Visiting Antietam Soon

[james99]

Hi,

I'm a teacher and want to make some quick videos from the field for inclusion in class lesson about the battle. I teach American history and can only spend so much time on the Civil War so I use Antietam as the one battle I focus on. I'm sure most of you can understand why. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on where to stay and if there is anything special there I should not miss that might not be so well known? I plan on going to Harpers Ferry, Turners Gap and all the main parts of the field. Can't wait to sit on Burnside's Bridge! Thanks in advance for any suggestions


James

 

[ole]

Rooms in Sharpsburg, if any, are few and far between. Check Shepardstown. Hagerstown is the only sure bet.

 

[DRW]

Since you're going to Turner's Gap already, why not get a South Mountain driving tour map and cover the 3 main gaps? You can get a map at the Friends of South Mt website or at the Washington Monument MD state park. South Mt is great in the morning when the rural roads are completely quiet and empty. As far as Antietam, the NPS HQ has a series of brochures that break down the battlefield into 5 or 6 separate walking tours. If you are a good walker, you can cover these in one full day. Some of the highlights are walking the Cornfield and also the far South end of the battlefield (the final assault), which is the least visited section of the main park. The CW Trust battle app. is great too and a lot easier than carrying around books. As far as less well-known: lots of vistors overlook McClellan's Headquarters (Pry House) which is now a CW medical museum. It's definitely worth a visit. As far hotels, we stayed in one of the chains up at Hagerstown. I don't know about the Shephardstown area hotels.

 

[Littlestown]

View the 26-minute introductory film which is shown on the hour and the half- hour in the visitor center theater. You won't regret it.

Read this if you have not already: http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/index.htm

Pry House Field Hospital Museum http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/pryhouse.htm

 

[Littlestown]

For Teachers
...click here for information that will help you plan your visit to Antietam National Battlefield and also provide you with teaching materials for your classroom. http://www.nps.gov/anti/forteachers/index.htm

 

[ErnieMac]

I won't say to much about the Antietam Battlefield. Park info is pretty much self explanatory. Lots of hotels and restaurants to choose from along I-70 at Hagerstown, about 10 miles north of Sharpsburg. There are a number of B&Bs and campgrounds in the area if that is more to your liking.

When you're at Turners Gap (used to be good food at the Old South Mountain Inn - may still be, but its been a number of years) you are only a few miles from Fox's Gap which saw a major part of the Battle of South Mountain and is more accessible. There's no good access to the ground where most of the fighting took place at Turner's. At Fox's Gap you also don't have to deal with Rt. 40. Gathland State Park at Crampton's Gap does have some Civil War exhuibits.

Shepherdstown is a interesting town on the Potomac not far from Sharpsburg. It saw the final action of the campaign on September 19 - 20 and is just upstream from Boteler's Ford which Lee used to retreat to Virginia. I don't recall that the town does much to commemorate the sites. There are a number of places to eat, but lodging isn't plentiful. The Bavarian Inn is the only accommodation I remember - it is located just south of the river on the WV side.

The Kennedy Farm, used as a staging area by John Brown, is located between Sharpsburg and Harper's Ferry. Most of the fighting at Harper's Ferry took place along Bolivar Heights and Schoolhouse Ridge which are in the immediate area of the Visitor Center. Maryland Heights is on the north shore of the Potomac and pretty much accessible only by foot. Probably too much for a short visit. Make sure you take the shuttle from the Visitor's Center into the town to get a real feel for the place. Quite a few Civil War exhibits in town. You can try to drive into town but parking is a challenge in the tourist season.

 

[Cumpston1862]

Hi,

I'm a teacher and want to make some quick videos from the field for inclusion in class lesson about the battle. I teach American history and can only spend so much time on the Civil War so I use Antietam as the one battle I focus on. I'm sure most of you can understand why. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on where to stay and if there is anything special there I should not miss that might not be so well known? I plan on going to Harpers Ferry, Turners Gap and all the main parts of the field. Can't wait to sit on Burnside's Bridge! Thanks in advance for any suggestions


James

James-

If you don't already own a copy I would highly recommend William Frassanito's book "Anitetam-A Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day". And take it with you on your trip. I am of the mindset that nothing grabs the attention more than showing pictures from 1862 and what happened there in comparison to what it looks like now. It really brings the period to life.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ant...iam-a-frassanito/1101604052?ean=9781577470052

 

[ole]

Make sure you take the shuttle from the Visitor's Center into the town to get a real feel for the place. Quite a few Civil War exhibits in town. You can try to drive into town but parking is a challenge in the tourist season.

Ernie Mac, the last time I was there, the Shuttle Buses were mandatory. Maybe they've loosened that up?

