MURFREESBORO, Tenn (WTVF) — The ongoing government shutdown has forced the closure of Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro, leaving the historic Civil War site without staff supervision and cutting off educational programs for visitors.
The battlefield, where more than 24,000 lives were lost during a pivotal three-day Civil War battle, now sits largely unattended as the shutdown enters its fourth week. While the grounds remain accessible to the public, visitors find no rangers, closed restrooms, and suspended maintenance services.
"For one, there's no employees on the park. So nobody is there supervising what's going on," said Tom Zei, president of the nonprofit Friends of Stones River National Battlefield.
The closure has particularly impacted the visitor center, which serves as an educational hub for tourists planning trips to learn about the historic battle that changed the course of the Civil War.
"All those are important to visitors… But most importantly, people plan trips to come to a national battlefield… and suddenly the visitor center is closed," Zei said.
The economic impact extends beyond disappointed visitors. According to National Park Service studies, tourism from Stones River National Battlefield generated nearly $24 million in economic impact for the local economy in 2024.
"We're talking people staying in hotels, going to restaurants, buying stuff in the stores," said Zei. "That impact is just going to be lost because of the shutdown."
Educational programs have also been suspended, including Junior Ranger activities designed for children and school field trips.
"The shutdown is hurting opportunities for the children, doing field trips and whatever. All that stuff is impacted by federal budgets and staffing and the shutdown," Zei said.
The battlefield sits beneath the busy Thompson Lane Bridge, where thousands of cars pass daily over the site where 1,800 Confederate soldiers were killed or wounded during the historic battle.
Zei, who has volunteered at the battlefield for more than a decade, emphasized the community's responsibility during the closure.
"The park staff is not there to take care of the park. It now falls on all of us to protect the national park and the national battlefield. Love our parks, protect our parks — protect it like it's your own home," he said.
The Friends of Stones River National Battlefield will continue raising funds and awareness, but volunteers cannot enter the grounds to help with maintenance or cleaning until the shutdown ends.
On Capitol Hill, Senate Democrats blocked Republicans' stopgap funding bill for the 12th time. The measure needs 60 votes to advance. Democrats heard testimony from Americans impacted by the shutdown, including National Park Service employees.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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