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Post by UConnChapette on Apr 29, 2018 12:37:31 GMT -5
But have always wanted to go, so I am planning a trip in May. I love visiting historic sights, and Gettysburg is jam packed with locations. Hope the weather is good, maybe it will finally decide to be spring by then.
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Post by genosguy on Apr 29, 2018 18:37:25 GMT -5
Golly gee whiz: That is ONLY Part of the tour if you are a Civil War or as my neighbors calls it: The War Between The States. Those that fought were all Americans and their descendants have proven they are equal or exceed being American as all others.
Antietam is an equal horror of that war.
If you think of the 500,000 Americans (from both sides) that died--you'll love this Antietam, and Bull Run all not far from Harpers Ferry made popular by a Torrington Ct citizen, John Brown--who has a plaque honoring him placed by Black Americans (rightly so).
Look at the area on Google Maps prior to starting out. I hope you love it as much as I and my kids did 30 years ago. The weather here all week has been in the low 70's high 60's in May a bit warmer Everything is in either full bloom or blooming if you like green you'll love it.
Remember West Virginians didn't leave Virginia for the Union only to get away from Richmond taxes.
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Post by pinotbear on Apr 30, 2018 7:13:34 GMT -5
oh, my, where to begin...
Well, first of all, if you want information, you have resources. Icebear attended seminary in Gettysburg, I believe, and my daughter, ursusminor, went to Gettysburg College. Because of her, I've been to the 'Burg several times.
Perhaps the best thing you could do to prepare is to read some good history and historical fiction about the battle and the events leading up to it. In this day and age of instant communication and rapid travel, we forgot how difficult it was to understand very basic information, such as who was where, how many, what the hell was going on - but, it was a world in which knowledge was largely defined by what you could see and hear, and messages were hand-delivered over unfamiliar terrain.
So much attention is paid to days 2 and 3 of the battle, but, day 1 was huge, with the South narrowly missing victory. Early on day 2, at the Round Tops, the South, again, almost took the day - Little Round Top literally gave me chills - it is so tight, so intimate, compared to the huge techno battlefield of today, that you can understand the horror of hand-to-hand close combat.
Folks often don't know that there literally was a Union command change, just as the battle began - a day's delay, and who knows how things may have ended?
The surrounding countryside is beautiful - Pennsylvania Dutch farm country to the east, and the Appalachian mountains to the west, complete with apple orchards (where I had my first Honey Crisp apples!).
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Post by genosguy on Apr 30, 2018 7:34:29 GMT -5
Chapette---I agree it's nice to know history, I enjoy all AMERICAN History, I'm embedded in the Civil War down the Shenandoah Valley--
All mid and Western PA is great viewing, and buying country. Most are very nice people.
For the next week, after todsy (only 68 today) the temps are in the low to high 80's . So you can believe in May they won't be below the mid 70's, mostly higher.
Pinotbear--you got that right, everything was slower, on instant coffee then. Traveling 30 miles was a day trip not a half hour. The South was short on everything except courage. That is not saying a courageous young Lt. didn't save the day for the Yankee. The South too often walked and faced solid hails of bullets and cannon.
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Post by meyers7 on May 3, 2018 10:26:32 GMT -5
I haven't been either. I do have to get down there soon. Lot's of good food down in that area too.
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Post by chicagogg on May 3, 2018 11:24:16 GMT -5
The history down there is amazing, and the countryside is SO beautiful. The National Park was closed the last time we were in that area, due to government shutdown. I need to get us back there to show my husband the park. Also, not far away is the Brandywine River Valley, also fabulous with the gardens at Winterthur and the Wyeth Museum in Chadd's Ford.
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Post by knightsbridgeaz on May 3, 2018 15:47:35 GMT -5
Gettysburg inspired my life long interest in the Civil War. Visited in the mid 1960's, when I was around 10ish.
The other sites mentioned are nice as well, but I wouldn't be misled into calling Brandywine, Winterthur, Harper's Ferry or Antietam "close" to Gettysburg. Not far, to be sure, but not "close".
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Post by pinotbear on May 3, 2018 19:00:45 GMT -5
While at Gettysburg College, ursusminor was involved in a campus historical re-enactment group, focusing, obviously, on the Civil War era. They did and attended events on-campus and off - one December I drove down and went with her to the Harper's Ferry Christmas re-enactment, and then we drove over to Antietam for their annual Christmas luminaria - where there's a candle for each of the over 20,000 casualties of the battle, and period re-enacters tend campfires and tents on the solemn night.
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Post by chicagogg on May 4, 2018 8:04:00 GMT -5
Gettysburg inspired my life long interest in the Civil War. Visited in the mid 1960's, when I was around 10ish. The other sites mentioned are nice as well, but I wouldn't be misled into calling Brandywine, Winterthur, Harper's Ferry or Antietam "close" to Gettysburg. Not far, to be sure, but not "close". Yes, there is some distance involved, but we drove up to Gettyburg one day, and other days drove over to Brandywine. If you position yourself correctly, you can hub out to lots of cool places... |
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Post by rockymtblue2 on May 6, 2018 9:47:00 GMT -5
Never been. But if you do go I wonder if you'll "feel" something at the site. I've been to the Custer Little Big Horn battle site. That was very spooky.
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Post by pinotbear on May 6, 2018 11:21:59 GMT -5
Never been. But if you do go I wonder if you'll "feel" something at the site. I've been to the Custer Little Big Horn battle site. That was very spooky. I did, at Little Round Top. Got goose bumps. |
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Post by bulkey on May 9, 2018 16:32:05 GMT -5
So very sorry that I just came across this only now and hope this reaches you in time.
You MUST, MUST, MUST hire a guide there (ahead of time) who will drive your car for you and give you a fantastic tour. Those guys are terrific. Hire someone for at least 3 hours (no kidding). Worth every penny. Then, walk around yourselves. Our guide had written something like 7 books on Gettysburg and gave us invaluable background.
Yes. Little Round Top. One of the turning points in world history. Drive from Gettysburg to Washington D.C. and be amazed at how quick a trip it is, and realize that had Lee managed to take Little Round Top, he would have marched on Washington. Probably a negotiated end to the war, preserving slavery until the Second Industrial Revolution (oil and electricity) made slavery economically non-viable. But who knows what would have been the Constitutional result.
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Post by genosguy on May 9, 2018 18:40:38 GMT -5
The history down there is amazing, and the countryside is SO beautiful. The National Park was closed the last time we were in that area, due to government shutdown. I need to get us back there to show my husband the park. Also, not far away is the Brandywine River Valley, also fabulous with the gardens at Winterthur and the Wyeth Museum in Chadd's Ford. Talk about a beautiful place---the Brandywine area (full of Revolutionary history too) My wife worked in Chadd's Ford with an Architect, she is an Art buff, Wyeth's (all), Bau Haus etc. Longwood gardens, last time I looked, were superb. |
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Post by UConnChapette on May 15, 2018 19:15:59 GMT -5
Made a reservation for a three hour personal tour guide based on all the recommendations. Will do some of the other historic locations and house tours in and around Gettysburg. Looking at restaurants in the area. Lots of good options, which might be tough on my current weight loss plan (25.6 pounds lost since April 1st, thank you very much). But I can make it work. I am so looking forward to this solo trip. Just me, on my own schedule, doing whatever suits my fancy and experiencing history.
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