Thursday, August 24 – We started our last day in Gettysburg, PA, by visiting the Gettysburg Diorama. The Gettysburg Diorama shows the entire 6,000-acre battlefield at one time. With over 20,000 hand painted soldiers, horses, cannons and buildings, the diorama includes a thirty-minute light and sound show. We received two free tickets to the Diorama by spending two or more days at the Artillery Ridge Campground.
This is a pretty well-done explanation of the Battle of Gettysburg and would be a good introduction to any visitor to the area. Paul thought we should have done this the first day instead of our last day. Marsha says that after doing all the ranger walks and driving the battle field, she clearly understood the Diorama and those that spoke in the Spirits of Gettysburg. It is your choice.
The Diorama is a pretty nice setup with an excellent audio description of the 3-day battle accompanied with spotlights showing the area being described. Cannons light up when fired, the town lights up at night, and you can see the campfires of the soldiers. We recommend this diorama if you visit the area.
Devil’s Den
The last battle.
We also received a fee tickets to the Spirits of Gettysburg which is located in the basement of the Diorama. From the website: The Spirit of Gettysburg brings to life the three days that changed the course of the civil war. An interactive animatronic historic adventure. Not a haunted attraction or ghost tour. This is not nearly as well done as the Diorama, and we're glad it was free. It is made up of a series of approximately ten rooms where the visitors move from room to room to watch what is betrayed as spirits from the Gettysburg battle describing events of the war. Interesting, but it's pretty difficult to enjoy if you don't believe in ghosts...LOL.
Jenny Wade moments before her death. Only civilian to be killed at Gettysburg
President Lincoln as he relates his worry and concern for the momentous battle taking place in Gettysburg.
Generals Longstreet, Pickett and Armistead discuss what will take place on July 3, 1863.
When this cannon went off, we about jumped out of our shoes.
Look at the soldier holding the rifle. Who does he look like to you? (Answer below)
Yes, that is right….resemblance of President Richard Nixon. Here is the rest of the story….The figures used in the Spirits of Gettysburg were rescued from the now-defunct American Civil War Wax Museum, and other businesses, including the Hall of The Presidents. The figure that looks like President Nixon actually was Richard M. Nixon. He was rescued from the Hall of The Presidents. Nixon's grandfather was killed here at the Battle of Gettysburg. So this soldier represents Grandpa Nixon.
We then spent a couple hours in the historic part of downtown Gettysburg. It is a cute small town.
This church served as a Civil War hospital.
Another church that served as a hospital.
We searched out a building with a cannon ball still stuck in the brickwork.
We saw the Willis House where Abraham Lincoln stayed the night before giving the Gettysburg Address.
There is a statue of Abe with a very young Bing Crosby. He is pointing his hat up to the room where he finished the Gettysburg Address.
We stopped in a few shops, one specializing in carved and painted gourds which just might be Marsha's next hobby craft. Guess Paul will have to throw-out his tools and the generator to be able to haul gourds all over the country...ha ha!
Aren’t these just adorable….Marsha’s words not Paul’s.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!
