Tours and trails at Antietam National Battlefield may be updated to incorporate new land acquired by the park/NPS

In an effort to improve visitor access, safety, and interpretation at the site of the “bloodiest one-day battle in American history,” Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland plans to update the automobile tour and trail system to better incorporate land added to the park.

Although the farmlands in and around the national battlefield appear much as they did in September 1862, some park infrastructure does not meet laws and guidelines for accessibility. Tour stops may be improved or even moved due to safety considerations. Hiking trails may be adapted to better connect as a network and provide access to new areas protected by the park.

A newsletter with the details and maps of the proposed Visitor Access and Circulation Plan is available on the park’s planning website, with public comments being accepted through December 9.

Known as the “bloodiest one-day battle in American history,” more than 3,600 soldiers were killed and another 19,000 wounded, missing, or captured after 12 hours of combat on September 17, 1862. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s retreat provided President Abraham Lincoln the opportunity he had been waiting for to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

The battlefield plans to have a final plan approved next fall.

To comment

• Deadline: December 9, 2016
• Online: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ANTICirculationPlan
• In person: 6-8:30 p.m. November 17, Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center; 5831 Dunker Church Road; Sharpsburg, MD 21782