The Battle of Carthage State Historic Site, Missouri

We made a quick stop at the Battle of Carthage State Historic Site.   It was quick because there's not much there, just a small pavilion with signs and descriptions of the battle.  I was expecting there to be a lot more to see and explore, but ended up being quite underwhelmed.  The battle itself was one of the first battles of the Civil War (fought before the first Battle of Bull Run), and was fought in part on the site.  Like many of the Civil War Battlefields, the entire battlefield stretched over several miles, and is impossible to preserve completely.  The Wikipedia article on the Battle of Carthage does a great job of explaining what happened.

The site is now a large grassy field, with a spring and a stream flowing along one edge of it.  It's a great spot for a picnic.

There was also a cave on the site, but a sign near the parking lot indicated that entry was prohibited. 

Overall, it's worth stopping by if you're in Carthage or if you're a big fan of the Civil War.  Otherwise, it's not worth driving for several miles out of your way to find since it's an anticlimactic place to visit.

Nearest City: Carthage, MO
Location: Chestnut Street, Carthage, MO
Time Needed: 10 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Kid Friendly:
Additional Info: Battle of Carthage SHS Website