National Military Park - Winter Opening Hours

Beginning on November 1, 2007, the Gettysburg National Military Park will change to its winter visiting hours, staying open to the public from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. daily, the National Park Service has announced.

The winter visiting hours will continue through March 31, 2008. From April 1 through October 31, the park will remain open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily. During the winter visiting hours, park-approved special events such as the annual Remembrance Illumination and park sponsored public meetings would continue to be permitted. Certain park avenues will continue to be accessible 24 hours/day for vehicular through-travel only: Buford Avenue, Doubleday Avenue, Granite Schoolhouse Road, Howard Avenue, Millerstown Road, Reynolds Avenue, Wadsworth Avenue, West Confederate Avenue, and Wheatfield Road.

Fines for Closed Area Violations are $75. For more information contact Gettysburg National Military Park at (717) 334-1124, or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/gett

The new Visitor Center

A new Visitor Center is under construction and scheduled to open in Spring 2008. The current (old) Visitor Center is over 30 years old and can exhibit only a fraction of the artefacts in the possession of the National Parks Service; also, the parking facilities are inadequate for the two million or so annual visitors to Gettysburg.

You can see photos of the new and larger Visitor Center at http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/index.htm

We hope that future visitors to this historic town will benefit from the new Center, which can be accessed from the Baltimore Pike (Rte.97) and the Taneytown Road (Rte.134).

Touring the Battlefield

Most people who visit Gettysburg want to tour the Battlefield. I'm often asked which is the best way to do this. It depends largely on the depth of your interest in history and the famous Battle. The Battlefield is officially known as 'Gettysburg National Military Park', and adjacent to it is the National Military Cemetery, where Lincoln made his celebrated Address.

Presuming you are coming to Gettysburg for the history, rather than for the shopping, I think you should consider the following:

First stop: The National Parks Service (NPS) Visitor Center. This is like a museum, with all sorts of interesting exhibits, including:

1. The Electric Light Map - a huge map on the floor with tiered seats around in, and a 30 minute recorded commentary describing the Battle (little lights illuminate parts of the map to indicate where the events took place). Sadly the Light Map will not move to the new Visitor Center.
2. The Cyclorama Painting of 'Pickett's Charge': completed in 1884 it is now being moved to its new home at the new Visitor Center.
3. Park Ranger Walks: which go to the National Military Cemetery and other nearby sites in the battlefield. The schedule can be obtained from the NPS, in advance or at the Visitor Center.

Second thing to do: Tour the battlefield with a guide licensed by the NPS. These guides are freelancers, and they qualify for a license by taking tough written and practical tests. The guide drives you in your car for a two-hour tour of the Battlefield, for a charge of $45 (1-6 people) plus gratuity - fantastic value!

Third thing to do: Drive or walk round the Battlefield in your own time. You can use a CD or cassette with a recorded commentary to help you.

In my opinion, this is the best sequence for touring the battlefield. Obviously, your enjoyment will be greater if you've read books about the Battle, and I'll post another blog with some suggestions.

Some FAQs:

• "Where is the Battlefield?" The National Military Park virtually surrounds Gettysburg, and there was some fighting in the town, mostly skirmishing in the fringes.
• "How can we take a guide because we don't have space in our car - or because we are on motor-cycles." One option is to take a bus from the Visitor Center. Also, there are some guides who will take you in their car.
• "Can we walk round the Battlefield?" Yes, but it would take you several days!
• "Are there horseback/cycle rides?" Yes, and I'll post a blog on that.

Other questions: "Were the boulders at Devil's Den there at the time of the Battle?" "Why are there no bullet holes in the monuments?" I'll leave the answers to you!