World Tour: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Author: Maibella Rhoiden
This stop in our World Tour series takes us to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, site of a famous battle during the American Civil War and the most haunted place I know of personally.
Gettysberg National Military Park is located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania about 80 miles north of Washington, DC. It is about 60 miles north of where I live in Maryland. I visited the battlefield at Gettysburg many times during my childhood and even considered attending Gettysburg College because I love the location so much. I’ve only been there a few times as an adult but hope to get back again many more times.
Historical Background
Gettyburg was the site of an important battle in the American Civil War on July 1-3, 1863 and considered to be the turning point of the war. At this battle the Union (the Northern states) stopped the Confederacy’s (the Southern states) second invasion of the North and began its march to ultimate victory over the Confederacy. This was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, with 51,000 people killed, wounded or injured over three days. It was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech, The Gettysburg Address.
National Military Park
Today you can visit the museum in the Park and learn the history of this important battle. You can also drive around this large battlefield and get out to explore at various locations. There is a fee to enter the museum but it is very much worth it; there are exhibits and films and so very much to see and learn. I could spend hours in the museum.
Museum Images:
There is no fee to drive around the battlefield though you can rent or purchase an audio tour to make the most of your experience. I highly recommend this – there is so much to the story of this three day battle that you are sure to miss if you aren’t an expert on the topic beforehand. There are educational signs at all the various stops along the driving route that explain what happened and when during the battle. You can also climb Little Round Top and Big Round Top to see the view of the battlefield from the heights, and imagine the Confederate soldiers trying to fight their way to the top as the Union fought to defend the heights.
Parts of the Battlefield Today:
The Ghosts
As you might imagine from a location dubbed “the bloodiest battle of the Civil War” ghost stories abound in Gettsyburg. There are numerous organizations that lead ghost tours every evening in the summer and at other times through the year. These tours range from the benign (like the one I took my son on when he was little) to the very creepy (participants are provided with ghost-hunting equipment and spend hours in very spooky locations).
My Son in 2012 on a Ghost Tour:
You don’t have to be a tour participant to see a ghost in Gettysburg. There are many, many reports of ghostly happenings by people who weren’t seeking them out. The battle itself wasn’t confined to the area within the current Military Park; it extending through and around the town of Gettysburg and the surrounding farms. Ghost sightings are regular occurrences in many of the period buildings in and around town. Many people report seeing and talking to someone only to have that person (ghost!) mysteriously vanish in the middle of the conversation. Many others report sounds of battle, like cannon and gun fire, and some have recorded these sounds.
Ghostly Images Captured on Film:
The ghosts of Gettysburg have been featured in a variety of television programs including The History Channel’s Haunted History (you can watch the episode at this link).
Websites like www.civilwar.org deny that there is any paranormal phenomena at Gettyburg. Many other websites disagree. What do YOU think?
