United States
Missouri (MO)
Pilot Knob
Pilot Knob Attractions
Fort Davidson State Historic Site
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Fort Davidson State Historic Site

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See all things to do
Fort Davidson State Historic Site
4.5
87 reviews
#1 of 1 things to do in Pilot Knob
Historic Sites • Battlefields
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The Confederates under Gen. Sterling Price may have taken the fort, but Union efforts at Fort Davidson in the Battle of Pilot Knob were crucial to blunting the last Confederate offensive into Missouri. Fort Davidson State Historic Site preserves and interprets the running battle through the Arcadia Valley. The site’s open, grassy fields include the fort’s old earthworks, two Confederate burial trenches, and a visitor center with a narrated story of the battle and its context within the Civil War.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
87 reviews
Excellent
42
Very good
33
Average
11
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Echolynn
Lexington, SC331 contributions
Neat, but a little dated
Jun 2022
There are some neat aspects to the center at the Fort Davidson/Battle of Pilot Knob historic site. I particularly enjoyed the overhead map with the terrain and lighted reenactment with the voice over. There's not much left of the Fort itself (though considering all it went through, I'm not too shocked there), but it is amazing to think just how many men they managed to cram in during the battle. A lot of the artifacts are from the confederate side of things, which I suspect is a matter of what's been held on to more than anything else. Overall, pretty neat, but definitely not the most exciting location. I suspect children would be bored pretty quickly, unfortunately.
Written 21 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jane G
Joplin, MO76 contributions
Quick historical place to visit.
May 2022 • Couples
This small building has interesting historical information about the area. The film isn't long, but is very excellent at explaining the valuable history of the battle. The film won an award, and rightly so! The site of the fort is just a grassy area, but the remaining mound shows the outline of the Fort. Spoiler alert-- the fort was blown up, rather than allowing it & its ammunition to fall into enemy hands. We spent just an hour here and saw everything.
Written 5 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blueman66
Willow Springs, MO763 contributions
was cool
Oct 2021
we stopped here and it was very cool, the museum had alot of neat stuff, the worker there were very nice and helpful
Written 2 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sherry C
Annapolis, MD339 contributions
Great leg stretching stop for CW History
Oct 2021
Well laid out walking tour and battlefield logistics of Pilot Knob battle with history of Fort Davidson.
Written 24 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Davigeta
Saint Louis, MO969 contributions
Fascinating historic site
Apr 2021
This is a very informative historic site with a very good Visitor Center that gives the visitor an understanding of the Battle of Pilot Knob. The movie is an excellent way to introduce oneself to the battle. There are some artifacts on display, personal stories, and an overview of General Price's failed foray through Missouri in late 1864. The remains of Fort Davidson are easy to access, with good signage. Several visitors were in Union uniforms that day. The site is right off a main road, easy to get to. Definitely worth a trip. I should note that staff wore masks, but almost no one else did.
Written 18 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nathan T
7 contributions
Neat historic battlefield
Mar 2021
Not sure if the visitors center was open when we visited (we went later in the day), but we still had a great time touring the battlefield. There was a series of several explanatory signs that walked you through each stage of the battle. Among other things, they described how other landforms and landmarks that we saw in the area played into the battle. You also get to walk into the earthen fort itself and look out from the cannon emplacements. Without counting the visitors' center, you can easily see the whole place in 30 minutes, but there's also plenty of room for kids to run around and a number of picnic shelters off the parking lot east of the visitors center.
Written 31 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rod D
Charleston, MO84 contributions
Only one thing I didn't like
Oct 2020
The museum is informative with many interesting Civil War items. The movie gives not only information about the fort and the Battle of Pilot Knob, but also about the settlement and growth of the area. Seeing the earthworks fort is something unlike my family had ever seen. The movie kept referring to soldiers from both the Union and the Confederacy as heroes for fighting for what they believed in, as if the Civil War was a neutral war caused only by a difference of opinions and not a clear delineation of right and wrong. This is the only thing I did not like about this place. There is a park with picnic tables, grills, restroom facilities, and playground equipment that adjoins this property.
Written 10 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike B
Saint Peters, MO63 contributions
History
Oct 2020
Visitor center was closed when we were there, but still enjoyed our time there. Signs were informative of the history. I would recommend reading about the battle before going to get a better idea of what happened. I'm glad I did.
Written 16 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peorian
Peoria, IL26 contributions
Historic Civil War mound and signs.
May 2020
Enjoyed reading the several informative signs telling the history of the Civil War battles that occurred in the area of Pilot Knob. Remains of mound fort where Federal troops snuck out at night and blew up the fort surrounded by Confederate troops. Worth stopping at for half on hour if you are in the area and interested in American history. Two cannon on site and visitors center.
Written 26 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monica58860
Dousman, WI1,290 contributions
Our Civil War history
Sep 2019
Missouri was a border state in the bloody Civil War. The fight that took place here was an important part of keeping it in the Union. Walking over to the old fort from the museum isn't far. All the earthworks are still pretty much there. Descriptive signs could use some help but just going to the museum should make it pretty clear what happened in the area. Highly recommend this out of the way museum and site. The drive down from St. Louis was beautiful and really not that long. There is an entrance fee for the museum. If you go down the road a bit you will find markers for the location that General Grant received the news of his promotion to General of the Army..love the obscure
Written 3 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Fort Davidson State Historic Site, Pilot Knob

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