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> Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Site Name Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Street Address 6424 W. Farm Road No. 182 City / State / Zip Republic MO, 65738 Phone number 417-732-2662 Web Page www.nps.gov/wicr   Admission Fee $5.00 per adult for a seven day pass $10.00 per family for a seven day pass $20.00 for a annual park pass Hours Visitor's Center hours 8:00 am to 5:00 pm 8am to 9 pm Tour road from Memorial to Labor Day, 8 am to 7:00 pm for the Tour road after September 5th Civil War Museum from 9 am to 5 pm Visitor services Visitor Center with rest rooms, gift shop, electric map for visitors, library (largest in NPS system), collection of the only Trans-Mississippi Museum that traces the history of the Civil War in the West with thousands of historical items, 5-mile auto dri Regular Events Summer we have living history events, Ray House, Bloody Hill Tours, historic weapons firing demonstrations are offered, Arts-in-the-Park, August 10th Anniversary Ceremony of the battle, September 12th Moonlight Tour, December 12th Luminary Tour of battlefield.     Directions The battlefield is located three miles east of Republic and ten miles southwest of Springfield, Missouri. From I-44, take Exit 70 (MO MM) south to US 60. Cross US 60 and drive 3/4-mile to MO ZZ. From US 60 and US 65, take the James River Expressway to MO 60 south and/or the Republic Exit, then south on MO 60 to MO M, south on MO M 3/4-mile to MO ZZ. Turn south on MO ZZ for one mile to Farm Road No. 182, then turn left into entrance.	Click to enlarge
Site Description
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, named for the stream that flows through the area, was fought on August 10, 1861, and marked the beginning of the Civil War in Missouri. The bitter five-hour struggle between Union and Confederate forces involved more than 17,000 troops, leaving 2,539 killed and wounded. When the Civil War began in 1861, most people in Missouri desired neutrality, but many, including Missouri's governor, held strong Southern sympathies and planned to cooperate with the Confederacy. This, coupled with Missouri's strategic location along river supply routes, caused Missouri to become a fiercely contested ground in an ever-changing bid for control by both sides. Wartime engagements most often were dominated by guerrilla warfare, with small bands of mounted raiders destroying anything military or civilian that could aid the enemy. The Battle of Wilson's Creek typified most of the Civil War - Confederate victories in individual battles eventually giving way to the domination by Northern forces and the ultimate salvation of the Union.

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