gettysburg in february?
Jan 11th, 2007, 05:44 AM
#3
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Agreed--it is drive-thru tour of the battlefield. Buy the narrated CD, or better yet pay the extra bucks for a park guide that goes with you. Any place you would like to get out for a closer look (especially both Round Tops) has convenient close parking.
Jan 11th, 2007, 05:54 AM
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I agree with the others. You will be in your car most of the time, and if you want to take pictures there are plenty of parking spots close by. Its a fascinating site anytime of year and I would definitely go.
Tracy
Tracy
Jan 11th, 2007, 03:23 PM
#5
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thanks for the input. while there are many threads about how to spend one day at gettysburg, can any of you be specific about which of the sites could easily be done in winter weather? We would not have time for side trips as this would be a day trip from Philadelphia. thanks so much.
Jan 15th, 2007, 11:05 AM
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This focus on Gettyburg is highly misplaced. It was not the decisive battle of the Civil War wasn't considered terribly important at the time. The South didn't even see it as a major defeat. It was blown up by Southern "Lost Cause" writers who wanted the world to believe that the South was a hair away from winning and who wanted to find a scapegoat for the loss. It couldn't be Lee, so they pinned it on Longstreet whom they hated because he turned Republican after the war.
The way Southern writers turned just another battle into the decisive episode of the war is fascinating topic and shows how people can spin history to suit their agenda.
The way Southern writers turned just another battle into the decisive episode of the war is fascinating topic and shows how people can spin history to suit their agenda.
Jan 20th, 2007, 07:49 AM
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Your visit can be as relaxed or detailed as you like. I would go unless there is snow cover that would make walking messy. There is a great museum in the basement of the Visitor Center (where they sell Eisenhower Farm tour tickets-also highly recommended), walk through the Natl. Cemetery, a few blocks of the town.The scenery is almost worth the trip-you can almost feel the troops walking across the huge field toward the Highwater mark.1 of my favorite sites was watching 3-4 middle aged couples having a picnic dinner in the middle of winter by lantern light-they were bundled-up but their laughter could be heard for hundreds of yards!
Jan 31st, 2007, 04:45 AM
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I just came back from Gettysburg. The winter is a great time to visit. You will have much of the battlefield all to yourself. No traffic. You can easily eat at any restaurant without a wait. If you only have one day I would first head over to the visitors center in the park. Get a ranger to drive around the battlefield with you for 2 hours. Then go and walk through the areas that touched you the most. We walked around Devils Den and hiked up Little Round Top. We walked Pickett's Charge. Each one of these two hikes took around 1.5 hours. If you still have time you can also go to the Eisenhower farm which is a 1.5 hour excursion. Go into the cemetary right behind the visitors center where the gettysburg address was delivered. And you have a full day.
By the way, the previous writer who said that the battle was not a decisive part of the Civil War is clueless. Two hundred thousand troops met in battle there with around 50,000 casualties. There has never been a battle before or since with as many US troops or casaulties. The South never posed a serious threat to the North afterwards. It is probably the most significant battlefield in US history.
By the way, the previous writer who said that the battle was not a decisive part of the Civil War is clueless. Two hundred thousand troops met in battle there with around 50,000 casualties. There has never been a battle before or since with as many US troops or casaulties. The South never posed a serious threat to the North afterwards. It is probably the most significant battlefield in US history.
Feb 1st, 2007, 11:48 AM
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Also watch the movie Gettysburg to get you in the mood. I always do before I go. I love Gettysburg, it is a beautiful town. Go to the visitor's center, you can hire a ranger to go with you on a tour. Do this, it is great. Even if it is cold and snowy it will be exciting. After all the troops had to fight in all kinds of weather. It will beautiful in the snow. It is well worth the trip. If you ever get a chance go to the re-enactment. It is very busy and crowded but worth it. In the winter it is quiet so you will be able to see alot more in a shorter time period. Go on the tour with the ranger, the visitor's center is great. Have fun, don't try to do everything, you can alwasy come back another time.