 

[dlofting]

James-

If you don't already own a copy I would highly recommend William Frassanito's book "Anitetam-A Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day". And take it with you on your trip. I am of the mindset that nothing grabs the attention more than showing pictures from 1862 and what happened there in comparison to what it looks like now. It really brings the period to life.

Robert Kalasky's book "Shadows of Antietam" builds on the work that Frassanito did. He has also been able to determine the location of a couple of photos that Frassanito couldn't place. His study of the Bloody Lane death scenes is exceptionally well done.

We stayed at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn when we visited Sharpsburg several years ago. It was great then and still appears to have very good guest reviews......it's also supposed to be haunted.

 

[ErnieMac]

Ernie Mac, the last time I was there, the Shuttle Buses were mandatory. Maybe they've loosened that up?

It has been 3 - 4 years since I was there, but at that time you were able to get into the private areas of town. Parking was legal if you could find it. You could then walk into the historic area.

 

[ole]

It has been 3 - 4 years since I was there, but at that time you were able to get into the private areas of town. Parking was legal if you could find it. You could then walk into the historic area.

It is likely that some were allowed into town if they had a good reason. For us there were officials that said you must go over there and take the bus. I think it was in 2011.

 

[ErnieMac]

I'd been in Harper's Ferry a number of times before they built the Visitor's Center and knew the roads about town. I'd be hard pressed to duplicate the effort today.

 

[Buckeye Bill]

Hi,

I'm a teacher and want to make some quick videos from the field for inclusion in class lesson about the battle. I teach American history and can only spend so much time on the Civil War so I use Antietam as the one battle I focus on. I'm sure most of you can understand why. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on where to stay and if there is anything special there I should not miss that might not be so well known? I plan on going to Harpers Ferry, Turners Gap and all the main parts of the field. Can't wait to sit on Burnside's Bridge! Thanks in advance for any suggestions


James

James,

Feel free to use my YouTube video of the Antietam National Battlefield. I constructed this video last fall.

Bill

The Battle of Antietam:

 

[cash]

Hi,

I'm a teacher and want to make some quick videos from the field for inclusion in class lesson about the battle. I teach American history and can only spend so much time on the Civil War so I use Antietam as the one battle I focus on. I'm sure most of you can understand why. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions on where to stay and if there is anything special there I should not miss that might not be so well known? I plan on going to Harpers Ferry, Turners Gap and all the main parts of the field. Can't wait to sit on Burnside's Bridge! Thanks in advance for any suggestions


James

When you see Burnside Bridge, make sure you take a good look at the monument to McKinley bravely bringing coffee to the men.

 

[rpkennedy]

When you see Burnside Bridge, make sure you take a good look at the monument to McKinley bravely bringing coffee to the men.

Now now, cash. He was the bravest donut dolly on the field that fateful day.

R

 

[cash]

Now now, cash. He was the bravest donut dolly on the field that fateful day.

R

Of course, that's why they gave him the monument. It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that he was President when they did it.

 

[james99]

Rooms in Sharpsburg, if any, are few and far between. Check Shepardstown. Hagerstown is the only sure bet.

Thanks, looks like Hagerstown for me

 

[james99]

Since you're going to Turner's Gap already, why not get a South Mountain driving tour map and cover the 3 main gaps? You can get a map at the Friends of South Mt website or at the Washington Monument MD state park. South Mt is great in the morning when the rural roads are completely quiet and empty. As far as Antietam, the NPS HQ has a series of brochures that break down the battlefield into 5 or 6 separate walking tours. If you are a good walker, you can cover these in one full day. Some of the highlights are walking the Cornfield and also the far South end of the battlefield (the final assault), which is the least visited section of the main park. The CW Trust battle app. is great too and a lot easier than carrying around books. As far as less well-known: lots of vistors overlook McClellan's Headquarters (Pry House) which is now a CW medical museum. It's definitely worth a visit. As far hotels, we stayed in one of the chains up at Hagerstown. I don't know about the Shephardstown area hotels.

Thanks so much. I hope I have enough time to visit everything. I am a walker and will be all over the field

 

[james99]

View the 26-minute introductory film which is shown on the hour and the half- hour in the visitor center theater. You won't regret it.

Read this if you have not already: http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/index.htm

Pry House Field Hospital Museum http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/pryhouse.htm

Very informative! Can't wait to see the movie there

 

[james99]

For Teachers
...click here for information that will help you plan your visit to Antietam National Battlefield and also provide you with teaching materials for your classroom. http://www.nps.gov/anti/forteachers/index.htm

I wrote up a long read myself for class and have so much stuff on powerpoint, video etc that I really can't use anymore classroom material as we only have so much time to cover Civil War before having to move on, but thanks