National Park Service to Commemorate Battle of Cold Harbor
Richmond National Battlefield Park’s annual event features Ranger-led tours, living history programs, and lantern tour
RICHMOND, Va.- On Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, Richmond National Battlefield Park invites the public to explore the history of Cold Harbor, site of the 1864 battle between the U.S. and Confederate armies. This year’s event features living history demonstrations and a variety of guided tours. All events begin at the Cold Harbor Battlefield Visitor Center, 5515 Anderson Wright Drive, Mechanicsville, VA, 23111, and are free of charge.
On Saturday, June 3, from 10 am to 4 pm visitors can learn about the daily lives of Civil War soldiers and civilians during the Overland Campaign. Artillery, rifle, and camp demonstrations will occur throughout the day. A guided ranger battlefield tour will take place at 11am. An adjacent tour sponsored by the American Battlefield Trust will be held at 12:30. Children are invited to complete the park’s Junior Ranger booklet to earn a Junior Ranger Badge.
The park’s much-anticipated candlelight battlefield tour will take place Saturday evening. The tour is free of charge, but timed tickets are required. Free tickets are available through Rural Plains Foundation and are reserved online via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/revisiting-cold-harbor-battlefield-lantern-tour-tickets-640106284127; a link can also be found on the park’s Facebook page and website. Visitors are advised to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes for walking and to bring flashlights.
On Sunday, June 4, living history, artillery, and rifle demonstrations will continue. A ranger-led tour will be offered at 3 pm. The Cold Harbor Visitor Center will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 4:30 pm.
For a full and detailed list of the weekend’s events, visit us online at www.nps.gov/RICH. In the event of inclement weather, updates will be posted at www.Facebook.com/RichmondNPS.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service