Historic Gettysburg Offers McAllister Mill Tours, and Replaces Civil War Hospital Signs

May 11, 2023 by Community Contributors
From The Gettysburg Connection

Historic Gettysburg Adams County volunteers have begun conducting weekly Underground Railroad tours at McAllister’s Mill, located adjacent to the National Military Park. HGAC encourages everyone to discover a part of the battlefield unknown to most visitors. Tours leave from the south end of the old Mulligan MacDuffer’s Golf Course parking lot at 1360 Baltimore Pike every Saturday at 11 a.m. through August.
The site, now a ruin with foundations and waterways still intact, was most probably the first site in Adams County that people seeking freedom found on their flight north from slavery. The mill site is privately owned and is not open to the public. HGAC has the permission of the site’s owner to access the property.
McAllister’s Mill was designated as part of the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program in 2011 and was the first property to receive that designation in Adams County.
The mill was built in the late 18th century. The owner of the mill in the 1850s, James McAllister Jr., operated the mill as a safe house in support of the Underground Railroad and sheltered more than 200 runaways from nearby Maryland, which was a slave state.
For more information, please call 717- 659-8827. Suggested donations are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Contributions support the society’s preservation activities, including maintenance of the society’s historic headquarters in the G.A.R. Hall, 53 East Middle Street, Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Area High School Technology Education program students display the Civil War Hospital signs they created. Back row, left to right: Stan Licharowicz, Technology Education Teacher, Eli Cann, Wes Coolbaugh and Dalton Redden. Front row, left to right: Johah Fleck and Zach Sentz.

Over the past year, Historic Gettysburg-Adams County (HGAC) has undertaken the mission to replace the old, metal Civil War hospital signs scattered across the Gettysburg area — with the help of students in the Technology Education program at Gettysburg Area High School.
Under the purview of HGAC’s Preservation Committee and in coordination with HGAC’s Investing in Youth Initiative, a total of 14 replacement signs have been fabricated. Eight have already been installed. The other six signs have recently been delivered to HGAC for installation.
These signs are produced by students in the Technology Education program at Gettysburg Area High School under the guidance of their instructor, Stan Licharowicz. The students use the latest computer-aided design and laser manufacturing technologies to produce these weather-resistant, long-lasting signs. The signs are then installed by HGAC volunteers.
This partnership with the Technology Education program grows out of the Investing in Youth Initiative’s goal to foster interest among the younger generation in historic preservation and restoration — and to build a base of appreciation for our area’s history.
HGAC thanks these students for the obvious care and attention they have given these signs.

Rangers Will Lead Guided Walks of Civil War Trenches At Cedar Creek And Belle Grove

Belle Grove Plantation

By Compiled From N... - May 20th, 2023

from National Parks Traveler

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in Virginia will offer ranger-guided walks of Civil War army trenches on Sunday mornings, May 21, June 4, September 17, and October 1. The walks begin at 10 a.m. and last about an hour.

In the days before the Battle of Cedar Creek, the US 19th Corps dug a series of trenches and earthworks to fortify the Federal position just south of Middletown, Virginia. The trenches started from the Valley Pike (US Route 11) and extended about a mile north. A Confederate surprise attack overran the 19th Corps’ trenches in the early morning of October 19, 1864.

A park ranger will lead a walk on woodland trails along Civil War trenches preserved by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation. The walks cover about one half-mile on even ground. Meet at the entrance to the 19th Corps Trails at the 128th New York Monument, on US Route 11, 2.4 miles south of the NPS Visitor Center in Middletown, Virginia. Rangers recommend bringing water, wearing suitable walking shoes, and applying insect repellent before the walk.

The 19th Corps Trails now extend to connect the 128th New York Monument with Belle Grove Plantation. This spring, Belle Grove Plantation opened a walking trail that connects to existing trails on Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation’s property, for a total of 1.8 miles. Trail hikers may enter either at Belle Grove or the 128th New York Monument.

Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park is a partnership between the National Park Service and five non-federal organizations. The partnership protects, preserves, and interprets nationally significant properties inside the park’s legislated boundaries.

• Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park

Civil War Weekends at Adams County Museum

The Department of History at Oklahoma State University, in collaboration with the Adams County Historical Society (ACHS), is excited to host Civil War Weekends at the Museum. Proceeds from the events will be used to support ACHS programming and student-driven Civil War initiatives at Oklahoma State University.

The first weekend of talks is scheduled for this Saturday, May 20th, and Sunday, May 21st, and the second weekend is scheduled for Saturday, July 22nd, and Sunday, July 23rd. Each weekend's talks will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. with a break for participants to eat lunch (on your own).

Saturday, May 20th:

10:30 a.m. - "The Great Reunion of 1913" with John S. Heiser, Gettysburg National Military Park, retired

2:30 p.m. - "Gettysburg's Rebel Commissioner: The Life and Legacy of William Robbins" with Christopher Gwinn, Gettysburg National Military Park

Sunday, May 21st:

10:30 a.m. - "'Such Then is the Decision:'" General Meade and the Battle of Gettysburg with Dr. Jennifer Murray, Oklahoma State University

2:30 p.m. - "John Futch: A Soldier's Experience During the Gettysburg Campaign" with Dr. Peter S. Carmichael, Gettysburg College

Tickets are available for single days or the full weekend.

*Participants of this program will also receive complimentary admission to Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum.

Purchase Tickets for May

Road Paving in Gettysburg NMP Begins in May

GETTYSBURG, PA – Beginning Monday May 22, park roads on the southern portion of the battlefield will be repaved. This four-month project will address road surfaces that are at the end of their lifespan.

This project requires road closures that will temporarily interrupt the ability to visit portions of the battlefield while work is ongoing. Park roads may be fully closed or reduced to a single lane of traffic. However, no work will occur during the events of the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg commemoration from July 1 to 3, weekends, or federal holidays.

Roads to be repaved in May and June 2023 include:(dates may change due to weather or other impacts)

• Howe Avenue: May 22 to 26 – Full Closure.

• Birney Avenue: May 23 to 26 – Full Closure.

• North Sickles Avenue: May 23 to 26 – Full Closure.

• Sedgwick Avenue: May 30 to June 2 – Full Closure.

• Humphreys Avenue: May 31 to June 2 – Full Closure.

• Hancock Avenue (from Cyclorama Drive to Pleasonton Avenue): June 5 to 14 – Full Closure.

• Hancock Avenue (from Pleasonton Avenue to United States Avenue): June 5 to 14 – One Lane, Controlled Access.

• United States Avenue: June 19 to 27 – One Lane, Controlled Access.

See attached map for more details.

Roads to be repaved in July, August, and September 2023 include: (dates will be provided when scheduled)

• South Confederate Avenue.

• Ayers Avenue.

• Cross/Brooke/Detrobriand Avenues.

• South Sickles Avenue, including the Devil’s Den parking lot.

• Crawford Avenue.

• Wheatfield Avenue.

• Berdan Avenue.

• West Confederate Avenue, including all associated parking areas.

Scheduled paving dates are subject to change. Every effort will be made to complete the work as expeditiously as possible as well as minimize disruptions for park visitors. Full details on the schedule of road work will be made available on the park website and social media platforms as details become available.
 

www.nps.gov

Sacred Trust Talks & Book Signings Commemorating the 160th Anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg NMP Museum & Visitor Center July 1, 2 & 3

Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation are pleased to announce and co-host at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center the annual Sacred Trust Talks & Book Signings event Saturday through Monday, July 1, 2 and 3, 2023. A special musical evening Friday, June 30, 2023, will kick off the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and Sacred Trust programming.

Details below

Want to spend the night on the Gettysburg Battlefield?

The NPS will make four historic houses available essentially as an Airbnb rental and is looking for private business or people to manage the sites.

from WITF, central PA’s Public Radio Station
by Tim Lambert

Rose Farmhouse

The view from the Rose Farmhouse on the Gettysburg battlefield provides a glimpse into the past, a moment when the nation’s future could have tipped away from the “united” states.

