OCATED ABOUT 19 MILES south of Lexington, Ky., Camp Nelson served as a critical supply depot, training center, and forward base for the Federal Army during the Civil War. Built in April 1863 on an easily defensible peninsular plateau, the camp once comprised about 300 buildings, and in 1864 was used as a recruitment center for African American troops and as a refugee camp for their families. In October 2018, President Donald Trump designated the site as the Camp Nelson National Monument. Designation as a national park unit has allowed for further development of the site, along with renewed focus on its national significance. To help with that effort, National Park Service veteran Steve Phan was
