Civil War Tablets Viewing Hours Announced

Source: amherstma.gov

The Civil War Tablets donated to the Town of Amherst in 1893 will be on public display at the Bangs Community Center starting July 26. The tablets commemorate the 300+ soldiers from the Amherst region who served in the Union forces, including those African Americans who served in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment and 5th Calvary. 

Four brothers, Christopher, John, Henry James, and Charles Thompson, who served in the 54th Regiment, are among those memorialized in the tablets. The Thompson brothers were among the troops to arrive in Texas in 1865, one of the final hold-out states to admit defeat during the Civil War. They were among the troops to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas on a day that is now a national holiday, Juneteenth. The Thompson brothers are laid to rest in Amherst’s West Cemetery. 

Amherst resident, Dudley Bridges, Sr. spent the last years of his life advocating and fundraising to have the memorials displayed prominently in the community. The exhibit will include a guide by Debora Bridges, daughter of Dudley Bridges Sr. and descendant of the Thompson’s. 

Visiting Information
Location: Bangs Community Center at 70 Boltwood Walk.

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Questions? Contact the Senior Center at (413) 259-3060