This is our second road trip from Chattanooga to Boston. We wanted to steer clear of traffic as much as we can, so avoiding I-95 was key. (To our dear friends in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, sorry for not visiting!) We took a more relaxing route that offered views of rolling hills and bucolic farmland. Passing near historic Gettysburg, how can we not stop to get a dose of American civil war history?
That was how we found ourselves at the Gettysburg National Military Park on a Saturday morning. It was 10:30 am. The place was packed, and we had just missed the one and only tour of the day. Apparently only the entrance to the visitor center is free, everything else has a fee attached. We got a map and set out to explore on our own. We'll read about the history later. It was a good thing as we got to tour the grounds at our own pace, and don't have to cram into a bus full of people on a hot summer day.
The setting of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln
At the back of the visitor center, there is a trail that led us to Meades' headquarters and Cemetery Hill.
Meade's Headquarters on left
Soldiers' National Cemetery
We drove around to see other sights - the haunted Sachs Covered Bridge, crossed by both Union and Confederate armies; Devil's Den, where heavy fighting occurred; and observation towers at Culps Hill and near Peach Orchard.
Culp's Hill
Climbing up the observation tower to see
Eisenhower's farm in the distance
Gettysburg Titbits
The battle of Gettysburg was fought on July 1-3, 1863, with casualties of 51,000 (23,000 Union, 28,000 Confederate). On November 19, four and a half months after the Union
armies won the battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln delivered his most
famous speech at the dedication of the Soldier’s National Cemetery.
Did you know Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th president, had a farm adjacent to the battlefield? The farm served as a weekend retreat and as a meeting place for world leaders during his presidency. Now part of the National Park Service, the Eisenhower Farm offers free tour, but there is a fee to take the shuttle from the visitor center.
Back home away from home, we learned more about Gettysburg on YouTube.
We managed to bypass I-95 altogether. Crossing the new Tappan Zee Bridge (built in 2017 and renamed Mario Cuomo Bridge) from Pennsylvania to New York was a breeze. No stop and go like the olden days to pay toll as no toll booth could be found. Ditto on the Massachusetts Turnpike. There is no doubt we have to pay. The bill is probably in the mail.
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