The names given to the surrounding ground — The Wheatfield, The Peach Orchard, Devil’s Den — are part of American legend and lore. In just three hours on the afternoon of July 2, 1863, as many as 20,000 soldiers scratched and clawed for every inch of the surrounding fields, woods, and ridges.

“There were accounts of soldiers who were kind of the last ones to go in at the Wheatfield. By the time they got there, there had already been maybe six or seven charges and countercharges,” said Gettysburg National Military Park spokesman Jason Martz. “At that point, they were no longer walking on soil. They were walking on bodies in order to get from point A to point B in the Wheatfield.”

The battlefield is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Pennsylvania. But, visitors may soon have the chance to experience the historic grounds at the Rose farm and three other historic structures in a whole new way. Under a new program, the National Park Service is attempting to launch at Gettysburg, they’ll be able to spend the night or nights smack dab in the middle of the three-day fight between U.S. and Confederate troops. The NPS will make Rose and three other houses available essentially as an Airbnb rental. The agency is looking for private business or people to manage the sites.

One of the largest is the Bushman Farmhouse, which also sits within sight of pivotal clashes that occurred on July 2, 1863 — Little Round Tip, Devil’s Den, and the Wheatfield. “From what would be the front door area on the west side of the house, you have a direct view over (to) Seminary Ridge,” Martz said.

Bushman was part of an initial rental effort launched before the COVID-19 pandemic. Martz says its short-run was a success.

“The comments that those who were able to stay here really reflected it was, to them, an opportunity to get close to the battlefield ….(by) being able to stay here,” Martz said. “But in addition to giving that very unique opportunity to the public, it also helps benefit the park and the longevity of these historic structures because we have the opportunity to have additional eyes and ears on these structures.”

Martz under the old approach, the Park Service handled everything — from booking to collecting fees to maintaining the building. It wasn’t the ideal set-up.

“We were trying to do all of that ourselves with just one building,” he said. “We realized pretty quickly that that was unsustainable. We couldn’t be everywhere at once.”

Across the park system, at least 211 historic lease projects exist from coast to coast.

The Gateway National Recreation Area operates one of them. It spans from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to Breezy Point in New York City — and includes beaches, green spaces and cultural landscapes. Spokeswoman Daphne Yun says it was one of the first urban national recreation areas.

“The idea being New Yorkers didn’t have to go all the way across the country to visit a park. There’s gonna be a park in their backyard,” Yun said. “We are located in three of the five boroughs of New York City, Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, as well as Sandy Hook, New Jersey. It’s about 26,000 acres.”

Yun says Sandy Hook has the most buildings in the leasing program — 35 historic structures. It’s different from Gettysburg’s because it’s more of a mixed use — ranging from a restaurant to a convenience store to AirBnB-type vacation rentals.

“Sandy Hook was a military base and mainly used in World War II, and at that point,was basically its own village. It had housing, grocery stores…everything that a military base would have,” she said. “Having all of this different type of use is not out of historic context.”

Back at the battlefield, Martz unsuccessfully tried to unlock one of the doors at the Bushman house. So, he walked to the front of the building and bounded up the steps onto the porch. The key worked, and he stepped inside.

“Everything is an attempt to maintain the look and feel of the mid-19th century. None of the items are original. Everything is new to look old, but it’s to be lived in,” he said. “You shouldn’t be afraid to sit on something. It’s not like grandma’s big white couch in the formal parlor that you’re only allowed to look at and not actually sit in.“

So how will the new leasing program at Gettysburg work?

A person or businesses would be selected to run it — meaning the day to day management — while the National Park Service would still own the property and maintain it. Tax money will go to the borough, township and county. Martz notes a portion of the dollars generated will go toward maintenance of historic structures throughout the park and Eisenhower National Historic Site.

“Any house. Any barn. Any outbuildings…summer kitchens. It is very strict as to what that money can actually be used for,” he said. “So, it really is a situation where everyone can win, because we have an opportunity to maintain these structures in a way that we wouldn’t have under normal circumstances.”

