Before Fairgrounds Park became a place for picnics and recreation, it was the site of one of the Union Army’s most vital Civil War installations: Benton Barracks.

In this episode of Show Me History, we uncover the rich and largely forgotten story of the 150-acre military complex built just outside of 1860s St. Louis. Learn how it became a training ground for thousands of soldiers, a hospital for the wounded, and a place of transformation for newly freed African American troops following the Emancipation Proclamation.

From its strategic construction and sanitation innovations to its commanding officers and post-war legacy, Benton Barracks played a key role in the Western campaign—and in the evolving story of Civil War America.

All research, editing, and production by River City Productions for Show-Me History.

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