ELMIRA, N.Y.(WENY)-- During the civil war, prison camps were set up in three locations in the New York Area, and the last to be chosen and constructed was right here in Elmira. Today you can go and take tours of what is left and or reconstructed of the Prison camp, right next to the Elmira Water Board building.
Saturday, The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp hosted the Bath VA to come to tour their facilities while having a luncheon.

"We give them a tour of the camp and they ask some great questions, they're interested in history and veterans are, we can't do enough for them quite frankly so we do all that we can to work with the Bath VA center and we love having these people here," says Marty Chalk, President of Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp. 

The Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp had a pizza and root beer float lunch for the veterans before they got the tour started. Staff told WENY that it is a great opportunity to get the vets out into the community to learn about the cities history and some of them who come on the tour feel a greater connection to it.

"The greatest part of this is you know the ultimate sacrifice that our veterans have made from way back," says Frank Hostetter, Air Force Vet, '91. 

 Some of the vets have been to the camp tour before, and some haven't, which staff with the camp tour says leads to some great reactions and stories.

"They come here and they understand what happened in 1864, ending in 1865, they understand the civil war and many of them are very knowledgeable about the civil war, they ask very pertinent and important questions," says Chalk.

Frank Hostetter explained to WENY that not only is it amazing to see this history because of its impact on this city, but because one of his family members was involved in the civil war, so this camp really brings it into perspective.

"My families involvement as veterans is tremendous, so when I see a visual reminder of what we had to do to make this great country, it's just very heartwarming," says Hostetter. 

If you are interested in visiting the camp and taking a tour of the facilities, you can click here for hours of operation and extra details.