Summit of Little Round Top 1863, 1900, and Now

Gettysburg Greg

First Sergeant
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Decatur, Illinois
Here are three similar views from the summit of Little Round Top showing how it has been transformed over the past 154 years. The view is looking south from near the location of Hazlett's Battery monument. On the top left is Mathew Brady's July 1863 image showing his assistant sitting on a stump gazing out towards Devil's Den with Big Round Top in the background. Below that is the same view from a ca. 1900 photograph and on the right is the same frame as seen today.
lrt threeway.jpg
 
Below that is the same view from a ca. 1900 photograph and on the right is the same frame as seen today.

I have a picture of myself closer to the monument, but I wanted to get a mental orientation of where I was VS the monument as it is placed in these pictures. I took a little "mental tour" and it turns out that I am further up the path so that the monument was viewed from the side (I was looking West and my back was to the side of the monument) It is satisfying to have brought home at least some lasting familiarity with the area.
 
I see the big rock in the 1900 and now photo but where is it in the then photo...? i paused posting this but i am still looking.
 
I believe the 1863 photo was taken just behind that large rock. That is why it cannot be seen in the 1863 photo.

I reckon that is why Big Round Top is more exposed in the 1863 photo. That would mean that photo would have to of been taken from a slightly higher elevation.

I believe the circa 1900 and now photos were taken from a similar location.

On my next trip I will see if that rock is embedded in LRT or if it is just setting on the ground. Possibly that rock was moved post battle. Another possibility is that rock was buried in the 1863 rock breastwork.

Regardless of that rock's history, those photos are a very nice representation of LRT over the last 153 years.
 
Just behind. i think you are right. on the other side of looking beyond the crest in the rock scenes. if that makes any sense.
 
I see the big rock in the 1900 and now photo but where is it in the then photo...? i paused posting this but i am still looking.
Yankeedave, notice the tall pine tree to the right of the rock seen on the 1900 image. You see the same tree in the 1863 view, but it looks to me like the recently constructed breastworks are blocking the view of the rock.
 
Cool documentation of the BRT tower in the 1900 picture as well.

Love the documentation of the breastworks, btw, in the 1863 picture. They made the site much more immune to rifle fire from below, something that it is not obvious today.

Interesting to see the overgrowth just about West of the 20th Maine position area today vs. how open it was back then. They need to get some chainsaws going...

Thanks for this.
 
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