Battlefields Mean Business
Battlefield parks preserve stories of conflict, sacrifice and transformation while also serving as public spaces that attract visitors, support tourism and contribute to local and regional economies. They're also a billion-dollar business.
Understanding this range of benefits is increasingly important for policymakers, community leaders and stakeholders who seek to balance resource protection with economic vitality.
For more than 20 years, the American Battlefield Trust has sought to quantify the full economic impact of military parks, from visitor spending and job creation to tax revenues and regional economic activity. On June 11, 2026, we released Battlefield Means Business, by far our most comprehensive effort to date.
Those who manage, support and promote historic sites and communities are invited to register for our June 24 webinar with report authors RRC Associates, where we will delve into both findings and practical applications. Questions about the webinar? Please email RSVP@battlefields.org, using "Economics" in the subject line.
Members of the media interested in covering the report should refer to the press release or email news@battlefields.org with questions.
Battlefield Means Business tackles the question of these sites' economic impact from multiple angles. It utilizes:
- Economic Contribution Modeling: Comprehensive national-level analysis of data from more than 50 NPS military history sites across 31 states and two territories. Information can be parsed by individual site, by state and by conflict.
- Socioeconomic Modeling Comparison: Details collected on the ground each year at random national parks includes a diverse array of battlefields. This buttresses data collected in other ways regarding visitor behaviors, preferences and characteristics.
- Mobile Location Data Analysis: Anonymized, privacy-compliant device data from hundreds of thousands of mobile apps at 15 case study sites captures aggregate visitation patterns, including duration on site and specific areas of the battlefield frequented.
- Trust Member Survey: Voluntary, anonymous survey of more than 1,300 Trust supporters augments other information sources for trip characteristics, exploration preferences and traveler demographics.
“Several of Tennessee’s rural communities rely on battlefields and the heritage tourism they generate as an important financial engine for their local economy. Without the preservation and interpretation of the Volunteer State’s historic sites, the dollars, direct and indirect, generated by historical tourism would be lost with a resulting negative impact on local economies.”
Anthony Hodges, President of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association
Battlefield visitation represents a meaningful and widely distributed component of the U.S. tourism economy, touching on many conflicts and eras across most regions of the country.
In 2024, the most recent year for which full data is available, there were more than 20.3 million visits to federal battlefield parks during which guests spent more than $1.5 billion in the surrounding communities and supported 15,000 local jobs.
These benefits are not limited to high-profile destinations. In fact, modest rural sites show higher economic yield per visitor compared to larger or urban ones, representing an important source of economic stability in these smaller communities. And notable regional visitation patterns demonstrate that battlefields are significant community resources attracting repeat usage for recreational purposes.
“Virginia is home to many of the most significant battlefields in American history, and we're encouraged by what these results mean for Virginia's visitor economy. Our research consistently shows that visitors who come to Virginia for history don't stop there. They pair a battlefield with a scenic drive, a hiking trail, or a meal at a local restaurant down the road. That combination of history and place is a powerful draw for communities of all sizes across the Commonwealth – one that creates jobs, drives visitor spending, provides enriching opportunities for visitors, and benefits local quality of life.”
Dan Roberts, Vice President of Research & Strategy, Virginia Tourism Corporation
Beyond aggregate data, Battlefields Mean Business includes case studies of 15 battlefields, using sampled geolocation data from mobile devices to explore visitation patterns. These include:
- Culpeper Battlefields State Park, Virginia
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Tennessee
- Fort Fisher State Historic Site, North Carolina
- Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia
- Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, Maryland
- Gettysburg National Military Park, Pennsylvania
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia
- Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana
- Minute Man National Historical Park, Massachusetts
- Petersburg National Battlefield, Virginia
- Princeton Battlefield State Park, New Jersey
- Richmond National Battlefield Park, Virginia
- Saratoga National Historical Park, New York
- Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi
- Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Missouri
Meet the Research Team
RRC Associates, Inc., based in Boulder, Colo., is a social science & market research firm specializing in tourism, recreation, parks, and community markets. With deep expertise in economic contribution analysis, visitor behavior research, and mobile location data, RRC is a trusted partner to federal, state, and local agencies, non-profits, and destination organizations. Since 2020, RRC has managed the National Park Service Socioeconomic Monitoring (SEM) Program, conducting visitor surveys at 24 park sites, including several battlefields.
We will be hosting a webinar on June 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET to share the findings of the study with members of the historic preservation community, regional tourism organizations and other allies. Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot and learn about visitation trends across the battlefield sector.
Questions about the webinar? Please email RSVP@battlefields.org, using "Economics" in the subject line.
Register for our June 24 Webinar Sign up for Email Updates
Browse our Previous Reports
This is not the Trust's first foray into documenting the economic benefits of battlefield preservation. Our earliest research projects took place more than 20 years ago! You can find two of our earlier studies available online. Although specific figures may change over time, the trends remain indisputable!
Battlefields Mean Business (2017)
Blue, Gray & Green (2013)
“No matter how compelling spending figures are, they tell only a partial story about how battlefield visitors support local economies. Across the country, the benefits of battlefield parks directly touch local businesses and residents.”
David Duncan, President, American Battlefield Trust
