Gettysburg-A Turning Point in History

We have seen Gettysburg in the summer and enjoyed canoeing on the Laurel River in the Pine Grove State Park, and rock climbing at Devil’s Den. We have seen Gettysburg in the winter under a thick blanket of snow, sliding down a steep hill behind our friend’s house. But this autumn, with a special meaning of appreciation, was the most beautiful of all. The leaves on the trees turning red, orange and yellow were absolutely incredible.

The apple harvest was in full swing. Large green and red jewels were hanging heavy on the trees, row after row in the orchards. One of the main reasons we were in Gettysburg on this particular weekend was attend the "annual apple butter time", our friend’s very old family tradition of making old-fashioned apple butter in an outdoor copper kettle, continuously stirred over a wood fire for well over 10 hours.

The historical aspect of Gettysburg is overwhelming; the battlefields, Pickett’s Charge, the High Water Mark; the statute of General Robert E. Lee, sitting tall on his horse, Traveller; the area around Seminary Ridge; the Eternal Peace Light on Mummersburg Road; the old train station and Cemetery Hill.

Quick Tips:

In early July each year, Gettysburg swells to almost the breaking point with visitors and participants in the Battle of Gettysburg reenactment. You might want to avoid this time.

I would highly recommend before you visit Gettysburg you view the movie "Gettysburg". We watched it with our friends during our last visit and it gave us a much greater understanding of the sites we were visiting. The movie stars Martin Sheen as General Robert E. Lee, Tom Berenger as General James Longstreet, Jeff Daniels as Col. Laurence Chamberlain and Sam Elliot as General John Buford. This movie presents a truly balanced account from both a Union and a Confederate point of view.

Email the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau and request an information package before your trip. There are so many different activities and this will give you a "heads up" on what you want to see and do.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is a must in getting to Gettysburg and once there, to visit the different sites as the battlefields are spread over a 25 square miles. The downtown area is very visitor friendly and walking to many historical buildings, restaurants and shops is comfortable and safe.

We had the unique privilege of having a personal tour of this beautiful Gothic Revival Victorian home by the owners, Jan and George Newton, thanks to a mutual friend. This large three-story home was built in 1868 on the same site owned and occupied by the John Rupp family at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg. During the battle, Mr. Rupp, who owned and operated a tannery, stayed in the cellar, while Union soldiers occupied the porch on the front of the home and Confederate soldiers at the rear. The foundation and basement of the original house was used in the construction of the current home.

The Newtons "honor" the Civil War with elegance, grace and charm. Their home is decorated with authentic artwork, artifacts and other items of the Civil War era. Their library has over 700 books on the Civil War, and is available to their guests. Each of their nine rooms and suites have private baths, and queen or king size beds. The rooms we toured were beautifully decorated with soft colors and furnished with exquisite antiques.

Here are the descriptions of several of the rooms

The Charleston Room looks out onto the courtyard and features a brass bed, an original enclosed Italian marble fireplace and scenes from Charleston, SC gardens.

The Gettysburg Room is decorated in blue tones and amenities honoring the Battle of Gettysburg. This large room has a sitting area and a bay window.

The Courtyard Suite has a living room with a sleeper sofa, full kitchen, washer/dryer, bedroom with king size bed, large bath and a private porch and balcony.

As we walked through the different areas of this magnificent house, we could not help but experience the cozy ambiance and the elegance of this piece of history.

The rates include a full breakfast. And, speaking of breakfast, the Baltimore Street B&B has published it own cookbook of favorite recipes they serve to their guests and can be purchased there. Recipes include egg entrees, coffee cakes, muffins and some rather unusual dishes such as Broiled Grapefruit, Shoofly Pie, and Wild West Granola.

The Baltimore Street Bed & Breakfast is centrally located in walking distance to many of the area’s attractions, including the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address, Lincoln Square, and many museums, antique shops, souvenir shops and restaurants.

Smoking is permitted outside only and off-street parking is available. Be sure to make reservations early since this bed and breakfast is very popular.

www.baltimorestreetbandb.com

Email: Tannery@cvn.net

You don’t see any advertising for Hickory Bridge Farm, but somehow everybody knows about it. This is the place you go for wedding banquets, anniversary celebrations, special family reunions and that very special evening out. It is located eight miles west of Gettysburg at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and I highly recommend that you get a map before heading out. Driving through winding country roads, past massive apple orchards and wondering, "where is the world are we" was half the fun of getting there.

