GETTYSBURG

We have been in a campground in Gettysburg, PA this week, and have had a chance to spend a day at the Visitors Center and Museum. The exterior of the structure is kind of hodge podge, but the museum is simply awesome.

Inside is a cyclorama of the battle. Cycloramas were very popular in the 1890s, and basically were huge paintings in the round, so the viewer would stand in the middle of a circular room, with the painting on the wall. The viewer can turn around 360 degrees and see the continuous art work.

The Gettysburg Cyclorama is 42 feet high and over 350 feet in circumference! Longer than a football field!!!! It was originally displayed in boston, MA. The restoration of this magnificent painting was completed in 2008. Just below the circular viewing platform are actual artifacts, (cannons, rifles, etc.) and landforms to aid in the 3 dimensional effect. By the way, the painting is amazing in its 3D illusion.

We did an audio tour of the battlefield yesterday, which took in most of the 25 square miles of the ground around the town. Here one of the Confederate Napoleon cannons on Seminary Ridge.

This is the magnificent Pennsylvania Monument, which lists every one of the 34,000 plus Pennsylvania soldiers that fought here.

The Virginia Monument features Robert E. Lee on his steed Traveler, and is located on Seminary Ridge, where the ill advised Pickett's Charge was begun.

There are monuments everywhere, for individual officers, states, brigades, divisions, and on and on.

This is a humbling experience, walking the ground where thousands of men were killed or wounded.