Battle of Mill Springs near Somerset KY

The Somerset area is kind of growing on me!  This is a nice and different area, and I am always finding interesting stuff to do down there!

I just found out about the VERY cool Battle of Mill Springs Visitor Center that is in Nancy, just a few miles outside of Somerset.

The battle occurred on January 19th, 1962 and it was the first major Union victory in the war.  This battle has become known- in a semi-martyr kind of way- for the death of Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer.


There are variations to the story, but, during a bit of confusion, Zollicoffer is shot and died.  This occurred near a tree which went on to be known as the Zollie Tree.

A young girl named Dorotha Burton started a tradition of placing a wreath around this tree in 1902.  This tradition has continued.  The actual tree was pretty much taken out by a storm in 1995.  A new tree (a seedling from the original) has replaced it.

What was left of the original tree is now in the Battle of Mill Springs Visitor Center.  They also sell small pieces of the tree in the gift shop for a buck.

The actual visitor center is spectacular.  For $5, you can see a great film on the battle, and an amazing amount of relics.

Speaking of relics, THAT is what I want to see at a museum like this.  Actual items from that period of time, and from the actual Battle of Mill Springs.  This museum had plenty. 

After seeing the film, and visiting the museum, we started the driving tour of the battlefield area.  There are 10 stops, and each one is clearly marked, with signs explaining what happened at that stop.  We were given a very clear and easy to follow map at the visitor center too!

We made it to 8 stops on the driving tour.  The last 2 are a little further out, thanks to the Cumberland River.  We will save those for another day.