Weekend History Lesson

Upon the recommendation, we made dinner reservations at the Dobbin House a week prior to our arrival in Gettysburg. On a busy night, we still had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated. Meanwhile, we sat on a bench outside under the full moon, visited the gift shop, and saw the underground railroad hiding spot in the tavern.
We dined by candlelight in one of the Alexander Dobbin dining rooms. The attentive waitress was dressed in costume from the Colonial days. The menu was printed in Old English and featured dishes of the period. An assortment of fresh baked colonial breads started our meal. We dined on "flesh" (pork tenderloin) and fish (orange roughy), accompanied by a baked sweet potato with cinnamon and brown sugar - delicious. Warm apple cider with apple jack brandy and hearty dessert rounded out the meal.

The new museum and visitor center at Gettysburg National Military Park opened in the spring of 2008. Through film, artifacts, and interactive displays visitors will better understand the importance of what happened here in 1863.
The large lobby is very accommodating for the many large groups, families and bus tours that visit each year. There are a refreshment area, bookstore and museum shop, and the essential restrooms. Information desks and ticket counters complete the area - maps, tickets for the museum and Eisenhower home, and booking a battlefield guide can be done here.
In the busy season, it is good to arrive early in the day, or purchase your museum tickets the previous day, to avoid long lines and possible sell outs. You must purchase timed tickets for the film and cyclorama.
The new feature film narrated by Morgan Freeman is a powerful statement about the events leading up to the conflict, the battle itself, the aftermath and the effects on our country. Following the video, visitors take the escalator up to the viewing area of the Gettysburg cyclorama painting. Originally painted by Paul Philippoteaux in 1884, this massive circular artwork was just restored and reassembled. Using sound effects and lighting, the 3-D diorama comes to life depicting Picket's Charge.
Upon leaving the cyclorama, visitors enter the museum - 11 galleries explaining the Civil War and Gettysburg battle, Lincoln's famous address, and the overall effects on the north and south. There is a good mixture of audio, video, and artifacts to appeal
to all ages and level of interest.
Following the museum visit, we toured the battlefield. There are many options for this - licensed guide who drives your car, bus tour, audio tour, self-guided maps/signs, or walking. We opted for the CD audio in our car; it comes with a comprehensive guide book. It took at least 3 hours to do this tour due to the many tourists and stopping to view monuments and other areas. Personally, the CD provided more information than I wanted to know, but for a Civil War enthusiast it was perfect.
Using the map, CD, numbered signs and stops, the tour describes the significant action in the 3 days of the battle. One of the most interesting areas was Devil's Den and Little Round Top.
At the end of our tour, we visited the Soldiers' National Cemetery. There is a monument at the site of Lincoln's Gettysburg address.

Bidding on a travel package during our local PBS station's Travel Auction led us to Passages Inn B&B. The 2-story home on the main street in Gettysburg dates back to 1836 and was in the Confederate-held area during the 1863 Civil War battle. Paulette Lee and Gary Froseth are the current innkeepers and have named and decorated the 3 guest rooms to reflect their international travel and interests. The inn also has a living room, dining room and hospitality area for guests.
We stayed in Australasia, decorated with accents from Asia and Australia. Being at the front of the house, it was a bit noisy but comfortable and well-appointed. The room had its own 2-room bath, cable TV and air conditioning.
The gourmet breakfasts were delicious. Coffee and tea were ready earlier and you could bring it to your room. A refrigerator stocked with various beverages was available to guests anytime.
Paulette was very knowledgeable about the area, asked what our plans were, gave advice on restaurants, battlefield tours and other attractions.
The location of Passages Inn is very convenient on the main north-south route through town. You can walk almost everywhere and there is off-street parking behind the house.
Great location, gourmet food, and delightful hosts.