Fort Duffield is preserved today because of the dedication of volunteers — local residents,
veterans, historians, and community members who give their time to protect one of Kentucky’s
most important Civil War sites. We are not a large organization. We are neighbors, families,
and friends who believe this hillside and its history deserve to be remembered.

Our volunteers clear trails, repair signs, maintain the cemetery, preserve the earthworks,
guide visitors, and keep the story of the 9th Michigan and the early war alive. Every shovel
of dirt moved, every fallen limb cleared, every marker straightened is done by people who care
deeply about Fort Duffield and the men who served here.

The work is ongoing — storms fall trees, erosion shifts the earthworks, and time wears down
the paths. But our volunteers continue to climb the hill, just as the soldiers did in 1861,
to make sure the fort remains a place of honor, education, and remembrance.

Over the years, volunteers have completed major projects including:

• Trail clearing and erosion control
• Rebuilding and stabilizing earthwork walls
• Restoring and maintaining the Memorial Cemetery
• Installing interpretive signs and historical markers
• Cleaning storm damage and fallen timber
• Supporting events, tours, and educational programs

These efforts ensure that visitors can safely explore the fort and understand its significance.
When you walk the trails today, you are walking through the work of dozens of volunteers who
have given countless hours to keep the site alive.