THOMASVILLE, GA – February 11, 2014 – Nestled in a quiet Thomasville neighborhood, a small grassy lot is all that remains of a piece of Thomasville’s history. Up until the beginning of this month, when preservationist added a simple, decorative fence, the Civil War era prisoner of war camp site was marked only by a historical marker sign and an informational sign which provides visitors with a narrative of the site’s history. During the last months of 1864, the site served as the temporary home to approximately 5,000 union prisoners.

“Although our Civil War Prison Site sits quietly in the Dewey City neighborhood, it is significant to our community in that it provides an interesting history lesson to our citizens and heritage tourists. This site offers us a unique insight into Thomasville’s role during the Civil War,” said Senior Assistant City Manager – Human Resources & Community Relations Kha McDonald.

McDonald said that the goal was to give the site more definition and visual significance, while working with the existing aesthetics within the area.

“The fence provides a simplistic means to attract visitors without detracting from the property as it originally stood,” she said. “The style of the fence complements the narrative sign that was provided through grant funding in 2012.”