Purpose & Membership
of the
Friends of the Florence Stockade
Our Purpose:
The Friends of the Florence Stockade, a tax exempt organization designated 501-c-3 by the IRS, became official in May of 1997. The purpose of the society is to preserve the site of the Florence Prison Stockade and create a memorial park and possible museum. Additionally, we want to educate the public about this little known stockade site. We want to preserve the memory of not only the Confederate guards, but the Union soldiers who were imprisoned at Florence and the slaves from the local area who assisted in the construction of the stockade.
Aside from the preservation of the site, the organization plans to raise money for signs to be placed near the stockade site and has already erected a sign at the Florence National Cemetery which points out the location of the burial trenches for the stockade deaths; most of whom are buried as unknowns. Presently, there are no signs pointing out where the stockade was located.
In cooperation with the Old Darlington District Chapter of the SC Genealogical Society, we are attempting to identify the approximate 2300 unknown Union soldiers buried in the Florence National Cemetery.
Please join this important historic preservation effort and an important part of SC's history.
John L. Andrews, Jr., Vice Chairman - JAndr45985@aol.com
307 Kings Place, Hartsville, SC, 29550-4053
If you have an interest in this society, please don't hesitate to contact us. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in preserving the stockade site or the memory of both the Union and Confederate soldiers who were present during the stockade's operation. With your membership, you will receive a quarterly newsletter, keeping you apprised of the latest information concerning the stockade and its preservation. Membership fees are as follows:
Annual Dues.................$20
Historian.......................$30
Preservationist..............$50
Life Membership..........$500
Please be as generous as you can for the preservation of this historic site and the memory of those who served there. Please send your membership fees to:
John L. Andrews, Jr., Treasurer
307 Kings Place, Hartsville, SC, 29550-4053
John can be reached for questions regarding membership via e-mail at JAndr45985@aol.com