Gettysburg: Lee's Headquarters 8/1/2015

E_just_E

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Just in case anyone was interested in the work done at Lee's Headquarters so far:

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The hotel signs are off and hotel closed, the house is boarded and the restaurant seems closed, but there are still signs.
 
Thanks for the update and the pics.

There's a nice little booklet about the house and the headquarters legend:

Smith, Timothy H. The Story of Lee's Headquarters (Thomas Publications, Gettysburg. 1995).

I contributed to the CWT fund to purchase the property and feel good about it all even if Lee only ate there. I got the booklet as my reward from good old uncle Jim at CWT.
 
Yes, I always check to see if anything has been done yet when I'm out there. One of these days, it'll be gone, like a old VC lot was--one day in March a couple years ago, I stopped at the Mickey D's across Emittsburg Pike for coffee and poof! The field was empty!

I gave to the CWT, too, only I got the book and a tee shirt!:smile: Woo-hoo!
 
Acording to a July 1, 2014 WGAL report:

Plans call for restoring the old stone house to its 1863 appearance. The hotel will be torn down.
Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett was on-hand for the announcement
"[It's] just an important piece of Pennsylvania history and American history," said Corbett. "Now, it will be here in perpetuity [for] this generation and [the] next generation to enjoy and appreciate."
The preservation group, Civil War Trust, has previously acquired 940 acres of land for $7 million.
Demolition and restoration is expected to begin in early 2015. The property will eventually be turned over to the National Park Service.

Whether these plans are mile-stoned or not yet remains unknown. CWT should have more information on the scheduling and steps involved in making this project come to attrition. Will look for more info regarding this project when time permits.
 
Acording to a July 1, 2014 WGAL report:

Plans call for restoring the old stone house to its 1863 appearance. The hotel will be torn down.
Pennsylvania First Lady Susan Corbett was on-hand for the announcement
"[It's] just an important piece of Pennsylvania history and American history," said Corbett. "Now, it will be here in perpetuity [for] this generation and [the] next generation to enjoy and appreciate."
The preservation group, Civil War Trust, has previously acquired 940 acres of land for $7 million.
Demolition and restoration is expected to begin in early 2015. The property will eventually be turned over to the National Park Service.

Whether these plans are mile-stoned or not yet remains unknown. CWT should have more information on the scheduling and steps involved in making this project come to attrition. Will look for more info regarding this project when time permits.

That was the plan indeed. Between then and now an election happened, which made Ms Corbett not the First Lady any more. Regardless politics, with a new administration in the State, I suspect that this runs low in the priority list. I don't even get why there was any state involvement. My thought was that all this goes to the NPS and they take care of it. Not States.
 
That was the plan indeed. Between then and now an election happened, which made Ms Corbett not the First Lady any more. Regardless politics, with a new administration in the State, I suspect that this runs low in the priority list. I don't even get why there was any state involvement. My thought was that all this goes to the NPS and they take care of it. Not States.
That may be exactly why we see practically no progress or forward motion on this. Thanks E
 
So now that the Hotel will be torn down, Will it just become part of the Battlefield again?......It never seemed right to have a Hotel right there at Lees HQ (Although I stayed there for Bike Week in 2008)
I think the hotel will become a field as CWT wants to restore the area to period. I suppose the extension on the roof of the house will be removed, too.
 
There were woods and an Orchard. That place sure can use some more trees
I agree E_, but I don't know if i would be comfortable eating any fruit that was grown on some of the hallowed land. I would think of what happened on that soil. Maybe I am just a little nuts? Hopefully the restoration is a faithful one. Do you know if there are plans to open the house when done? If so are any displays planned, or will it be as was in 1863?
 
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I agree E_, but I don't know if i would be comfortable eating any fruit that was grown on some of the hallowed land. I would think of what happened on that soil. Maybe I am just a little nuts? Hopefully the restoration is a faithful one. Do you know if there are plans to open the house when done? If so are any displays planned, or will it be as was in 1863?

No idea, but I don't expect anything more than what they did at Meade's headquarters.

I don't mean eating the fruit :smile: Just restoring it to close to original... On the other hand, I doubt that they will be planting rye around Spangler's farm any time soon...
 
No idea, but I don't expect anything more than what they did at Meade's headquarters.

I don't mean eating the fruit :smile: Just restoring it to close to original... On the other hand, I doubt that they will be planting rye around Spangler's farm any time soon...
Yeah, I was just referring to the planting of orchards and fruit trees on the battlefield.
 
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