Date: April 5, 2007
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| National Park Service |
| A summer program at Gettysburg |
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Explore the Gettysburg battlefield with Park Rangers from Gettysburg National Military Park this summer, beginning on June 16. Every day through August 11, Gettysburg Park Rangers offer an array of guided walks and programs on the battlefield. Programs appeal to people with every knowledge level, from beginner to expert, and include a variety of children’s programs about the battle and the Civil War. Best of all – the summer programs are FREE!
For first-time visitors to Gettysburg
For people on a first visit to Gettysburg National Military Park, the National Park Service suggests this series of programs:
CIVIL WAR SOLDIER (1 hour) Over 160,000 soldiers who participated in the Battle of Gettysburg. Find out why they enlisted, why they fought, and what they endured during the four years of the American Civil War. Meet on the back patio entrance of the Cyclorama Center.
THE FIRST DAY (1 hour) Explore why the battle occurred at Gettysburg and how the fighting on July 1, 1863, shaped the rest of the battle. Meet at the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, Auto Tour Stop 2.
NATIONAL CEMETERY (35 minutes) Join a guided walk for a 35-minute program that explores the meaning and cost of the Battle of Gettysburg, and of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Meet at the red brick rostrum near the cemetery entrance opposite the Visitor Center.
THE THIRD DAY AND BEYOND (1 hour) Learn what happened during "Pickett’s Charge" on July 3, 1863, and discover what its outcome meant for the Union and Confederacy. Meet at the back patio of the Cyclorama Center.
A VISIT TO THE PAST (45 minutes) Step back in time with costumed interpreters who portray men and women who witnessed and participated in the events of 1863 at Gettysburg. Programs offered daily in the National Cemetery and at the Cyclorama Center.
For Returning Visitors
For the returning visitor or those seeking to learn more about the dramatic events that occurred here, the National Park Service recommends the following programs:
CEMETERY HILL: "The Commanding Point of the Whole Position" (1 hour) Understand the crucial role this hill played in all three days of the battle, and how it contributed to the Union victory. Meet at Baltimore Street entrance to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery.
THE SECOND DAY (1 hour) Explore the events and actions that resulted in some of the most desperate fighting of the American Civil War. Meet at the Peach Orchard.
LITTLE ROUND TOP (1 hour) This program focuses on the July 2 fighting for this critical
terrain feature. Meet at the General Warren statue on the summit of the hill, Auto Tour Stop 8.
THE MOST SUSTAINED FIGHTING DURING THE BATTLE (1 hour) Walk the wooded slopes of Culp’s Hill, on the right end of the Union line where the most sustained fighting of the battle took place on July 2 and 3. Meet at the Culp’s Hill Tower.
EAST CAVALRY FIELD (1 hour)Visit the scene of one of the largest cavalry battles of the war. Offered once weekly. Ask at the information desk for details.
BATTLE WALKS (2 hours or more ) Walk the route of Pickett’s Charge or visit such places as Devil’s Den, the Wheatfield, East Cemetery Hill and many others. Check at the information desk or www.nps.gov/gett for a schedule. Water, hat and proper footgear are highly recommended.
THE NATION AT WAR (1 hour) The American Civil War affected more than just the soldiers on the battlefield. This program reveals how the war touched the entire population, North and South. Meet on the back patio of the Cyclorama Center.
CASUALTIES OF WAR (1 hour) There were over 27,000 men wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg. Treating them and saving their lives is a story of courage, ingenuity and human resilience. Join this fascinating program on Civil War Medicine at the front entrance patio of the Cyclorama Center.
MONUMENTS OF GETTYSBURG WALK (45 minutes)The Gettysburg battlefield contains the world's largest collection of outdoor sculpture. Who created these monuments and decided where to place them? What do they symbolize? Learn about the extraordinary stories behind these memorials during this ranger-conducted walk. Meet behind the Cyclorama Center.
HIKE WITH A RANGER (3 hours) Join a ranger for a three-hour hike on the battlefield. This more informal program examines Gettysburg’s fascinating layers of history, extending from the battle to present day. Offered once weekly. Meet at the back patio entrance of the Cyclorama Center. Water, hat and proper footgear are highly recommended.
THE AFTERMATH OF GETTYSBURG (1 hour) When the opposing armies marched away, they left behind a nightmarish landscape and a community reeling from the overwhelming impacts of the battle. This program examines what the consequences of a huge battle like Gettysburg meant and how soldiers and civilians alike confronted and dealt with it. Meet behind the Cyclorama Center for this hour-long program.
EVENING CAMPFIRE PROGRAMS Rangers present programs on a wide variety of topics on the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War. Nightly at the park amphitheater, Pitzer Woods, Auto Tour Stop 6.
Especially for kids:
JOIN THE ARMY! Children enlist in the army and learn something about what it meant to be a soldier in the Civil War in this one-hour program. For ages 7-12. Sign up at the Cyclorama Center information desk (Limited to 25 participants) .
JUNIOR RANGER PROGRAM – This free family-oriented activity allows children (ages 5-13) to become Junior Rangers by completing an activity guide as they visit the park. Ask for details and the guide at the information desks.
A full schedule of programs is available on the park’s web site ( www.nps.gov/gett ) and at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, 97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg. The Visitor Center is open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and until 6 p.m. beginning June 16.
