Ami's SOA Witness Trees at Gettysburg

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In William A. Frassanito's book "Early Photography at Gettysburg", he presents an 1866 C.J. Tyson photo of the Reynolds Grove and the famous R tree nicely carved by I believe his orderly Charles Veil. What captured my attention are that two of the witness trees in the 151st Pa. firing line appear in the old and modern views at the same angle and the trees in the same alignment only not with the tree but with the center of the photo to the right flank marker.
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I had a great day starting the slaughter pen area and the area between devils kitchen and the D shaped field. The little ticks were all out yesterday and the undergrowth beat me up pretty good. But it has to be done and I am committed to doing it. I will post some photos with the proper alignment this week. Here are some witness trees from our not too distant past.
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The view from the gatehouse side of Baltimore Pike was probably used as the model to historical view and tree cutting guidelines. They did a good job replicating the view. I have marked the Menchy springs grove, the brickyard lane shagbark hickory, and through the non-witness black walnut tree, the witness tulip poplar by the earthworks of the 24th Michigan.
 
Another tree probably on its way out by the stone wall of Pardee field. The massive white oak is leaning hard towards the field and has two lower trunk cracks much like the one Pam pointed out during the summer when the one by the end of the wall and the 5th Ohio monument fell. The tree has cable scars and possibly helped create the cracks so maybe not such a good idea.
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Another tree probably on its way out by the stone wall of Pardee field. The massive white oak is leaning hard towards the field and has two lower trunk cracks much like the one Pam pointed out during the summer when the one by the end of the wall and the 5th Ohio monument fell. The tree has cable scars and possibly helped create the cracks so maybe not such a good idea. View attachment 87189 View attachment 87189 View attachment 87190

Yes, you can see the lean of this tree as you drive uphill on Slocum Avenue. It's on your left, just before you get to the 29th PA monument.
 
Correct. There has been at least three or four recently that once winter ice freezes and expands when it melts
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combined with heavy winds it will eventually topple over so be careful and enjoy while you can - there is only one more left at the wall
 
Here is a turn of the century photo on West Conf. Ave looking at Dearing's battery posted across from the Sherfy farm near where the current park ampitheatre is located. The tree around the bend is the large white oak
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Here is an 1870s view from Little Round Top near the current Warren statue area before it was erected.
This familiar scene shows the stacked boulders on the west side of Little round top and the lone pine that still remains further down the slope. Also seen is the Abraham Trostle barn, house with rear porch, and small white washed outbuilding all still there today. Crawford ave was only a wagon path that visitors to Devils Den took to go picnicking.
 

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Here is an 1870s view from Little Round Top near the current Warren statue area before it was erected.
This familiar scene shows the stacked boulders on the west side of Little round top and the lone pine that still remains further down the slope. Also seen is the Abraham Trostle barn, house with rear porch, and small white washed outbuilding all still there today. Crawford ave was only a wagon path that visitors to Devils Den took to go picnicking.

Cool photo! Don't know that I've seen that one before. Look at the white tents in the Wheatfield--was that for a reunion or something? I know for the 50th and 75th they had tent camps set up on the Pickett's Charge field, but I didn't know they had them anywhere else. Or maybe that is just an encampment, like I've seen photos of on East Cemetery Hill across from the gatehouse.
 
Here is a good shot of one of three remaining witness trees by and around the monument to the 19th Indiana regiment. The white oak tree is just to the left of the monument in the photos

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I was just looking at the Maine Memory Network site. If you type in "Gettysburg" in the search bar, the first thing that caught my attention is a winter shot taken from Little Round Top, circa 1895. With the zoom function, astonishing detail is revealed at long distanced, for instance the western tree line of the Wheatfield, in addition to buildings and monuments in that section of the field, all with the absence of foliage.
 
Here is a shot of the rear of the 28th Mass monument by which the famous stone with the tablet attached stating that it was a front line field hospital. Notice by the white picket fence by the George Rose house the large witness black walnut tree
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Here is a relatively unknown white oak witness tree in Biesecker woods just north of the Phillip Snyder farm house on west confederate ave, The tree is one of the largest in the area, and is only one of two with a fully intact grounding cable still fully attached to the ground. The tree also has a copper - old park service and a silver metallic tag on its trunk. The tree is doing well and the easiest way to spot it is you will see an elongated branch extending across the road just before the house on the right hand side. The photos were taken in 2009.
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