Department of Parks
Perryville Civil War Battle Virtual Tour Now Available

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Scenes, maps and battlefield views for the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site can now be viewed online at the Civil War Preservation Trust web site. This is just the second battlefield to have a virtual tour.

“This makes important American history so much more available and real to the public,” said J.T. Miller, the Kentucky commissioner of parks. “It also helps tell the story and significance of the battle at Perryville.”

On October 8, 1862, Perryville became the site of the most destructive Civil War battle in the state which left more than 7,500 killed, wounded or missing. The battlefield is one of the most unaltered Civil War sites in the nation; vistas visible today are virtually the same as seen by soldiers on that fateful day in 1862.

“The fate of Kentucky, and in some ways the nation, hung on the outcome of the Battle of Perryville,” said Chris Kolakowski, Executive Director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association.  “This tour helps people get a sense of what the battle was and the well-preserved battlefield that exists today.”

The Civil War Preservation Trust is also pleased with the new addition to its website.

“Battlefields make history come alive like reading from a book never can,” said CWPT president Jim Lighthizer. “We are thankful that new technologies allow us to share the experience of ‘visiting’ a site with more and more people.”

Perryville, now a state park, will host the national Civil War re-enactment battle on Oct. 7-8, 2006.  Thousands of re-enactors and visitors are expected.

The virtual tour – available at http://www.civilwar.org/VirtualTour/TourBrowse.asp -- provides details with maps, photographs of the battlefield, and troop movements.

The Civil War Preservation Trust is America's largest non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of our nation's endangered Civil War battlefields. Since 1987, CWPT has helped save nearly 23,000 acres of hallowed ground, including 235 acres in Perryville.  CWPT’s website is located at www.civilwar.org

Advance discounted tickets are available for those interested in attending the re-enactment battle. A discount of $3 applies to both the one-day ticket, regularly priced at $15, and the two-day pass, which will cost $20 at the gate.

Holders of advance tickets will bypass the main admission line to the event. Advance tickets are available by calling or visiting the park. For more information on the weekend, contact the park at (859) 332-8631 or check the Department of Parks website, http://www.parks.ky.gov or visit: http://www.perryvillereenactment.org/

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 52 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov