The Civil War Helena Tour in Helena-West Helena and the Battle of Pine Bluff Audio Tour have been added to the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, an Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission news release said Thursday.

The Underground Railroad program is meant to coordinate preservation and education efforts nationwide and connect local historical places, museums and interpretive programs with regional and national efforts.

The network’s annual conference will be in Little Rock from June 19-22. The conference will commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Civil War Helena Tour, located in various sites around Helena-West Helena, tells the story of slaves seeking freedom who followed the Union army to the Mississippi River, received jobs and education and in many cases joined the army to fight for their freedom.

The Battle of Pine Bluff Audio Tour highlights the Oct. 25, 1863, battle in which Confederate troops attacked a small Union garrison at Pine Bluff. Black civilians aided the Union soldiers by helping to fortify the courthouse square, putting out fires and fighting off a Confederate attempt to trap the Union soldiers. The audio tour sign is adjacent to the Jefferson County Courthouse.

Other Arkansas sites on the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom include Freedom Park in Helena-West Helena and Poison Spring State Park in Ouachita County.

More information on the tours or other Arkansas-related Civil War history is available on the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission’s website at arkansascivilwar150.com.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 14 on 04/22/2013