Richmond National Battlefield Park Offers Podcast Tours

Richmond National Battlefield Park's newest podcast tour officially launched on April 5, 2008, the anniversary of its topic, President Lincoln's visit to Richmond in 1865. Park Ranger Mike Gorman will guide you along the route walked by Lincoln during his visit through the recently evacuated Capital of the Confederacy. Working with our partner, Civil War Traveler, Richmond National Battlefield Park's staff also developed the park's other podcast tours to help visitors explore the Malvern Hill, Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor battlefields.

Podcasts are file systems that can be downloaded onto an iPod or mp3 player, then taken to the battlefields or the city for walking tours. The podcasts are located on our partner's website. There you will find detailed instructions and maps in various formats. It is essential that you download the maps before going on the tours as there are no markers on the battlefields or in downtown Richmond denoting where the tour stops are located. Copies of the tour maps are also available at all park visitor centers.

Your tour guide for Malvern Hill is Mike Andrus, an interpretive ranger at Richmond National Battlefield Park since 1986. Park Historian Bob Krick is your guide at Gaines' Mill and a leading authority on the battle. Cold Harbor's tour leader is interpretive ranger Ed Sanders.

Few visitors get to experience an outing with park staff, so this effort will make the immense amount of knowledge and information each leader has accumulated available to everyone. While the commentary will make your visit come alive, it is also possible to simply listen to the podcasts at home on your computer. Again, be sure to download the maps so you can see the various house sites, historic spots, artillery emplacements and battle lines that are described in each tour. These tours have not been scripted. You are listening to real time interpretation on the battlefield and in town.

After you download and listen to the programs that interest you, take a moment to contact the park using the link in the left-hand sidebar with your comments and suggestions. We plan on continuing to expand our podcast offerings and would appreciate your feedback to head us in the right direction.

Go to Civil War Traveler's Podcast Page.