160th Anniversary trip

[Stryker65]

Hey all,
I'm planning a trip to Gettysburg for the 160th Anniversary this weekend; any idea which of the programs would be the most interesting? Definitely want to see the 8th Florida reenactors, and I have a bit of interest in Culp's Hill, but mainly want to have the 2 hour Pickett's Charge hike, which I couldn't see anywhere on the schedule. Any ideas?
-Stryker

 

[lelliott19]

mainly want to have the 2 hour Pickett's Charge hike, which I couldn't see anywhere on the schedule. Any ideas?

@pmuskett do you know when there is a 2 hour Pickett's charge hike this weekend? I looked at the schedule too and didn't see it.

 

[Poorlaggedman]

It's in a separate section on their website. The hikes are in convoluted different sections under the dates in bold and in different categories.

Oh wait, looks like they got rid of it. It was on there, Angie Atkinson was doing it this year. There's even a gap in the schedule where it was. That was one of two programs I was planning to attend. Oh well. I guess we shouldn't expect the Department of the Interior to interpret that particular attack more than once a year on average. They did it three times last year for some reason (the first in my memory) so I guess they have some years to make up. It's not like literally any other organization in the state from the Battlefield Trust to PennDOT wouldn't jump on the chance to make use of the cultural resources available if they had such authority over them like the NPS does.

I have to say that Gettysburg anniversaries are always disappointing unless you really, really feel special being there on the same side of the sun as the earth was then in 1863. The programs will usually be very basic. It's extraordinarily crowded. The NPS doesn't make good use of their voice amplification devices (I complained numerous times last year, we'll see if it makes a difference this year) so you won't be able to hear anything at all unless you beast your way to right in front of them, which is a jockeying contest between you and 150 other people. Behind that will be successive layers of people who are annoyed that they can't hear anything struggling to hear over casual sidebar talk snuffing out what little intelligible language is getting to their ears.

Unfortunately many programs only happen on the anniversary for some reason. If you wanted to see John Heiser's last program on the Rose farm in 2019 then you just had to go on the anniversary and it was 90 degrees and 400 people were on the hike. That's just how it always is.

They'll also cancel any programs if there's any lightning nearby or if its too hot. This is the first year in a long time it hasn't been forecasted to be scorching but there may be storms.

 

[pmuskett]

Not sure what is up with the schedule. I will look on the one we have in the guide room and see if there are any differences. Honestly, I didn't look. I already know the areas to avoid on my tours on the anniversary days.

As far as the anniversary walks, the longer/larger ones that were so popular over the years are probably gone forever. This schedule is probably going to be the future of the anniversary walks at Gettysburg.

Sorry your experiences with the battle walks were so bad. I did them religiously in the early 2000's. I learned a lot and got to meet a lot of great people that helped me learn a lot more about the battle at the after-action meetings at local eateries and watering holes. Most of the ones I did these walks with are now guides too, and we laugh about what we experienced during these walks. The heat, the twisted ankles and the ticks. Good times. We loved them.

 

[pmuskett]

So I looked at the schedule that is in the guide room. We got it a month ago. It is the same as what is currently on the web.

 

[infomanpa]

https://destinationgettysburg.com/160th-anniversary-commemoration-of-the-battle-of-gettysburg/

 

[Poorlaggedman]

So I looked at the schedule that is in the guide room. We got it a month ago. It is the same as what is currently on the web.

I see what happened. Apparently I checked it a little too early this Spring and was seeing last years program before they updated the page. So just no Longstreet Assault battle walk for the anniversary though there are several scheduled short programs at the Virginia monument July 3rd. Maybe they didn't appreciate the big crowds and CSA color guards showing up or who knows. I find it super suspicious considering the 150th, 155th, 160th are usually the more intense and higher visited anniversaries. And no Pickett's Charge walk? No traditional mob crossing the fields?? Really? I'm far from a Pickett's charge aficionado but that's like commemorating D-Day and ignoring Omaha Beach. Of course there is a cadre of NPS apologists with easy access to the battlefield who will always act like changing things up is always a good thing or a minor nuisance at most. Not if this is your only visit to the battlefield, and each and every day is someone's one and only visit.

Sorry your experiences with the battle walks were so bad. I did them religiously in the early 2000's. I learned a lot and got to meet a lot of great people that helped me learn a lot more about the battle at the after-action meetings at local eateries and watering holes. Most of the ones I did these walks with are now guides too, and we laugh about what we experienced during these walks. The heat, the twisted ankles and the ticks. Good times. We loved them.

The Ranger programs used to be the highlight of a visit and the Rangers are generally the best presenters you will find which makes it extra frustrating when you see the talent not being utilized more often. Why develop an excellent program like the Memorial day program of the last two years and then give it at one time on one date? I don't see how the status quo is a logical use of manpower.

I enjoy the programs, not the crowds. Any thrill of being at Gburg on the 'anniversary' quickly evaporates with the blistering heat and humidity, the mobs, and the whispering Rangers seemingly afraid to use their voice amplification which they are the only ones legally allowed to use them on the battlefield. I guess we're just supposed to be so reverent of the battlefield that we can't even project a presenter's voice anymore. Hopefully that issue is cleared up this year, because I gave feedback to multiple people.

Oftentimes if you want to go on a certain program, the anniversary is your only chance. The structures are even worse. Any given farm or barn might be open to the public one day in a decade.

There were inexplicably no Spring Ranger programs this year as well, the only notice was to go to the information desk and ask about programs on Saturdays. This is the first year I remember where there weren't any Spring programs. It's been progressively sparser and sparser but this year there were none at all. On a random day in the summer season you used to have your choice of a Wheatfield, Devil's Den, Little Round Top & Peach Orchard program.

There is actually a single Pickett's charge walk this year if you come on July 8th. It'll probably have 200 people and Holbrook has a raspy, laboring voice. So once again you have to jockey your way to the inner circle of the mob or you might as well be wearing headphones.

Worst of all (and I mean it sincerely) the weekend of July 6th-9th is Bike Week. VROOMMMMM VROOOOOMMMMM.

One thing you can do if you have a smartphone and unlimited data is you can do what I did. Find a Ranger program on YouTube and just go to the ground and enjoy a digital presentation while able to pause and follow along at will.