It rained all day yesterday so we just stayed in. But today was better so north we go! We have crossed the Mason-Dixon line into Pennsylvania and are no longer in the south.
Welcome to Pennsylvania
Gettysburg and it’s famous Civil War Battlefield is just across the Virginia/Pennsylvania state line. We checked our Passport America directory to help us decide which campground to stay at and decided on Artillery Ridge Campground. We paid for three nights.
Artillery Ridge Campground
The Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center is very close to our campground, so that was our first stop for our outing today.
Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center
The visitor center is huge, with two movie theaters, a fabulous museum, restaurant and gift shop.
Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center
Lincoln greets you outside.
Abraham Lincoln
The Gettysburg Address
After watching a movie about the Battle of Gettysburg we are escorted to an escalator that took us up to the cyclorama, a circular platform which was surrounded 360 degrees by a very large painting, The Battle of Gettysburg, by Paul Philippoteaux. Lighting effects highlighted areas as a narrator described the battle all around us.
Battle of Gettysburg Cyclorama
We took the two-hour Gettysburg Battlefield Tour bus guided tour. Our guide knew everything about the battle, pointed out where certain events happened and answered everyone’s questions.
Three days in July, 1863. This was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War. Over 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing.
Gettysburg Battlefield Tours
The battlefield is covered with monuments and memorials. Estimates are there are around 1,500 here. The bus only made a few stops at the more significant ones. If the sun is out tomorrow we may drive the route through the battlefield with our car for a more detailed look.
The Virginia Memorial
The Gettysburg Battlefield
The Gettysburg Battlefield
The Pennsylvania Memorial
We spotted a Minnesota Memorial. 262 Minnesotans died here.
Minnesota at the Battle of Gettysburg
1st Minnesota Infantry
After the bus tour we returned to the visitor center to go through the fabulous museum until closing. Everything anyone wants to know about what happened here, the events leading up to it, and what happened after, it’s all here. There are more videos, explanations, and artifacts to see here.
Flags were flying at half mast because President Lincoln was killed on this day 150 years ago.
- Lodging: $110 (2 nights 50% PA discount and 1 night 10% Good Sam Discount)
- Admission & Tour: $72
The Nomadic Life 
We’ve been following your travels, and they look great! We have no been to Williamsburg or Gettysburg yet, but hope to in the next few years. I was not aware of the Cyclorama there, but have seen another one which may interest you. I saw it the first time when I was 13 years old (1961) and then again after it underwent a $3M restoration in the early 80’s. It’s located at Grant Park in Atlanta, and depicts the Battle of Atlanta in the same way this one at Gettysburg does. If you get down that way again, Stone Mountain is only a short distance east of there and is also worth seeing. Maybe one day we’ll catch up with you on the road, Travel safe.
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Oh thanks for the tip! We have been avoiding Atlanta for some reason, but I think we should check out that cyclorama! Perhaps this fall when we head south for the winter. We’ve been to Stone Mountain, that’s a very interesting place. Thanks for following! Happy Trails. Marsha
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