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That other Civil War
Apr. 18th, 2004 07:05 pmAh, never get tired of looking at that new BTH pic :).
Yesterday I finally got to visit Gettysburg, PA, which is one place I'd wanted to see for years but never had the chance. I figured I needed to do it now before I pack up and move to the opposite coast. I brought along my friend Jason, which I'm glad I did since doing something like this is always more fun with other people anyway. It was a gorgeous day, warm and sunny, perfect for this sort of thing.
Gettysburg is Mecca for Civil War geeks and it's common for folks to visit several times. I suppose if you wanted to see every last memorial or monument to the 5th Calvary Cornhobblers of Northeastern Georgia or the 105th Battalion Artillery Division of Seersucker County New Jersey, you would have to do that. There are such monuments everywhere, many of which you have to hike to go see. Lots are visible from the road as you drive around the park though. Pennsylvania, being the home team, has the largest monument of them all, dedicated to all 35,000 guys who fought at Gettysburg. (35,000 out of approximately 135,000 at the battle.)
The museum was cool; it was dark to preserve the 140-year-old or so artifacts. They even had some original uniforms on hand. Heck they even had 140-year-old hardtack on display! We also saw the cemetery where Lincoln did his famous Gettysburg Address. Then once we finished the nickel tour of the park, we poked around town for a bit.
There were lots of re-enactors wandering around, even women in period dress. There are stores that sell accoutrements for re-enactors too. I went into one store featuring ladies' fashions, circa 1863, where you could get patterns, jewelry, hoops (for skirts), petticoats, hose, boots, bonnets, gloves, you name it. I thought collecting SW was expensive! This stuff is just as pricey as Ren Faire wear, maybe even more so. I picked up a cool cameo bracelet made by locals for a reasonable price, though. I also learned re-enactors do not like their duds referred to as "costumes" nor their hobby/lifestyle as "costuming." They, like their brethren in the SCA, take what they do seriously, as a way of preserving history. It's cool though. I can appreciate the fun of stepping out of your old self and living in another time/place. I complimented several re-enactors on their uniforms, dresses, etc.. The townspeople are really warm, friendly, and helpful.
The other thing Gettysburg is famous for is its spirits, inhabiting the battlefield and the town. I didn't see anything or experience anything odd besides an infestation of ladybugs (!) at one monument. The Devil's Den is particularly known for its odd occurrences but I only saw a bunch of kids climbing around. Ah well, I'm a big chicken anyway :). But the town has 4 or 5 different ghost tours and several books of local ghost stories are in practically every gift shop. Of course I had to pick up one!
All in all, a great time. If you're ever in that area, you have to go check it out. I'd like to see if I can squeeze in Antietam in Maryland sometime.
Yesterday I finally got to visit Gettysburg, PA, which is one place I'd wanted to see for years but never had the chance. I figured I needed to do it now before I pack up and move to the opposite coast. I brought along my friend Jason, which I'm glad I did since doing something like this is always more fun with other people anyway. It was a gorgeous day, warm and sunny, perfect for this sort of thing.
Gettysburg is Mecca for Civil War geeks and it's common for folks to visit several times. I suppose if you wanted to see every last memorial or monument to the 5th Calvary Cornhobblers of Northeastern Georgia or the 105th Battalion Artillery Division of Seersucker County New Jersey, you would have to do that. There are such monuments everywhere, many of which you have to hike to go see. Lots are visible from the road as you drive around the park though. Pennsylvania, being the home team, has the largest monument of them all, dedicated to all 35,000 guys who fought at Gettysburg. (35,000 out of approximately 135,000 at the battle.)
The museum was cool; it was dark to preserve the 140-year-old or so artifacts. They even had some original uniforms on hand. Heck they even had 140-year-old hardtack on display! We also saw the cemetery where Lincoln did his famous Gettysburg Address. Then once we finished the nickel tour of the park, we poked around town for a bit.
There were lots of re-enactors wandering around, even women in period dress. There are stores that sell accoutrements for re-enactors too. I went into one store featuring ladies' fashions, circa 1863, where you could get patterns, jewelry, hoops (for skirts), petticoats, hose, boots, bonnets, gloves, you name it. I thought collecting SW was expensive! This stuff is just as pricey as Ren Faire wear, maybe even more so. I picked up a cool cameo bracelet made by locals for a reasonable price, though. I also learned re-enactors do not like their duds referred to as "costumes" nor their hobby/lifestyle as "costuming." They, like their brethren in the SCA, take what they do seriously, as a way of preserving history. It's cool though. I can appreciate the fun of stepping out of your old self and living in another time/place. I complimented several re-enactors on their uniforms, dresses, etc.. The townspeople are really warm, friendly, and helpful.
The other thing Gettysburg is famous for is its spirits, inhabiting the battlefield and the town. I didn't see anything or experience anything odd besides an infestation of ladybugs (!) at one monument. The Devil's Den is particularly known for its odd occurrences but I only saw a bunch of kids climbing around. Ah well, I'm a big chicken anyway :). But the town has 4 or 5 different ghost tours and several books of local ghost stories are in practically every gift shop. Of course I had to pick up one!
All in all, a great time. If you're ever in that area, you have to go check it out. I'd like to see if I can squeeze in Antietam in Maryland sometime.
