National Register of Historic Places

Camp Lawton

Millen, Jenkins County, Georgia
Listed
March 23, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78000992

About this property

Camp Lawton or the Millen Prison was a stockade which held Union soldiers who been taken as prisoners-of-war during the American Civil War. Located beside the Augusta and Savannah Railroad right-of-way five miles north of what was then Millen Junction (now Millen) in Burke County (since 1905 in Jenkins County), the new prison facility was modeled after Camp Sumter. It opened in October 1864 but had to be evacuated within six weeks, due to the advance of Sherman's army through Georgia. With an area of 42 acres (17 ha) and holding over 10,000 of a planned 40,000 men, it was said to be the largest prison in the world at that time. The area of Magnolia Springs State Park that now comprises the day-use area was used as the prison. The park still houses remnants of the earthen fort that guarded the 10,000-prisoner camp. Two huge timbers, possibly from the prison but more likely from work done by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1938 and 1942, were recovered. The park's new History Center currently displays some of the first artifacts excavated by the archaeology team from Georgia Southern University. Georgia Southern's Sociology/Anthropology Department has been conducting surveys and excavations for a number of years at the park, serving as a partner in revealing and interpreting the history of Camp Lawton.

Location

Millen, Jenkins County, Georgia

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYENGINEERING
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Camp Lawton

This page lists Camp Lawton. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Questions about this property

When was Camp Lawton listed on the National Register?

Camp Lawton was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Camp Lawton?

Camp Lawton is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Camp Lawton?

The period of significance for Camp Lawton is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Camp Lawton?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Camp Lawton will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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