living history encampments. Those helping-out with Park Day will have the opportunity to visit the encampments. To find more about the Lantern Tour, go to NewBernHistorical.org/lantern-tour

New Bern Historical Society’s Executive Director, Mickey Miller adds “We are thrilled to be joining the American Battlefield Trust’s national effort to preserve battlefields as a part of our historic fabric. We hope as you come to visit, you’ll want to learn more about this historic treasure.”

Volunteers are asked to arrive at the park at 9:30 a.m. A short tour of the battlefield will begin the day.  Bring work gloves and a rake if you like, a limited number of gloves will be available. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing appropriate for weather forecast.

In order to keep everyone safe, we’ll ask that masks be worn and that folks observe social distancing. New Bern Battlefield Park is located at the entrance to the Taberna subdivision off Highway 70 at 300 Battlefield Trail in New Bern, NC.

The Historical Society owns and maintains the park and encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the day. The park is open to the public from sunrise to sunset.

The mission of the New Bern Historical Society is to celebrate and promote New Bern and its heritage through events and education.  Offices are located in the historic Attmore-Oliver House at 511 Broad Street in New Bern. For more information, call 252-638-8558 or go NewBernHistorical.org or Facebook.com/NewBernHistoricalSociety.

Submitted by Kathy Morrison