Camp Nelson, in southern Jessamine County, was one of the largest recruitment centers for the United States Colored Infantry. Originally, there were about 300 buildings in the camp, which consisted of a ring of trenches with forts spaced around the perimeter. Today, there is only the original White house, which was commandeered by the Federals to use as officer's headquarters. All of the other original buildings were dismantled and sold for lumber immediately after the war. The trenches and forts are still discernable.
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The White house as it appears today. It has been restored and is now a house museum. The park now has an expanded Civil War Museum in a new building to the rear of the house.
This is another view of the White house showing its Greek Revival influence, albeit a plainer iteration of the style.
This is the trench line a few yards north of the White house, looking west. Time and nature has filled the ditch.
Follow the above trench east, and it leads to Fort Jackson. This is looking north, the salient being where the yellow flag is located.
On the east side of Fort Jackson. The trench here is still fairly wide and deep.
Fort Putnam. This fort was plowed under after the war as were the trenches leading from Fort Jackson to it. Putnam was rebuilt a few years ago in its original spot. This photo does not do a good of showing the scale of these forts, they were fairly large.
One of the gun platforms in Fort Putnam, looking north. In the distance is a monument marking a war-time cemetery that was just outside the trench.
In the rear of Fort Putnam looking west towards the White house.