From ELMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL and AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST
Elmwood High School Teacher Heidi Meyer and students in her Advanced Placement United States History class recently visited Fort Meigs Historic Site, thanks to a grant from the
American Battlefield Trust’s History Field Trip Grant Program.
This trip provided students with an exceptional, hands-on history learning opportunity, including touring the fort site, experiencing a musket being shot, and understanding the causes and effects of the war.
The History Field Trip Grants are awarded based on a competitive national application
process, demonstrating Meyer’s commitment to excellence in the classroom.
The American Battlefield Trust is the largest battlefield land preservation organization in the country, having saved more than 60,000 acres of hallowed ground across 25 states.
Through visiting preserved battlefields and walking in the footsteps of the citizen soldiers who fought there, the organization aims to provide a foundation of good citizenship for the leaders of tomorrow. The trust strives to produce excellent educational resources in a variety of formats for both educators and the public alike, ensuring that Americans never forget how their country was
forged.
Every year, the Trust receives applications from classrooms across the country to participate in the History Field Trip Grant Program, which offers funding and assistance to K-12 teachers planning field trips to Civil War, War of 1812, or Revolutionary War battlefields and related historic sites. During the 2024-2025 school year, morethan 12,000 students from 35 states took part.
“How wonderful for these children to get a chance to go to where history was made, where our country was created and defined,” said Trust President David Duncan of the History Field Trip Grant Program recipients,
“Battlefields and other historic sites exemplify the ‘power of place. They are outdoor classrooms that will teach future Americans about our democratic republic.”
Heidi Meyer has enormous enthusiasm for teaching history and was excited to utilize the Fort Meigs Historic Site as an outdoor classroom that gave her students a meaningful and memorable experience.
“It was really cool how the historical interpreter showed the entire timeline of the battle from getting surrounded by the Natives and the British to successfully winning the war. He had us engaged in reading quotes from the battle timeline; it showed me how the soldiers viewed the war from their perspective,” said JT Dyar.
Madeline Brubaker was interested in learning about the earthmounts that were built in front of the gates to keep cannon fire out of the fort. “It showed their ingenuity and military architecture skills, especially since they were under a time crunch before the British attacked,” she said.
“It was impressive how Fort Meigs looks now compared to the muddy, wet, frozen mess
from 1812. I liked being able to walk around the fort and learn about the different tents. I also really liked the model of the fort showing how it was built and the working and living conditions of the fort,” said Hailey-Jo Bankey-Ramsey.
Alysianna Yohnke appreciated the details shared by John, the fort’s historical interpreter. “I loved how he talked about all of the living conditions, how they tried to survive while fighting the war and about all of the sickness found in the fort and the number of people that died from it.”
The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 60,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.
