"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced." - excerpt from President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
Recently my brother treated me to a tour of two important sites from the United States battles of the Civil War: Gettysburg, PA and Harper's Ferry, WV. If you haven't been, I'd highly recommend it. The atmosphere alongside the significance of what happened can be felt in the air and one cannot help but be in awe of treading along the same soils where Abraham Lincoln, John Brown, and others with ties to the war walked and talked.
In case you're not familiar with either events, Gettysburg was the battle site of Confederate (South) general Robert E. Lee's unsuccessful push into Union (North) territory and a major turning point towards ending the war and eventual unification of America into what we know today as The United States.
Harper's Ferry was the site of John Brown's raid into an armory as a means to be a stronghold for freed slaves. It was one of the many events that led to the civil war (some believe this may have been a major cause of the war) and unfortunately for Brown was not successful.
Highlights: Gettysburg, PA
Gettysburg cannot be experienced in just one day due to the expanse and the sheer number of monuments dotting the landscape pointing out skirmishes and paying homage to the various units and people that gave their lives for what they felt was best for their country. It is also here that people can stand on the same grounds where Lincoln gave his famed Gettysburg address on November 19, 1863 mere months after the skirmishes finally ended.
Parking at the visitors center is free, but you will want to pay for admission to the museum, Cyclorama painting/presentation and the Morgan Freeman narrated film (current prices are: $19 for adults, $14 for kids and children under $5 are free).
Each presentation dives deeper into the events of Gettysburg and helps to pull the visitor into history giving an eerie experience into the horrors of war.
Highlights: Harper's Ferry, WV
Harper's Ferry is a walk around museum with many exhibition buildings open to the public and stocked with period artifacts carefully preserved to give the impression the proprietor just stepped out for a bit.
Entrance to the museum buildings are free as is the shuttle between the visitors parking lot and the museum grounds, but there is a fee for parking. Currently it is $20 for three days
Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes because the Appalachian Trail (a hiking trail that starts in Maine and ends in Georgia) may inspire you to start your exploration of the trail right there.
The rivers of the Patowmac and Shenandoah meet up and merge here It is at Harper's Ferry where Thomas Jefferson stood on a high plateau (aptly named Jefferson rock which you can still visit) and made this observation:
"On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred miles to seek a vent. On your left approaches the Patowmac in quest of a passage also. In the moment of their junction they rush together against the mountain, rend it asunder and pass off to the sea....This scene is worth a voyage across the Atlantic." - Thomas Jefferson.
My thoughts:
I would strongly recommend if you have the chance to visit these two sites then do it. There is a lot to experience for people pursuing any kind of experience. If you're a beer and food lover there's Fourscore brewing for beer and The Dobbin House Tavern in Gettysburg, PA, while Harper's Ferry brewery is located just six minutes away from the towns visitor center.
The words taken from Lincoln's Gettysburg address posted above struck a personal cord. Words are just words and not too many people will remember what was said. What they WILL remember are the actions taken and how those actions made them feel. They may not show how they're feeling openly, but trust they will remember the feelings and will either love or hate you for it.
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