Protections will be baked into the lease agreement — such as if a guest causes extensive damage to the house or any furnishings.

After a tour, Martz locked up and walked down the porch. He took a look at the landscape around him. He said he hopes the new leasing program will allow more people to understand this place in a whole new way.

“It’s a very somber, humbling experience,” he said. “So, brew your coffee in the morning. It’s a great place to watch (the sunrise).”

If a person or business is selected — at least one of the properties could be ready for an overnight stay sometime this summer.

WITF graphic

Here’s a brief rundown of the houses that will be part of the program:

• Bushman Farmhouse: Within sight of Little Round Top. The division of Confederate Major General John Bell Hood occupied the property on July 2, 1863, with as many as 7,000 Confederate soldiers moving through the farm on their way to assault the Union position at Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, and the Wheatfield.

Jeremy Long / WITF

The Bushman House on the Gettysburg Battlefield

• Slyder Farmhouse: Just south of Devil’s Den, the property was occupied by elements of the Second United States Sharpshooters on July 2, 1863, who transformed it into a formidable defensive position. These Union soldiers held their position until that afternoon when a deadly battle ensued with Alabamians and Texans of Evander Law’s and Jerome Robertson’s Confederate brigades and Union troops were driven back.

Jeremy Long / WITF

The Slyder House on the Gettysburg Battlefield

• Rose Farmhouse: Along Emmitsburg Road, the Rose farm gained tragic notoriety as the “bloodiest farm” in American history when, over the course of three hours on the afternoon of July 2, 1863, as many as 20,000 men battled across the fields, woods, and ridges surrounding the house. As many as 6,000 men were killed, wounded, or captured, transforming the once peaceful property into a scene of “devastation, desolation, and death.”

Jeremy Long / WITF

Althoff Farmhouse: Just east of Devil’s Den, this farmhouse was constructed just after the battle. On July 2, 1863, the log home present at the time was occupied by Confederate troops who harassed Union soldiers until six members of the 6th Pennsylvania Reserves volunteered to take the house and drive out the Confederates. In 1897, these six men were awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism.

Dates Announced for Open House at Lee's HQ in Gettysburg

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST AND SEMINARY RIDGE MUSEUM ANNOUNCE LEE’S HEADQUARTERS OPEN HOUSE DATES

Visitors to Gettysburg can immerse themselves in the history of the 1863 battle by stepping through the door of this iconic home (Gettysburg, Pa.) — History enthusiasts with an affinity for exploration and thirst for knowledge can help satisfy their cravings this summer by adding an inside look at General Lee’s Gettysburg Headquarters to their itinerary.

The American Battlefield Trust and Seminary Ridge Museum will once again be opening the building to visitors every Friday from June 2 to August 25, between 10:00 a.m. – 3 p.m EST.

Standing on Seminary Ridge, this simple stone house was transformed into an icon of the Gettysburg Battlefield over the course of the first day’s battle and beyond. To expand upon the many faces and actions that the house witnessed throughout its history, on-site interpreters will be present during open house hours.

See complete release below….

Increased Accessibility Now Available on Gettysburg Battlefield

NPS News Release Date: April 14, 2023
Contact: Jason Martz

GETTYSBURG, PA – Gettysburg National Military Park recently installed two bronze relief tactile tables, with a third to come, at key locations within the park. These new bronze relief tables depict three-dimensional landscape elevations of the battlefield. Visitors will now have access to better understand the landscape across which the battle was fought and how terrain influenced the movements of the two armies at Gettysburg in July of 1863. 

These tables, which visitors are encouraged to touch and feel, feature braille and raised lettering, making them the first such additions to Gettysburg National Military Park. “We hope these new additions to the battlefield landscape will make a visit to Gettysburg more accessible and meaningful for our visitors. We are excited for visitors to interact with them, and for Park Rangers and Licensed Battlefield Guides to utilize them in their programming,” said Steve Sims, Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent. 

