Visitors to Antietam National Battlefield should expect temporary closures beginning October 27 as Marine Corps specialists remove 10 pieces of old cannon ammunition from the base of the O.T. Reilly Monument. The closures could continue through October 28.
The National Park Service says the visitor center, Dunker Church, part of Dunker Church Road and two trails will close during the operation. The ammunition may still contain explosives, so the work will not be open to public viewing.
The ammunition was placed in the monument’s concrete base during the 1920s by Sharpsburg resident and local guide O.T. Reilly. The monument will be moved for preservation work, and crews will build a new base before returning it to its original location.
Other battlefield areas will remain open. A temporary visitor information station will be available near the intersection of Dunker Church Road, Starke Avenue and Cornfield Avenue.
Visitors should check nps.gov/anti or call 301-432-5124 for closure updates before traveling.
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