Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!
Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania commemorates the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle. Historians consider it a turning point in the war, with the Union forces repelling Robert E. Lee’s second invasion of the North. Over the course of three days of fierce fighting in July of 1863, fifty thousand soldiers died; the costliest battle ever in American history.
Five months after the Battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln dedicated a National Cemetery at the site and delivered the famous Gettysburg Address, reminding everyone of the principles behind the Declaration of Independence and urging unity in the hopes that:
“…these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Abraham Lincoln
We visited Gettysburg on Labor Day Weekend in 2011. We started out at the Visitor Center where we perused the museum, watched a short film and viewed the interesting Cyclorama Painting. We picked up the Junior Ranger booklet for my daughter to earn her badge.
We then took a two-hour bus tour around the battlefield and memorials. Tours are conducted by licensed battlefield guides…they have to take a course and pass an exam in order to conduct tours on the NPS site. Our guide narrated throughout the bus ride and we had several stops where we could get out, stretch our legs and take photos. There are over 1300 monuments, memorials and plaques here, comprising one of the largest outdoor sculpture collections in the world.
Our favorite was the Castle at Little Roundtop because we could go inside and climb the stairs to an observation deck. This memorial is for a New York regiment in honor of Ephraim Elmer Ellsworth who was the first Union soldier killed during the war. There were some volunteers on site performing a living history. A union soldier spent some time talking to my daughter and helped her with her junior ranger packet.
Location: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Designation: National Military Park
Date designated/established: 1895
Date of my visit: September 3, 2011
Been here many times. The place always amazes me.
A sobering place. Thank you for reading and commenting 😃
You are very welcome, and Happy Mothers Day.
😀
Been there once before but I’d love to go back again – they’ve done such a great job there preserving the history!
Yes, I’d like to go off season. It was pretty crowded for our visit
I’ve been there a couple of times, T. It is indeed an impressive park. I was particularly impressed last time I was there with how they had upgraded the visitors center. Lincoln’s powerful message rings even louder today. BTW, Peggy and I have now hit the road full time and will be focusing our journey on America’s remaining wild areas. I will be blogging regularly about out National Parks, Monuments, state parks, wilderness areas, etc. –Curt
Thanks, Curtis! How exciting that you and Peggy are traveling again 😀 I look forward to reading your blog
I spent a few years growing up in southern Pennsylvania and recall visiting Gettysburg and seeing the cyclorama. It’s been so long that I really must go again someday. You’ve shown me that there is so much more to see and learn.
Thanks Eileen! My daughter was little when I went, she’s in college now. My memories are fading too.
I don’t recall doing all of that, but we went back in 1988 (right before I graduated high school) and my aunt and I did the tour. We started to just drive it on our own, but then went back and got a tour guide. He drove my aunt’s car so we could look out and he told us everything about the battlefield. It was very cool.
That’s cool that you got your own personal guide! We were on a bus with a lot of people
I can see how that would be aggravating. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t offer the personal ones anymore.