Tennessee: Stones River National Battlefield

Once the autumn weather finally hits Tennessee (this year it wasn't until mid-October) I am antsy for outdoor adventures. On Wednesday I googled "day trips from Nashville, TN" and found out that we have a national battlefield in Murfreesboro which is only 45 minutes from our house! We immediately packed up the boys, their scooters, a sippy cup and headed out mid-morning on a journey to learn about this civil war battle site.

As always, we could have spent the whole day there - it was quiet and perfect for learning AND scootering. The boys did the junior ranger program (they each earned a pin, but if we had more time, they could have earned a patch as well). The rangers were kind and attentive to the boys. We watched the 9 minute movie. We wandered around the small museum. Then we took a driving tour and walked/scootered a loop. We couldn't have asked for better weather. *I* learned so much! The boys did too. I can't wait to go back. 

A few notes:

It was FREE! 

There were paved and unpaved trails. 

We didn't get to go in the cemetery this time.
We ate at a Cracker Barrel for late lunch and then I went to an antique mall right down the rode and found a couple of books.

More children's books, not pictured, on the Civil War: Red Cap by G. Clifton Wisler (I purchased this in the gift shop and our 9 year old finished it today), Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, Landmark books (there are 8 on the civil war), D'Aulaire Abraham Lincoln, Childhood of Famous Americans (Clara Barton etc), Cornerstones of Freedom Gettysburg Address, Across Five Aprils, The Civil War by Fletcher Pratt (who wrote a Landmark book and a couple All About books), By Secret Railway by Enid La Monte Meadowcroft, Cadmus Henry by Walter D Edmonds, and Rifles for Watie (we won't read this for a couple more years - it's AO Y5). I'd also like to check out Combat Uniforms of the Civil War by Mark Lloyd and Dog Jack by Florence Biros