Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:1539 Hickory Hill Road
Petersburg, Virginia
Tel:
(804) 732-3531
The bravery of Civil War soldiers lives on at the Poplar Grove National Cemetery near Petersburg, Virginia. This 8.7 acre cemetery, where mostly Union dead are interred, is located at the 2,646 acre Petersburg National Battlefield, 25 miles south of Richmond. Today, visitors to the Poplar Grove National Cemetery and Petersburg National Battlefield can partake in tours of the grounds.
In 1862, Congress passed legislation that led to the creation of the National Cemetery system. It wasn't until 1866, however, that implementation of the plan actually began. At what became Poplar Grove National Cemetery, the bodies of approximately 5,000 Union soldiers killed in the Siege of Petersburg were gathered from almost 100 separate burial sites around Petersburg. Each soldier was reburied at the Poplar Grove National Cemetery, where remains were placed in a simple wooden coffin with a headboard, if available, as a poignant reminder to visitors of the human cost of war.
Today, visitors can embark on a self-guided driving tour of the 33 mile route of the Petersburg National Battlefield, including 13 separate sites to explore and three visitor centers along the way. The Eastern Front Visitor Center tells the story of the siege of Petersburg and its impact on the Civil War. Grant's Headquarters at City Point explains about the Union's large supply base and field hospital operation, while the Five Forks Battlefield on the western end of the tour route tells the story of the ultimate Union victory over Confederate forces. Visitors to the Poplar Grove National Cemetery are invited to walk the grounds. Visitors should allow a full day to experience the Petersburg National Battlefield and Poplar Grove National Cemetery to their fullest. As there is no food available at the Petersburg National Battlefield, visitors should pack accordingly.
To get to the Poplar Grove National Cemetery, visitors coming from Route 301 should turn onto Flank Road, then turn right onto Halifax and left onto Flank Road again. Then turn left at Vaughn Road and continue straight, with the entrance to the cemetery less than a mile up on the left. From I-85, take the Squirrel Level Road exit heading south away from Petersburg, then follow Wells Road to Halifax Road and turn right. Then turn right onto Vaughn Road and continue to the cemetery, as mentioned above. Enjoy your visit to the Petersburg National Battlefield and Poplar Grove National Cemetery, "where valor proudly sleeps."