Corinth Contraband Camp
Corinth Contraband Camp
4
About
Many African Americans who fled Southern plantations and farms seeking freedom and protection found the Union occupied Corinth to be a secure location. Union General Grenville Dodge understood what effect the defection of thousands of African Americans would have on the Confederate War effort. He began to enlist the escaped slaves who came into his lines as teamsters, cooks, and laborers. He actively recruited male refugees, armed them, and placed them in charge of security at the newly organized contraband camp in Corinth.
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4.0
34 reviews
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Timothy S
2 contributions
Oct 2021
This area was a little hard to locate, but the grounds were well maintained and the pathway around the area easily traversed. The sculptures of the different individuals were very realistic and showed what things were like for the residents at that time. It was a good historical depiction.
Written June 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neb688
Kearney, NE65 contributions
Jun 2022
This site is deep in a residential neighborhood. We did not walk to all the sculptures in the heat of the day. It seems like this site is important enough that it might deserve more of a tribute. The sculptures are nice, but it didn't seem to tell the whole story - after visiting the Civil Rights Museum, it seemed minimal..
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gw2047
Atlanta, GA141 contributions
Jul 2021
We visited the Contraband Camp after visiting The Corinth Interpretative Center. It's a very nice park with a short walk, memorial statues and some informational placards. It's very close to the Interpretative Center (5 minute drive) and worth seeing.
Written July 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NewbernTraveler
Newbern, TN857 contributions
Many people do not know the story of African-Americans during the Civil War, but this park in Corinth, Miss. brings out an interesting chapter in their saga. Along a concrete walkway, a visitor can see life-size statues depicting the ways that escaped slaves, who gathered in Corinth, in 1862-63, attempted to begin to live free lives. Included are the basics of life, like farming and maintaining a home. Other statues depict learning to read, the importance of religion and helping one another, and finally the African-American men who went off to war to fight for the freedom of others.
It's a simple park, with a couple of bronze plaques at the entrance that tell about the place that was here. This was a story I had never heard, but was glad I found out about. Interpreting the Civil War in Corinth is in a modern way. It's more than just the military. Civilians and slaves were a part of it, too. The only thing is, I wish they had plaques talking a bit about what each person depicted is doing more. It is, however, not a major drawback, and I found the park to be a very peaceful place to visit.
If you do not know the Corinth area well, you will need to start at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. The Contraband Camp is hard to find, being off the main road in a residential area. There are no signs until you see the park's entrance, and you will need a map available at the main interpretive center (there are signs to that). Contraband Camp is best approached from U.S. 72. City maps available online aren't to scale, so if you try to reach this direct while coming in from the Shiloh battlefield to the north, get ready for streets that aren't well marked in places. From South Parkway on U.S. 72, it involves a right turn onto one street and then a left turn on another, cross a railroad and you are there. The interpretive center mentioned is great in itself, telling the story of the war from both a military and non-military perspective.
There is no fee for Contraband Park. If you are interested in African-American history, this park is worth the effort to find.
It's a simple park, with a couple of bronze plaques at the entrance that tell about the place that was here. This was a story I had never heard, but was glad I found out about. Interpreting the Civil War in Corinth is in a modern way. It's more than just the military. Civilians and slaves were a part of it, too. The only thing is, I wish they had plaques talking a bit about what each person depicted is doing more. It is, however, not a major drawback, and I found the park to be a very peaceful place to visit.
If you do not know the Corinth area well, you will need to start at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. The Contraband Camp is hard to find, being off the main road in a residential area. There are no signs until you see the park's entrance, and you will need a map available at the main interpretive center (there are signs to that). Contraband Camp is best approached from U.S. 72. City maps available online aren't to scale, so if you try to reach this direct while coming in from the Shiloh battlefield to the north, get ready for streets that aren't well marked in places. From South Parkway on U.S. 72, it involves a right turn onto one street and then a left turn on another, cross a railroad and you are there. The interpretive center mentioned is great in itself, telling the story of the war from both a military and non-military perspective.
There is no fee for Contraband Park. If you are interested in African-American history, this park is worth the effort to find.
Written March 6, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynette M
Santa Maria, CA269 contributions
Aug 2019
I had no heard of this camp but learned about it while watching the film at the Corinth Battlefield Museum, so we ventured over. There are so many beautiful homes and churches in the area, I wish we would've had more time to explore.
It is quiet and very moving to realize that there was a designated place for those released from slavery to learn, to earn money and to live free in an environment that was specific to their needs.
It is quiet and very moving to realize that there was a designated place for those released from slavery to learn, to earn money and to live free in an environment that was specific to their needs.
Written August 19, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill R
Murfreesboro, TN26 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
I grew up in Corinth and visited for the first time in 15 years. I had never heard of the Contraband Camp until we visited the Interpretive Center. A bit hard to find but well worth the short walk to view
Written October 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
withoutamap1
Oxford, MS142 contributions
Sep 2016 • Friends
My mom and I recently visited, and I would highly recommend first visiting the Interpretive center. They show a 20 minute video which gives insight into the history of the area as well as the camp.
The camp had some stunning sculptures depicting life at the time, but without knowing about the area and its significance it may not have the same impact.
The camp had some stunning sculptures depicting life at the time, but without knowing about the area and its significance it may not have the same impact.
Written September 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mimibobo23
alberta216 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
I was hoping for more...I've read stories about these camps and the impact it had on escaped slaves and the war effort. All this is, is a park with statues representing activities or events. Not much detail. Interesting, but unless you're in the area, not worth going out of your way to see.
Written June 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bamagirl1974
Tuscaloosa, AL31 contributions
Nov 2012 • Couples
I don't know what we were thinking this would be but it was only a small park area with bronze statues. It would have been helpful to have some background on what happened there.
We did go to the interpretive center and that did tell of the slaves lives but something more should be at the contraband camp site itself.
We did go to the interpretive center and that did tell of the slaves lives but something more should be at the contraband camp site itself.
Written November 12, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve5863
Avon, OH12,812 contributions
Oct 2018 • Solo
The protection provided by the Federal troops occupying Corinth attracted escaped slaves seeking freedom. The influx increased significantly after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 proclaiming that slaves in states still in rebellion as of January 1, 1863 were free. The theory behind the authority of the President to declare the salve free was based upon his position as Commander in Chief of the Armed Services and he could deny the enemy the benefit of their labor as contraband of war; therefore, slave refugee camps became known as contraband camps.
The Corinth Contraband Camp began as a tent city but evolved into a self-sufficient community and was home to as many as 6,000 and included homes, a church, school and hospital; 400 acres were farmed communally and freedmen men were allowed to keep their profits.
Today, the Corinth Contraband Camp, located on the east side of town on North Parkway, is a small park, perhaps two acres, with a paved path that loops around the perimeter past a half dozen bronze sculptures depicting aspects of life in the contraband camp. While the bonzes are quite good and interesting, with little other interpretation for such a significant part of Corinth’s Civil War Legacy, I was a bit disappointed as the site could be so much more.
The Corinth Contraband Camp began as a tent city but evolved into a self-sufficient community and was home to as many as 6,000 and included homes, a church, school and hospital; 400 acres were farmed communally and freedmen men were allowed to keep their profits.
Today, the Corinth Contraband Camp, located on the east side of town on North Parkway, is a small park, perhaps two acres, with a paved path that loops around the perimeter past a half dozen bronze sculptures depicting aspects of life in the contraband camp. While the bonzes are quite good and interesting, with little other interpretation for such a significant part of Corinth’s Civil War Legacy, I was a bit disappointed as the site could be so much more.
Written December 1, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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