The restaurant is open to individual diners Friday and Saturday 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Sunday 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. and reservations are highly recommended for this is a popular place. During the week, they cater to bus tours and large groups. The farm itself dates back to the 1700’s and is still a working farm today, and guests enjoy the harvested farm-fresh veggies. Dining is in a large 150-year-old barn that was made of large chestnut beams and board, some measuring at least 18 inches wide creating the floor of the barn.

We were directed to an antique sleigh in the center of the large dining area and offered cold apple cider and cheese and crackers while our table was being readied, elegantly set with linen tablecloth and fresh flowers. The meals are served family style and it is basically "all you can eat". We started with green salad with a warm bacon dressing, homemade-spiced peaches and fresh potato bread. The main course consisted of Crab Imperial (my favorite), boneless chicken breast in a tarragon sauce over wild rice, baked ham with a honey mustard glaze, fresh green beans, delicious carrots, corn fritters and stewed apples. And then the desserts!!! Oh- My- Goodness!! Apple pie ala’mode, ice cream with hot fudge on a chocolate brownie and several choices. This is "country dining " at its very best.

The atmosphere was elegant yet relaxed and the best part was that we never felt rushed. We were able to enjoy each course and then visit over coffee. The unique serving procedures took away any anxiety of what to order and allowed us to just sit back and be pampered.

The menu changes each week and a few other main courses include roast pork tenderloin with an amaretto glaze, over-fried chicken, country steak with fresh mushrooms, roast beef with dressing and country style barbequed ribs. The one constant is the Crab Imperial, and after taking the first bit, you will know why.

Following dinner, guests are invited to stroll around the grounds and gardens and to visit the Country Store. Yes, a real honest-to-goodness country store.

www.hickorybridgefarm.com

email: hickory@innbook.com

The Battle of Gettysburg was the greatest battle ever fought on the continent and one of the most decisive battles of world history.

In July 1863, the turning point of the American Civil War occurred at the Battle of Gettysburg, when General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army of 75,000 men and General George G. Meade with 97,000 Northern soldiers collided. In the fields surrounding Gettysburg on July 1, 2 and 3, more men fought and died than in any other battle before or since on North American soil.

Although the Battle of Gettysburg did not end the war, nor attain any major war aim from the North or the South, it remains the greatest battle of the Civil War. Its significance turned out to be that with a Confederate victory the war most likely would have turned in favor of the South, for nothing stood in the way of an advancement toward Washington D.C. Both sides paid a heavy price on these horrific days. There were 51,000 casualties making Gettysburg the bloodiest battle in American History. Over 152,400 men and 500 cannons were positioned over a 25 square mile area. An estimated 569 tons of ammunitions was expended and when the battle ended 5,000 dead horses and other wreckage of war presented a scene of terrible devastation.

With the failure of the infamous "Pickett’s Charge" this great battle was over. The Union was saved. Now, all Americans and others as well, can visit the Gettysburg National Military Park and sense the magnitude of the historic significances of the ground that they stand on and what it stands for. It’s no wander that it had an affect on President Lincoln and how it moved him to write the uniquely appropriate words of the "Gettysburg Address". These words still live today and ring out the importance of the sacrifices of those men who died to preserve freedom, whether North of South. No truer words were ever spoken-then or now.

The Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the largest battlefield shrines in America with over 1,000 monuments and cannons along 40 miles of scenic avenues. There are so many different ways to view the battlefields. Probably the most popular is a self guided driving tour. Maps are available at any visitor’s center. It is also possible to rent an audiotape to help you navigate through these historic fields. Bus tours, biking tours and walking tours are also available. You can even "ride into history" with a guided/tape tour on horseback. Our choice was the best- good friends who are life-long residents of Gettysburg.

On the grounds of the Hickory Bridge Farm is the General Store. As I entered, a flood of memories rushed back from the days of my childhood. The wonderful turn-of-the-century (the last century) general store is complete with an iron stove, post office and a candy counter. Penny candy still sells for a penny (not the same-penny) and you can buy a sarsaparilla. There is even a checkers board set up, just in case you have a few minutes to play.

