Gettysburg historical walk
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Description
A walk through the city of Gettysburg that goes through several museums and monuments
1. The Eternal Peace Light Memorial
The memorial was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and dedicated at a ceremony featuring Union and Confederate veterans on July 3, 1938. The memorial can be found at the top of Oak Hill, northwest of Gettysburg. The monument is made of granite, stands 47 feet, and features an eternal flame dedicated to peace and reconciliation. The monument's dedication ceremony was attended by 250,000 people, including 1800 Civil War veterans, President Franklin Roosevelt said “All of them we honor, not asking under which flag they fought then – thankful that they stand together under one flag now.” The unveiling marked the completion of an idea that began when Civil War veterans met at Gettysburg to mark the 50th anniversary of the battle. Desiring to erect a memorial that reunited the nation, funds were donated by states from both sides to finance the $60,000 project. Symbolic of the union of north and south, materials used to create the Eternal Peace Light Memorial included Maine granite for the base and Alabama limestone for the shaft. The inscription reads “Peace Eternal in a Nation United”.
2. Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum
Gettysburg's Seminary Ridge Museum was founded to interpret and share the history of Seminary Ridge and its role within the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the major turning points of the Civil War. Museum professionals restore artifacts and offer exhibits that share the history of this place within the larger history of the American Civil War. The museum is located in a building constructed in 1826 by Samuel Simon Schmucker and the name of the ridge is related to this area's use as the first seminary in the area. This building was held by Union forces headquarters at the start and end of the battle, and was the site of a massive military hospital in the months that followed the battle. U. S. Army Brigadier General John Buford used the domed cupola atop the building to view the battlefield during the first day of the battle. The museum opened in 2013, the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.
3. Gettysburg Museum of History
This small, private museum is located in a home constructed in the 19th century that was home to four generations of a family that traces its Gettysburg roots back to 1818. The current owner decided to convert his inherited property into a museum to display historical artifacts that he collects and sells. The museum operates by selling a variety historical artifacts. While these items are not limited to the Civil War era, most of them are related to military history.
4. Shriver House Museum
This museum offers exhibits related to the experience of civilians who lived through the Civil War and also offers period furniture and artifacts throughout the Shrivers’ home that has been meticulously restored to its 1860 appearance. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate sharpshooters took over the Shrivers’ home and fired on Union troops from the attic window. Confederate soldiers also confiscated furnishings from the house to build a barricade in the street. The house and grounds were also used to treat the wounded when the battle ended. The home and the town was left in total devastation after the war. Residents faced extremely poor conditions as the water was contaminated and there was no food for miles. In addition to approximately 12,000 dead men and horses, more than 21,000 seriously wounded soldiers were left behind when both sides departed. Taking care of the wounded and cleaning up the devastation was left to local citizens.
5. Gettysburg Address Memorial
Though not the exact site of the Gettysburg Address, this memorial commemorates the speech given by President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. It is located in the Soldiers National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The memorial consists of a bust of Lincoln flanked by two plaques. Lincoln's speech was part of a day-long dedication ceremony at the cemetery, an event that local planners hoped would promote the city of Gettysburg. Although the event's planners anticipated that the event's main event, a two-hour a speech by famed orator Edward Everett would be the highlight of the day, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address would become one of the most cherished well-known speeches in American history.
6. Battle of Gettysburg
The Gettysburg campaign marked the second time that Confederate General Robert E. Lee tried to invade the North. The Last time he moved up North, Union forces met the Confederates in Maryland, at Antietam Creek. That was a one-day battle, and there was no clear winner during the battle, but the Confederates ended up retreating. Gettysburg would be different. This battle would mark the turning point in the war, and the victor would win the war. The Gettysburg Campaign lasted three days, and was deemed the bloodiest battle in the whole war. Over the three-day battle, fighting broke out in different places around town
