(From time to time The History Blog will write about historical sites and destinations suitable for a family day trip or a short weekend.)
Most Americans know Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as the sight of one of the most significant battles of the Civil War. For three days in 1863, Union and Confederate forces fought throughout the town and surrounding countryside. The final Union victory ended the possibility that the Confederacy could do more than maintain a defensive military posture in the remaining years of the war. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln dedicated the first national cemetery in Gettysburg, and delivered the speech which continues to inspire the nation.
Gettysburg is about five hours southwest of Danbury, and a visit makes a great trip for families with school age children. If you plan to spend the night, you can find a variety of hotels ranging in price from the more moderate ($75 to $100) to pricier options (over $100) through websites such as Expedia or Travelocity.
The battlefield is part of the National Park Service, and any trip should begin at the new Visitor’s Center (http://www.nps.gov/gett/index.htm). Inside, you will find a cafeteria, gift shop, and exhibits, plus information on how to arrange tours. Access to the main exhibit requires an admission fee, but it’s worth the price. (And you can get a dollar off by buying ahead on the web through the Gettysburg Foundation at http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/visit/tickets.html.) The fee allows you to see a brief film on the Civil War and the battle; surprisingly, it’s terrific. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the film explores the larger significance of the war, and the challenges it presented for soldiers and other Americans. After the film, your admission will allow you to see the restored Cyclorama, a unique circular painting of the war which focuses on Pickett’s Charge. The cyclorama used to be a late nineteenth century curiosity, but the restoration brings it a new vitality, and for many viewers, it has become a moving experience. From the cyclorama, you are free to explore the museum exhibits, which cover everything from Civil War medicine to the lives of soldiers. A number of exhibits are now interactive, and are particularly appealing to younger viewers.
Once you’ve checked out the gift shop, you’re off to the battlefield. You can purchase the Park’s self-guided audio tour, which allows you to drive through the battlefield and explore the area at your leisure. You can also arrange for a licensed guide through the Visitor’s Center, and guides have an extraordinary knowledge of the battle. There are other options as well, from Segway tours to horseback tours, which you can review through the Gettysburg Visitor website at http://www.gettysburg.travel/. A new and thriving business in Gettysburg has also developed in “ghost tours,” conducted in the evenings. Be warned; ghost tours are not allowed on park lands, so their guides have to create alternatives.
Your local library will have many books to prepare you for your trip. James McPherson’s large Battle Cry of Freedom is the one most historians recommend first. Ken Burn’s film series The Civil War is also a great introduction or review; on the web, a good site on all things Civil War is http://www.civil-war.net/.
After you’ve toured the battlefield, you will find an array of shops ready to sell you memorabilia and oddities. Strolling down Steinwehr Avenue looking into the stores can make a pleasant evening; you may want to walk up Baltimore Avenue toward the center of town. Put put golf on Baltimore Avenue may attract the kids, and there’s also a small outlet shopping mall just outside of town.
Gettysburg does not seem to be a town with an interest in good food. What’s available will see tolerable to most Danbury palates, but little seems to measure up to the quality and variety we’re used to in this area. The pub in the Dobbin House is dark, crowded, and acceptable, for example, as is the Farnsworth House; both buildings date to prior to the Civil War. The best food in town is the breakfast at the slightly downscale Lincoln diner, which has amazing French toast. (It’s at 32 Carlisle Street, downtown.) Fast food options abound, from Friendly’s to McDonalds.
All in all, Gettysburg is a fairly affordable short trip for a history-minded crew. You can also travel through the Pennsylvania Dutch country on your way to or from the town, and see Amish farmers tending their fields. Next stop for the History Blog’s Time Traveler: Kykuit, home of millionaire John D. Rockefeller.