It is owned by William and Grace Newman who have furnished the store with wonder antiques. The shelves are lined with items that include medicine and liniment bottles, jars and tins. One samples was "Dr. Hess’s Healing Powder". On one side of the can, it lists uses for the power for the home and family and the other side lists uses for livestock. The two counters and the ceiling high shelves behind them came from an old store that was opened between 1880 and 1890 in Cashtown, Pennsylvania known as Bream’s Store. A wire that runs the length of the ceiling is lined with children’s stockings, ladies shoes, and a man’s summer "union suit". The really neat part about the store is you can stand in the center, make a slow 360-degree turn and see everything in the store.

As we were leaving, something caught my eye. A jar of pink round candies on the shelf behind the counter. I can remember my Grandpa buying these candies for me when I lived with him on a farm in up-state New York many, many years ago. I think the name of these little jewels is "Canada Pink Lozenges". I only bought a half pound, and now regret not buying more. I must return!

As we walked through the streets of Gettysburg, past Lincoln Square, the Adams County Courthouse, west on Baltimore Street and past the Baltimore Bed and Breakfast and up towards the Old Gettysburg Village, we were in awe of the beauty of quaintness of this town. We have always enjoyed our visits to Gettysburg, but usually spend most of our time visiting, not site seeing. But since we had a few extra days and an excellent guide, we took the opportunity to get a Civil War education.

In the downtown area, the streets are lined with American flags. Everywhere you look, there are images of Abe Lincoln: the Lincoln Diner, the Lincoln Train Museum, the Lincoln Room Museum, even the Lincolnway Motel. And, if you are lucky, you might see Ole Abe Lincoln himself, strolling near Lincoln Square. I had the opportunity of crossing paths with this person, who is the spitting image of pictures of the "real" President Lincoln. He dawns his long back coat, white shirt, black vest and bow tie and that distinctive black top hat, and gives visitors to his town an incredible opportunity. Of course, when I ran into him, there was no camera in site.

No matter where you drive in the area around Gettysburg, you will encounter battlefields, monuments, and rows of restored cannons dotted among the beautiful farmhouses and residential areas.

The Lincoln Train is located opposite the National Park Service Visitors Center on Steinwehr Avenue. This simulated train ride is a great family activity. From the inside of President Lincoln’s 1863 train, you can see the Civil War country-side along the route and hear conversations that took place on this historic train trip. Our first exposure to the Lincoln Train was when our children were small and they actually thought the train was moving. Adult $5.95, children $3.50.

The Cyclorama is located inside the National Military Park and is one of the most unique points of interest. This circular oil-on-canvas painting portrays the fury of the final Confederate assault on July 3, 1863, commonly referred to as "Pickett's Charge". Along the inside wall of this large round structure is a breathtaking panorama with the foreground littered with the relics of the battle, stone walls, shattered trees and broken fences, helping to bring the painting to life. It measures 356 feet around, 26 feet tall. A 20-minute sound and light program recreates the scene of the fighting and highlighting points of interest on the canvas. This massive painting was created by the French artist Paul Philippoteaux and was completed in 1884. If you have the opportunity to visit the Cyclorama, look carefully at the painting for a man, dressed as a soldier, but not involved in the battle, leaning against a tree. This is a self-portrait of the artist. Admission Adult $3.00, children $2.00, seniors $2.50.

On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln dedicated the Gettysburg National Cemetery. His speech lasted only two minutes and contained 266 words, but went into history as the immortal Gettysburg Address. Lincoln arrived by train at Gettysburg on November 18, and reportedly had written most of his speech on the train. He spent the night at the Wills House in the Square where he put on the finishing touches to his tribute to those who died to preserve freedom

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that ward. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but is can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work, which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increase devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth".

Interestingly enough, President Lincoln was not the main speaker that day and gave his speech after a two-hour oration by Edward Everett, a famous speaker of that time. Everett’s remarks received front-page coverage in newspapers; Lincoln’s were on an obscure inside page. But it was Lincoln’s words that resonate even today.