First time visiting Antietam

[Tony Z]

wow thanks NH Gal for the info, unfortunately I'm not a fan of crowds so that's why I picked Octoberish to visit.

Even on battle anniversary dates, Antietam is not overly populated with visitors. Sharpsburg used to have a really nice downtown gathering on the weekend closest to 9/17 and not crowded at all.

 

[Bruce Vail]

Take back roads from Antietam to Harpers Ferry and stop at Kennedy Farmhouse (headquarters of John Brown before his raid). Bear in mind this is privately owned! You can get pics from the road and might be able to stroll up to the house (I have several times through the years).

That's exactly how I got lost on the back roads. We visited the Kennedy Farm (not so easy to find) and then drove in a westerly direction on the theory that we would soon strike one of the main roads into Sharpsburg. After some confusion we emerged onto Harpers Ferry Road, with the happy result we were able to take a leisurely drive over the original AP Hill route.

 

[Tony Z]

That's exactly how I got lost on the back roads. We visited the Kennedy Farm (not so easy to find) and then drove in a westerly direction on the theory that we would soon strike one of the main roads into Sharpsburg. After some confusion we emerged onto Harpers Ferry Road, with the happy result we were able to take a leisurely drive over the original AP Hill route.

One must exhibit EXTREME caution on those roads!!!!! You're in the vicinity of the Blair Witch!

I've been through there many times, and I still have issues.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

@Stone in the wall tell them about our adventures at the Kennedy Farm! We had to skedaddle!

 

[ErnieMac]

I would also recommend Harpers Ferry if you will have time. Can be crowded on weekends, but weekdays should be less so. A park pass is required which can be purchased at the Visitor Center. I'd recommend using the shuttle as parking in town is a challenge.

 

[Tony Z]

@Stone in the wall tell them about our adventures at the Kennedy Farm! We had to skedaddle!

Were you chased away, as I was?

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Were you chased away, as I was?

By hornets the size of B-52s!

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

We had done okay and stayed on the appropriate land. Clark and I were walking all around and looking in the buildings. I'm rather afraid of snakes and there was tall grass everywhere - nothing was mowed - and there is a pond there or was. Clark, who lives in that area, kept telling me "soothing Southern lies - there are no snakes here" but he went first ahead of me in the tall grass.

At that time, in 2021, the NPS didn't own it yet so it was very rundown and overgrown. We decided to go up the staircase on the front of the house to look in. The stairs were a bit dodgy too. We never saw the hornet's nest. All of a sudden, the Rebel and the Yank joined forces and we were running for lives as a massive force of hornets took after us! We still don't know where they quite came from but we were really skedaddling for all we worth back down to the road and the car!

 

[Tony Z]

We had done okay and stayed on the appropriate land. Clark and I were walking all around and looking in the buildings. I'm rather afraid of snakes and there was tall grass everywhere - nothing was mowed - and there is a pond there or was. Clark, who lives in that area, kept telling me "soothing Southern lies - there are no snakes here" but he went first ahead of me in the tall grass.

At that time, in 2021, the NPS didn't own it yet so it was very rundown and overgrown. We decided to go up the staircase on the front of the house to look in. The stairs were a bit dodgy too. We never saw the hornet's nest. All of a sudden, the Rebel and the Yank joined forces and we were running for lives as a massive force of hornets took after us! We still don't know where they quite came from but we were really skedaddling for all we worth back down to the road and the car!

Probably two dozen years ago when I was "skedaddled" away by an irate resident! I would be more afraid of ticks and then snakes.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Actually, the people next door were very pleasant and told us we could park in their driveway - though they have lots of security cameras and signs telling you not to. They came out to check on us and I actually explained I was scoping out things to lead the CWT 2021 Muster and that intrigued them. I was trying really hard to not be in their driveway but it was super rutted at the time and super muddy on a super narrow road and they said, "just park in our driveway." They were very nice to us.

 

[Stryker65]

Harper's Ferry just a short drive away! Highly recommend going to the Point, which is like going to The Point at Pittsburgh -- the confluence of three rivers.

 

[Tony Z]

Harper's Ferry just a short drive away! Highly recommend going to the Point, which is like going to The Point at Pittsburgh -- the confluence of three rivers.

Best view of the confluence, is to take the trail to Jefferson's Rock. Thomas Jefferson claimed to our European cousins, the trip across the Atlantic is worth the view.

 

[Stone in the wall]

@Stone in the wall tell them about our adventures at the Kennedy Farm! We had to skedaddle!

Hornets and such nest every where around here and it don't take long to build a little nest. I've gotten stung more than once just taking the gas cap off after flipping the side door open between fill ups.
But haven't seen or found any ticks yet this year and I've got over 3 acres of tall uncut grass. Winter was really cold here for some long periods.

 

[J C J Barefoot]

I'm hoping to get up to Antietam this fall for the first time. Any advice/tips on seeing or not seeing something would be appreciated. I'm thinking of staying by the interstate, how far of a drive is it to the Battlefield from there? TIA

Take time to get a good overview.
I would get a guide but if you don't get a guide then I would make your first stop at the observation tower at the end of bloody lane. There is plenty of parking.Bring a map of the battlefield. Take the stair to the top , and spend some time getting oriented so you can see the field. I would then go to the visitor center and watch the orientation film. Leave the visitor center and walk the path to the left monument and step up there to see the long view from north east to south east. You'll see just what Lee was looking at on Sept 15th. By this time you'll have spent about an hour and you'll have your bearings which makes the rest of the day easier. Then start the drive around the battlefield stopping at the sign posts.

The easy part of Antietam is the chronology of the day's fighting really went from north to south so you can start in the north and move your way south through out the day and I would do just that.

The places you want to get out of the car and explore are: (1) The corn field, (2) The Dunkard Church to the rear and west trail. (3) The bloody lane, (4) the high ground over the Burnside Bridge and (5) The east side of the Bridge.
Also there are no resturants to speak of in Sharpsburg. There is a beer carryout that has some food.
If you do have time to come over SOuth Mountain and the passees and -you will want to take the time find and to stop at the Washington Monument tower. You will get an amazing view of the entire valley.
Hope you have a great trip.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Washington Monument tower. You

If they have it open. For the first time, it was locked three or four weeks ago. I won't make this thread political but four of us spent a week in the Gettysburg/Antietam area and a lot of NPS stuff, even though that isn't exactly NPS, is now locked or… they don't have paid staff or….. they are trying very hard to find enough volunteers. I talked with the fellow who was volunteering that day at the tiny museum for South Mountain. It isn't just National - the State of Maryland is now having a very tough time finding money to pay for people manning these sites.