Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park is nationally recognized as one of the most intact American Civil War battlefields. The Battle of Prairie Grove, fought on December 7, 1862, was a strategic Union victory and the last major Civil War engagement in northwest Arkansas. The Borden Apple Orchard is a calm and peaceful place today, but during the Battle of Prairie Grove, it was “a perfect slaughter pen.” This orchard is where the heaviest loss of life occurred during the battle.  

As we can see with this video, time can heal tragedy. The Borden Apple Orchard is some of the most hallowed ground at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park and it offers visitors a chance to connect with a landscape that witnessed the shaping of our nation.  

On your next visit, talk with park staff members about the significance of this orchard and try to picture what it was like during the Battle of Prairie Grove. 

Video description: In this un-narrated video, the scene is an apple orchard with a split-rail fence running alongside a row of mature oak trees beside the fence. More rows of trees are in the distance. Numerous birds are singing and a robin hops across the ground in the foreground.