On Monday January 27, 2025, I checked into work at Camp Nelson National Monument, in Nicholasville, Kentucky, starting a new season with the National Park Service. Amidst a government hiring freeze I was fortunate enough to retain my offer. This was not the case for many others!
Disclaimer: This entry is in a series of posts documenting my experiences as an employee of the National Park Service. Any opinions expressed are solely my own and do not represent the National Park Service. The purpose of this series is to educate others on life in the service and to answer any related questions.
Exceptions to the freeze
Shortly after his inauguration on Monday January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order freezing new government hiring for the next 90 days- with exceptions. The order does not apply to the military, or federal law enforcement and public safety positions. But what about positions that are filled but not yet occupied?
New federal hires are safe and can report to work under three conditions. As stated in a joint memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM):
… a position is not considered vacant if an individual has been given
an offer of employment prior to noon on January 20, 2025, has signed an offer letter in acceptance
of the position, and has a designated start date on or before February 8, 2025.
Thankfully I met all three conditions and got to keep my position. Many others have had their offers rescinded.
A search on USAJOBS.com, the government’s official source for federal jobs, reflects the current situation. Prior to the freeze, a wide variety of job announcements existed for the National Park Service. Now, as of February 9, the only active hiring is for wildland firefighters, public safety dispatchers, law enforcement Rangers, and other related roles.
The funding for my job is another story. My position is project based and is funded by a grant from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Unfortunately, as of January 20, the OMB paused the disbursement of IRA funds, even if they have already been allocated. What the future holds for me I do not know. The management of the National Park Service is actively working with the new administration to sort out this issue.
Rolling hills and bubbling springs
During this unique time in federal employment, I began work as a seasonal museum technician at Camp Nelson National Monument, in Nicholasville, Kentucky. I consider it truly a privilege to be here!
Camp Nelson played a prominent role in the Western Theater during the Civil War. Established as a fortified supply depot in April 1863, the camp supplied Union forces campaigning in Kentucky and Eastern Tennessee. In addition, it served as a major recruitment center for both white and black regiments, the later apart of the US Colored Troops. With the soldiers came civilian refugees who also called the camp home. In January 1865 a Home for Colored Refugees opened, which provided accommodations and a school for emancipated slaves.
The camp comprised over 300 buildings, and hundreds of tents, sprawled over 4,000 acres. Amongst the facilities was a quartermaster-commissary depot, ordnance depot, recruitment center, prison, and hospital facilities. Altogether the camp employed some 1,000 to 2,000 civilians and could hold many more thousands of soldiers. The stables and corrals could also accommodate thousands of cattle, horses, and mules.
Its location was carefully selected and could not have been any better. The Kentucky River and Hickman Creek, along with their palisades, created a natural defensive boundary on three sides. A series of forts and earthworks protected the northern boundary of the camp.
In 1866 the camp closed down and its buildings were sold off, all but a few dismantled. Reverend John G. Fee purchased the former Home for Colored Refugees, the land around it, and formed the community of Ariel- now Hall. He resold plots of land to black veterans and ex-slaves. Some of the descendants of the original settlers still reside locally.
Since then, the landscape has changed very little. The biggest development was the extension of US Route 27, which runs in the middle of the original Civil War era camp, which cut into some archeological sites.
The grounds of the national monument make for some good hiking. Whether it be at dawn, with fog rolling through crevices, or at dusk, the hills and fields of the camp are picturesque!
An interesting current and historic account of the camp. I hope that all goes well with the funding. The photos are especially striking.
Congrats on the new job/career! It seems like a great fit for your interests and skills. I look forward to learning more about your adventures and Camp Nelson.