Andersonville National Historic Site

An awesome, yet historically harrowing experience. The entire place was almost shockingly photogenic at every turn (hint: bring a camera!), and the tour guide was great too.

Absolutely amazing Historic site. It is a must see for any History Buff or American. It shows the horrors of war and the struggles that prisoners go through. The Rangers at the site are outstanding. Must see.

One of the smaller national park sites I’ve been to. Good for historical significance, but there really isn’t that much to see in the museum and the camp grounds. Much of the material in the museum actually relates more to POW/​MIA throughout US military history, as opposed to Andersonville itself.
The actual camp grounds are short (maybe about 1 – 2 miles in total). Lots of bugs and the heat will make it very unbearable to stay outside!

We were on our way from Orlando, Fl to Columbus, Ga and decided to stop. We arrived one hour before the POW museum closed but the park rangers still encouraged the kids to do the Junior Ranger book. We all loved it. Our girls are 9 and 7, so I was a little worried about the content but they really enjoyed learning about the men and women who suffered during our many wars. You can walk or drive, we drove because of time, but the girls were able to complete the assignment before closing. They were so excited to become Junior Rangers. We drove through the national cemetery after. It is very beautiful and humbling. This
Place is a hidden gem in Georgia. I would highly recommend it for all ages. Clean bathrooms, picnic areas, and all for FREE.

The Andersonville National Historic Site is several miles off the main highways in southern Georgia but well worth the trip. In fact, drive through the countryside gives you a better sense of just how isolated the small railroad town of Andersonville, and the Confederate prison camp located there, must have been in the 1860s.
The visitor center serves as home to the National Prisoner of War Museum. The exhibits are somewhat cold and stark… frankly an excellent way to present the experience of American prisoners of war from the Civil War to present day conflicts. You can easily spend over 2 hours going through the museum including the two films that are presented each hour in the theatre.
The prison site is located behind the visitor center and includes a reconstructed portion of the northeast corner of the stockade and a reconstruction of the north gate. In the summer, one can easily imagine the horrendous conditions that existed there. Markers denote where prisoners attempted to dig wells and even tunnels in attempts to escape. Posts mark the perimeter of the prison camp and the location of the «dead line». Take time to stop and walk out to the North Gate, the Providence Spring and the Star Fort and you get the feeling of the despair the men must have felt upon entering the stockade.
The Andersonville National Cemetery is located ¼ of a mile from the prison site. You’re immediately struck by the size of the trenches that served as a mass grave for thousands of Union prisoners who died at the prison. Take time to get out and walk the paths and read the headstones but keep in mind that this is still an active national cemetery and funerals are held there nearly every day.
There is no admission charge to tour the site but donations are accepted. There is also a small gift shop in the building. I recommend taking the driving tour as the prison site is quite large but, as previously mentioned, take the time to get out of your car and explore. Also, it’s worth the effort to drive across the road to the town of Andersonville. There are several small museums and antique stores on the town square as well as a Confederate monument to Henry Wirz, the commandant of the prison and the only person executed for war crimes following the Civil War.
Make sure you have a map or GPS locator handy as the signage directing you to the site isn’t the best I’ve run across… although there aren’t that many roads you could actually get lost on.

From Atlanta, this is a great day trip to see the site where POW Union soldiers were held in this prisoner camp during the civil war (1865.) The site is a huge field with a river in the lower part. You can walk all around it reading points of interest telling the story. Next, make your way to the cemetary that still buries POW veterans who served in all wars. Then, the museum has artifacts and features a great film about Andersonville during the Civil war.
It was unbelievable what these men endured. Out of 50,000 men, 13,000 died due to the extreme conditions of this prisoner of war camp in one year. This site honors them along with all men and women who have been at the mercy of the enemy. No fees are charged but donations are graciously accepted. I would take a GPS because you can get turned around, but there are signs directing you to the site. I am so glad I went.