The creation of the bronze relief tactile tables is part of a larger project to update interpretive signage throughout the battlefield park, which has been ongoing since 2019. Visitors can find the tables installed at the plaza at the Virginia Memorial – Auto Tour Stop 5, the National Cemetery Parking Lot – Auto Tour Stop 16, and soon to be at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial – Auto Tour Stop 2. 

Work To Stabilize Vicksburg National Cemetery Set To Begin

April 4, 2023
From National Parks Traveler

In mid-April the National Park Service will begin a multi-year, multi-phase project to stabilize portions of Vicksburg National Cemetery in Vicksburg National Military Park to address grave disturbances and erosion caused by severe weather events in 2020 and 2021. 

Back in January 2020 unprecedented rainfall caused extreme erosion, road loss, sinkholes and severe landslides at Vicksburg National Military Park and the National Cemetery. This weather event impacted historically significant landscapes, including burial sites in the national cemetery. Additional storm activity in 2021 contributed to further impacts. 

The park will begin the stabilization project by temporarily relocating approximately 50-80 endangered burials through this summer and constructing a soldier pile and lagging wall early next year to prevent further erosion. Once stabilization is complete, the park will conduct a respectful reinterment process and complete other mitigation measures. The Park Service has committed approximately $4.7 million for the first two phases of this project.

“This project affirms our commitment to commemorate the fallen and protect one of the nation’s most sacred landscapes,” said Carrie Mardorf, acting superintendent, Vicksburg National Military Park. “Several of the impacted burials are unknown United States Colored Troops. Throughout this process, we are engaging with several communities, organizations and leaders to provide the soldiers their due honor and help give voice to undertold stories.”

All remains previously recovered, as well as those yet to be disinterred, will continue to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Burials must be disinterred to ensure they are protected and secured during the stabilization and construction process. A specialized facility was built within the park for the temporary care of recovered remains, burial objects and grave markers until the items can be respectfully reinterred.   

Future mitigation measures for the project will include additional research about the role of United States Colored Troops (USCT) and local African American community contributions to the cemetery. This is an opportunity to bring co-stewardship into the forefront concerning our collective histories of USCTs at Vicksburg and across the region. This effort also restores awareness of Vicksburg’s national significance during the Civil War and Reconstruction era. Future mitigation measures will also include further exploration of the Native American and Spanish colonial eras and their significance within Vicksburg National Military Park.

The largest Union cemetery in the nation, Vicksburg National Cemetery sits on 40 acres overlooking the Yazoo River Diversion Canal. It was established in 1866 to serve as the final resting place for United States soldiers. After its inception, the War Department led an effort throughout the South to locate the graves of Union soldiers who died during the Civil War so they could be reinterred in the national cemetery. More than 17,000 troops — 13,000 of which are unknown soldiers — are buried in Vicksburg National Cemetery. These burials include the final resting place of more than 5,500 USCTs who served with distinction in the Civil War. 

The Grounds of the Wisler House Are Now Open!

The grounds of the Wisler house are now OPEN.

As of March 28, 2023, the new gravel parking lot and driveway have been installed and visitors are now welcome to drive to, and park, at the site.

On the morning of July 1, 1863, the 8th Illinois Cavalry established a vidette post at the home and blacksmith shop of Ephraim Wisler. From its position on Knoxlyn Ridge, the Wisler House was an ideal location from which to spy any Confederate advance toward Gettysburg down the Chambersburg Pike. At 7:30 am, Union cavalrymen detected the advance on Henry Heth's Confederate division, which had departed their Cashtown bivouac to conduct a reconnaissance in force toward Gettysburg. Lt. Marcellus E. Jones, who commanded the picket line of the 8th Illinois, borrowed the carbine of Sgt. Levi Shafer, rested the weapon on one of the Wisler's fence posts, and from the western yard of the home fired the first shot of the Battle of Gettysburg. The Ephraim Wisler home would become enshrined in Gettysburg lore as "The First Shot House"...the location from which the great Battle of Gettysburg was inaugurated.

CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR DETAILS OF THE COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE WISLER HOUSE