Gettysburg!

The idea of a trip to Gettysburg was sparked by our proximity and our appreciation for history. We once drove through the city for a quick respite, but never toured the battlefields. The Gettysburg trip 2010 was spur of the moment and had us drive to Gettysburg early Thursday morning. We arrived at the Gettysburg National Visitors Center and watched a video and saw the Cyclorama, a 360 degree painting done in the early years after the battle. The Cyclorama was a unique and fascinating aspect of our trip. We then went through the museum in the Visitor's Center and found that it was much larger than it first appeared. It reminded me of the Smithsonian exhibits! It was very large and had lots of interesting artifacts and interactive stations that made the museum an enjoyable experience. Did you know that the Gettysburg National Visitor's Center cost about $103 million to build?

Dad and I hopped on the 12:30 bus tour that was 2 hours in length. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and had a passion for history. Looking around the bookstore occupied the next 20 minutes and then we drove to check in to our cabin at the Gettysburg KOA. The cabin consisted of one full size bed, a bunk bed, desk, and mini refridgerator.

Dad and I hung out at the pool, played shuffleboard and mini golf, and made dinner. That night we made a marvelous fire and had smores.

We woke up early to run in downtown Gettysburg. My 3.8 mile run was through the main streets of Gettysburg and parts of Gettysburg College. It is a nice little town. We drove back to the campground to shower and change. Breakfast was at the Lincoln Diner in Gettysburg. After a filling breakfast, we departed for the Eisenhower Naitonal Historic Site. The 92 acre farm home to the retiring house of Dwight D. Eisenhower, had a full barn and a simple, but comfortable house overlooking the Pennsylvania mountains.

A tour of Gettysburg College filled up the next 2 hours. The tour showed off the beautiful campus that had many environmentally friendly features, while having history in almost every building. The college has a great Environmental Studies program with outdoor activities. I really liked the campus and will surely keep it on my list of possible colleges.

All in all, I discovered things about Gettysburg and Dwight D. Eisenhower that I never knew, all with an appreciation of the men who fight and fought for our country. I hope to come back someday for a 5 day trip and discover everything there is to know about the battle and the city of Gettysburg.

Andrew