Got a chance to visit little round top this past weekend, here's my brief unsolicited review of the site after the rehab.
1. Traffic (both vehicle and pedestrian) was heavy, and we assumed it would be with the anticipation of the reopening. Busy is not always a negative thing with regards to civil war sites. Busy is bad if you're looking for that perfect picture with nobody else around. But in this day and political climate, to see so much interest in the Civil War by such a wide variety of folks was encouraging. It looked like the United Nations up there ,,which was actually wonderful to see.
2. The improvements,,,the paths were MUCH easier to navigate,,being leveled, more gradually pitched, more stable,,,much more conducive to elderly or those with mobility issues. You longer need to be part billy goat to see the whole area. Honestly, aside from the new walkways and pea gravel paths, the parking areas are the only major change that stick out to most people. There were erosion control measures taken, some of the random paths that wandered down far below the monuments have been blocked off and are disappearing with the regrowth,, making much of your view look more natural without all the mazes of beaten paths going nowhere distracting from the natural landscape. Overall 99% of visitors won't notice very much was changed,,it's nothing like I expected. Rumours and exaggerations have a way of tainting ones expectations. So no neon signs, no frozen custard stands, no railings, no blacktop walkways around the monuments. The new curbs keep people from parking along the shoulders, but it's for the better. I know there will be threadcounters who won't like the improvements, but they definitely allow for a safer visit, they control the areas from people just running amok, and allow more people access. All in all I think it was a good job considering the balance between access, safety and preservation.
1. Traffic (both vehicle and pedestrian) was heavy, and we assumed it would be with the anticipation of the reopening. Busy is not always a negative thing with regards to civil war sites. Busy is bad if you're looking for that perfect picture with nobody else around. But in this day and political climate, to see so much interest in the Civil War by such a wide variety of folks was encouraging. It looked like the United Nations up there ,,which was actually wonderful to see.
2. The improvements,,,the paths were MUCH easier to navigate,,being leveled, more gradually pitched, more stable,,,much more conducive to elderly or those with mobility issues. You longer need to be part billy goat to see the whole area. Honestly, aside from the new walkways and pea gravel paths, the parking areas are the only major change that stick out to most people. There were erosion control measures taken, some of the random paths that wandered down far below the monuments have been blocked off and are disappearing with the regrowth,, making much of your view look more natural without all the mazes of beaten paths going nowhere distracting from the natural landscape. Overall 99% of visitors won't notice very much was changed,,it's nothing like I expected. Rumours and exaggerations have a way of tainting ones expectations. So no neon signs, no frozen custard stands, no railings, no blacktop walkways around the monuments. The new curbs keep people from parking along the shoulders, but it's for the better. I know there will be threadcounters who won't like the improvements, but they definitely allow for a safer visit, they control the areas from people just running amok, and allow more people access. All in all I think it was a good job considering the balance between access, safety and preservation.
Bringing the