NPS Camp Nelson 1866The US Army established Camp Nelson on April 29, 1863. Over the next three years, the site served as a fortified supply depot, hospital, recruitment and training center, and refugee camp. The National Park Service (NPS) commemorates the 160th Camp Nelson (2023-26) with a series of special events, programs, and multi-media presentations! 
Library of Congress and University of Kentucky 2026 Spring & SummerJoin the NPS for special programs this fall and winter at Camp Nelson National Monument! The calendar features a diverse array of events, including the 5th Annual Winter Lecture Series starting in January 2026. All events are free and open to the public. 5th Annual Winter Lecture Series January - March 2026 (Saturdays) 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Join the NPS for the 5th Annual Winter Lecture Series at Camp Nelson National Monument! The special programs feature guest speakers who present on a variety of topic related to the Civil War Era. The presentations take place at the park's Reconstructed Barracks on select Saturdays. The programs are free and open to the public. March 28, 2026: "As Humanity Will Permit": The Closing of Camp Nelson in 1865-66 The US Army officially deactivated Camp Nelson in 1866 after the Civil War. The base was dismantled, the materials of war were removed, and most US soldiers were mustered out of service. However, the future for US Colored Troops soldiers and their families and other recently emancipated people was uncertain, precarious, and deadly as unofficial reconstruction emerges in post-war Kentucky. Steve T. Phan, Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Visitor Services at Camp Nelson National Monument, delivers the program. Campfire Program: From Kentucky to the Keyes: Camp Nelson Soldiers and Dry Tortugas National Park Join the National Park Service (NPS) for the first evening program of the year at Camp Nelson National Monument starting at 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 4, 2026! NPS staff will explore the experience of 17 US Army soldiers who served in units organized at Camp Nelson and were sentenced to hard labor and imprisonment at Fort Jefferson in Florida during the Civil War. Today, the masonry fort is managed by the NPS as part of Dry Tortugas National Park. The campfire program is free and open to the public and will take place in the field adjacent to the Visitor Center and Museum. Visitors should bring camping chairs. Corridor of Freedom: Brigadier General Charles Young Birthplace Cabin Commemoration The NPS at Camp Nelson National Monument and Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, in partnership with sites and organizations in Kentucky and Ohio, including the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, Brigadier General Charles Young Foundation, Kentucky African American Heritage Trail, Brigadier General Charles Young Memorial Historical Corridor, Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, City of Maysville, Visit Maysville, Mason County Fiscal Court, John Rankin House, John P. Parker House invite you to celebrate the life and legacy of Brigadier General Charles Young and the Young family.The event commemorates the 160th Anniversary of the Gabriel Young's discharge after serving in the 5th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery during the Civil War and the establishment of the Black Regular regiments in the U.S. Army, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Location: Spring and Summer Special Events (SAVE THE DATES)We'll share more details about the programs in the coming weeks and months.
For more information, please contact the park at 859-881-5716 or you can e-mail us. 
Library of Congress The Unchartered Road to FreedomAfter the Army of the Ohio’s successful liberation of East Tennessee, the US Army nearly abandoned Camp Nelson as fortified supply depot in March 1864. However, the army’s controversial decision to organize, recruit, and train US Colored Troops [USCT] at Camp Nelson and other centers in Kentucky sparked the destruction of slavery in the Bluegrass State. 
National Archives and Records Administration Army of LiberationClick here to learn about the formation of the Army of the Ohio and its operations in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee over the course of 1863. The new army was organized to liberate Unionists in East Tennessee from Confederate occupation and it would ultimately achieve that objective, but it would require marching far and fighting hard. The 21st Massachusetts Infantry was only one of many regiments in the Army of the Ohio, but the experiences of its members reveal both the hardships and triumphs of the 1863 campaign. 
NPS Civil War 160th in 60The National Park Service (NPS) commemorates the 160th Anniversary of Camp Nelson (2023-26) in a brand-new video series: Civil War 160th in 60!
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Last updated: March 25, 2026