Things To Do

Check out the different places to go and things to see related to the Battle of Mill Springs located between the towns of Nancy and Mill Springs, Kentucky. Set aside a full day of exploring to see all the sites. Check the Directions and Maps pages to help plan your activities.

 

Mill Springs Battlefield Association

Mill Springs Battlefield Visitor Center and Museum

The National Park Service operates a Visitor Center and Museum in Nancy, KY. A free 20-minute film about the Battle of Mill Springs is available for viewing in the Visitor Center. There are restrooms and a research library. The museum features the Combat on the Cumberland exhibit with Civil War artifacts and replicas.

The Visitor Center and Museum is open to the public from 10:00 AM eastern time to 4:00 PM eastern time, Wednesday through Sunday. The Visitor Center and Musuem is closed Monday and Tuesday.

Park grounds are open daylight to dusk daily.

Mill Springs National Cemetery lies next door to the visitor center.

 

Look for Battle Tour signs along the route

NPS

Driving Tour

Much of the battlefield can be seen from public roadways. The Mill Springs Battlefield Association developed a 10-stop Driving Tour, designed to start at the visitor center. All stops on the tour are marked with large signs. There are also informative signs to help you understand a site's significance. Parking is limited at certain stops. Note that the Cumberland River flows through the area, meaning drivers will have to retrace their steps.

 

Following the battle, Confederate dead were placed in a hasty mass grave. Headstones now commemorate the casualties.

Mill Springs Battlefield Association

Zollicoffer Park

Pulaski County donated this park to the National Park Service, making up part of the new national monument. It is situated amid rolling fields and forest land that make up the core battlefield area. Zollicoffer Park is named for the Confederate general that died there. The 1/2 mile (0.8 km) Ravine Trail takes hikers down into a ravine, crossing historic battlelines. Signs along the way explain key battle events. Good shoes are recommended.

Open daylight to dusk daily.

 

The Brown-Lanier House decorated with patriotic bunting.

Mill Springs Battlefield Association

Brown-Lanier House

Built before the Civil War, the Brown-Lanier House was traditionally home to families that operated the nearby grist mill. The historic farmhouse became headquarters for generals on both sides of the fighting, before and after the Battle of Mill Springs.

While the house is currently closed for visitation, the grounds are open from sunrise to sunset daily.

 

Mill Springs Park on Lake Cumberland

Army Corps of Engineers

Mill Springs Mill

Sitting on the shores of Lake Cumberland and fed by springs, the historic grist mill was restored complete with working water wheel. The Army Corps of Engineers operates the mill, which is open for tours seasonally, on weekends and holidays. You can check out their Mill Video Tour any time of year.