The decline and fall of a battlefield

1908. Prairie Grove Battlefield land in Arkansas is purchased for ACW veteran reunion picnics. It has a single purpose.

1965. The Hindman family donates $100,000 for a museum and memorial on the land. The land is now dual purposed.

1971. The state takes over and expands this battlefield park. It becomes a hiking center. The land is now triple purposed.

2004. The state seeks to add cycling trails and horse trails; it announced plans to convert all landcover to native grasses.

This is what we call battlefield preservation. This is what we're supposed to fight for.