Camp Nelson National Cemetery
Camp Nelson National Cemetery
In 1866, the United States government designated approximately eight acres here to establish a cemetery. Camp Nelson played a vital role in supplying the U.S. army with wagons, ambulances, artillery and supplies, had a 700-bed hospital on site to care for the sick and wounded, and most importantly, served the 3rd largest enlistment station for African-American soldiers and a refugee camp for their families. After the end of the Civil War, the federal government initiated a program to locate and re-inter Union dead in national cemeteries. As a result, in June and July 1868, a total of 2,023 remains were removed from areas in Kentucky such as Frankfort, Richmond, London and Covington and reinterred at Camp Nelson National Cemetery. Because of the camp’s significance as a USCT recruiting base, a large number of these soldiers are interred at Camp Nelson. The remains of Confederate prisoners of war originally buried at Camp Nelson National Cemetery were all removed, either to the Confederate lot in the cemetery at Nicholasville or local private cemeteries. With the exception of two graves removed from Covington and alleged to be Confederate soldiers, there are no Confederates interred at Camp Nelson. Over the years, the cemetery expanded. The historic section is enclosed by a stone wall and features a fully restored superintendent’s lodge, built in 1870. Camp Nelson National Cemetery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Open daily from dawn to dusk, visit loved ones or the historic graves that tell the story of the site. Visit our website for more information about the cemetery and details about burial here.[et_social_share]
LOCATION
6980 Old Danville Road, Nicholasville, KY 40356
859-885-5727
www.cem.va.gov
