Battlefield Tour Guides

In my never ending journey of research and discovery, I recently found an incredibly informative and fascinating site titled "The Gettysburg Daily" (www.gettysburgdaily.com) Here is a brief description of their purpose on the "About Us" page:
" The Gettysburg Daily is an independent website, whose purpose is to provide at least one picture a day related in some way to Gettysburg."

I could spend hours here-there is so much to see and read about and they have written it in a fact based, engaging and informative style. I was excited to find that while all the Licensed Battlefield Guides of Gettysburg have an in depth knowledge of the battle, the Gettysburg Daily reports that each has a "specialty". For example, LBG (licensed battlefield guide) Richard Goedkoop specializes in John F. Kennedy's visit to Gettysburg.

"On March 31, 1963, President John F. Kennedy with some friends and members of his family drove from a church service at Camp David, Maryland, to tour the Gettysburg Battlefield. Their guide was Jacob Melchior Sheads, a longtime Gettysburg High School History Teacher and seasonal historian with the National Park Service. Licensed Battlefield Guide Richard Goedkoop follows what we know of the route that the Kennedy party took around the battlefield".

Another guide, LBG Ted Gajewski, has made his focus Neill Avenue, or (Lost Avenue)

"Lost Avenue, as it is also known, is one of the least visited locations at Gettysburg National Military Park".

I personally enjoy learning more about those facts of the battle that might not be well known, and this was HUGELY informative.

(If you cut and paste the following address into your browser you will be able to view a video Of Neill, courtesy of Gettysburg Daily. This is absolutely fascinating!

http://www.gettysburgdaily.com/?p=3063


NOTE: There are a total of three videos (two are on this page and one on the previous page). When you are on the page from this link, you will need to scroll down the many pictures to locate and view the video. An indicationof the video will be that you see a picture of Neil standing before the monument- and there will be a large white arrow that you need to click on and the video will begin.

Our family has thoroughly enjoyed all the hard work Gettysburg Daily has put forth. Thank you so much! This has allowed us to bring a little bit of Gettysburg's fascinating history into our home.

To learn more about Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides and how to hire one, cut and paste the following address into your browser:

http://www.gettysburgtourguides.org/battlefieldtours.html


Parts of this article were reprinted from Gettysburg Daily's licensing guidelines which can be viewed here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/ (you may need to cut and paste as I haven't quite figured out how to properly link yet.) :0)

A Piece of Gettysburg....

The National Park Service has agreed to lease its garage located
on South Washington Street in Gettysburg to HGAC for an architectural salvage warehouse. The warehouse will allow the public to purchase architectural materials that have been salvaged from demolished or remodeled buildings.

The warehouse will meet the need for quality vintage materials at a reasonable cost here in Adams County. The warehouse will also provide an opportunity for local property owners to recycle materials as they renovate their buildings.
HGAC will accept donations of quality architectural materials once the warehouse is re-open for the season.

A project like this needs support from volunteers. Initially the warehouse will be open the third Saturday of each month. If you'd like to help at the warehouse, please give Merry Bush a call at 717-334-5227.
The warehouse will be open in 2009 on the following Saturdays from 1 to 4 pm:
April 18
May 15
June 20
July 18
August 15
September 19
October 17
The warehouse is also open by appointment by calling
Merry Bush 717-334-5227.

The David Wills House

We stopped in here last night for a quick peek; the National Park Service has done a phenomenal job with the restoration; I heard it cost approximately $7 million. Artifacts are beautifully and thoughtfully displayed and are informative and engaging to visitors. Admissions is free through February 16 in honor of the Grand Opening. After this point admission is $6.50 for Adults (13 & up), $5.50 for seniors; $4.00 for youth (12 & under) and children under 5 are free.

Visits include an approximately one-hour self guided tour with two films, two interactive stations, seven galleries of which tow are recreated rooms-Will's law office and the Lincoln bedroom.

The galleries of the second floor follow the events of Lincoln's visit through his address on November 19. Here you will hear the story of how Gettysburg accomodated the vast number of visitors and how David and Catherine accommodated the distinguished guests who spend the night at their home.

A little background: Wills, a prosperous 32-year-old attorney, owned the largest house on the town square. Under his direction, Pennsylvania purchased 17 acres for a cemetery to honor the dead from the summer's battle. He arranged for the cemetery dedication on November 19, 1863, with Edward Everett as the main speaker. Lincoln was invited to offer "a few appropriate remarks."

Lincoln arrived at the Gettysburg railroad station the day before the ceremonies and was escorted to the Wills home. His special train included others from Washington such as Cabinet members and foreign ambassadors. While Lincoln, Everett, and other dignitaries ate supper together, serenaders and crowds gathered outside, calling for the President. Lincoln eventually appeared, but declined to make a speech at the moment.

The next afternoon, on the edge of town, a crowd of more than 10,000 would hear Lincoln's brief masterpiece, now considered the product of an entire lifetime. Contrary to popular belief, the painstaking Lincoln had not dashed off this speech on an envelope while enroute to Gettysburg (for one thing, five original copies of the speech exist -- all are on standard letter paper). However, Lincoln apparently produced the final written version in an upstairs bedroom of the Wills house. The decorative bunting in the photo marks the location. However, the picture was taken before the building was restored, so you now will see a brick exterior without white paint.

Once the cemetery dedication was over, the Marine Band and other members of the military escorted Lincoln back to the center of town. After dinner at the Wills house, Lincoln greeted guests in an informal reception. Standing in the hallway which faces York Street, he met visitors such as John L. Burns, the 70-year-old Gettysburg cobbler who was wounded after he spontaneously joined Union troops in the battle.

The David Wills House is part of Gettysburg National Military Park, and is operated by Main Street Gettysburg, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the historic preservation and economic revitalization of Gettysburg. The house is located at 8 Lincoln Square in downtown Gettysburg. For more info contact Main Street Gettysburg, 866-486-5735.