Gettysburg Advanced Views

[J C J Barefoot]

I'm going again next month and I just can't help it.

It will be my 12th trip to Gettysburg in fifteen years. Along the way I've located some special views that I consider advanced—that is , beyond the standard views most would want to see on their first or second trip: Little Round, Culps Hill, Pickets Charge, The Peach Orchard—etc. These "advanced" views are the places one arrives at and suddenly knows they are the places you'd tell good friends they must plan to see. Maybe early in the morning before it gets busy.
( I do early morning coffee and cigars at my "advanced views") Here are just three of my advanced views —not in any order:
1. Oak Hill East: Follow the small dirt trail that leads up to the east (right) from the Oak Hill Eternal Light Peace Monument. It takes you to the rear and far east side of Oak Hill. There you get a view of the town and the approach you can't find anywhere else. Helps you imagine the Confederate approach late on July 1st.
2, Ziglers Grove South: Locate the monument to Albert Woodson and then walking past it ,go as far north in the Grove as you can but still get the longest view you can looking south west down the field. Almost walking backwards. This elevation gives a panoramic view of the field from the grove to the far southern end-- almost to the Peach Orchard.
3. Walk the steps up to the deck of the Longstreet Observation Tower on West Confederate Avenue. Take a field map( obtainable at the visitor center) with you as it will come in handy. At the top you'll discover a great birds eye view of the open field all the way north past the the town. The top of the Pennsylvania Monument gives the standard Union View looking west—this gives you the advanced ANV view looking north and east.

So what are one or two of your own advanced Gettysburg views?

 

[121st PA Vols]

Here's a few.
** Check out west of the Lee/Va monument behind Seminary ridge to see how dramatically it drops off and what a good staging area it is. You can see the entire way to the mountains, west, and south quite a distance past Eisenhower Farm. McMillan's Woods blocks an extended view to the north. It's easy to imagine Longstreet's long columns moving through that low ground and the units forming for Pickett's Charge.

** Definitely need to experience the field from the cupola at the Lutheran Theological Seminary where many key personalities viewed the battle.

** Culp's Hill. Anywhere approaching from the attack launch point at Rock Creek. Realistically a start at the avenue works but the feel is better starting at the creek. Like most areas at Gettysburg, you have to walk it to appreciate the terrain's ruggedness.

** Walk the streets from the center of town a block in each direction to see many CW structures most people miss on a fast trip through town. Then walk Baltimore Street south to Jenny Wade's Museum (1/2 mile) to enjoy many more buildings. Almost all the CW era structures are privately owned homes. And almost all the churches were also there during the battle. The architecture of the day is impressive.

 

[infomanpa]

I'm going again next month and I just can't help it.

It will be my 12th trip to Gettysburg in fifteen years. Along the way I've located some special views that I consider advanced—that is , beyond the standard views most would want to see on their first or second trip: Little Round, Culps Hill, Pickets Charge, The Peach Orchard—etc. These "advanced" views are the places one arrives at and suddenly knows they are the places you'd tell good friends they must plan to see. Maybe early in the morning before it gets busy.
( I do early morning coffee and cigars at my "advanced views") Here are just three of my advanced views —not in any order:
1. Oak Hill East: Follow the small dirt trail that leads up to the east (right) from the Oak Hill Eternal Light Peace Monument. It takes you to the rear and far east side of Oak Hill. There you get a view of the town and the approach you can't find anywhere else. Helps you imagine the Confederate approach late on July 1st.
2, Ziglers Grove South: Locate the monument to Albert Woodson and then walking past it ,go as far north in the Grove as you can but still get the longest view you can looking south west down the field. Almost walking backwards. This elevation gives a panoramic view of the field from the grove to the far southern end-- almost to the Peach Orchard.
3. Walk the steps up to the deck of the Longstreet Observation Tower on West Confederate Avenue. Take a field map( obtainable at the visitor center) with you as it will come in handy. At the top you'll discover a great birds eye view of the open field all the way north past the the town. The top of the Pennsylvania Monument gives the standard Union View looking west—this gives you the advanced ANV view looking north and east.

So what are one or two of your own advanced Gettysburg views?

Those are good ones. I especially like your #1 on the list.

 

[mwalker6043]

Going next week,

Rock Creek from behind the 28th PA Monument. You can visualize Johnson's Advance and turn around and see where they were headed. Best in the winter.

From the Trolley Path below Houck's Ridge. You can see the Texans and Georgians advance on July 2.

 

[MRB1863]

We enjoy visiting the farms from yesteryear.