As 2022 gets underway, the local community continues to be a focus for our initiatives here at the Gettysburg Foundation. We wish our community all the best for a prosperous year. Grateful for the outstanding support from Adams County residents, we are pleased to invite Adams County residents to join us for history experiences at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center on Presidents Day weekend.
On Saturday, Feb. 19, residents and visitors to the Museum & Visitor Center will have the opportunity to see and learn about a unique selection of Civil War era flags from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. We are pleased to host the Civil War Dance Foundation again to present “Colors of the Blue: Flags of the Union Army.” The flags exhibit features reproductions of common flags of the Union Army infantry, cavalry and artillery unit along with flags designating corps, division and brigade commanders. The Civil War Dance Foundation’s Dr. Lawrence Keener-Farley will present brief talks on the history of the flags. The flags exhibit will be displayed in the Group Lobby, and tickets are not required to view the displays and learn more about the various flags.
I am also pleased to announce Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation will hold a special Adams County Day for all area residents at the Museum & Visitor Center. Adams County residents can enjoy free admission to the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience on Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 21.
For those residents who have not yet visited the Museum & Visitor Center, the Film, Cyclorama & Museum Experience includes three must-see experiences you will want to share with family and friends. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the film A New Birth of Freedom provides a dramatic look at the Battle of Gettysburg and its place in history. Fully restored, the light and sound show of the iconic Gettysburg Cyclorama showcases the historic painting of Pickett’s Charge during the third day of the battle. The third experience offers a journey through the Gettysburg Museum of the American Civil War with rare artifacts, interactive exhibits and short films. Along with a free admission ticket that day, Adams County residents will receive a gallery guide highlighting just some of the Adams County artifacts currently on display in the Museum.
On Adams County Day, the Foundation will also offer Adams County residents a free chance to enter and win a Licensed Battlefield Guide Car Tour. Our guided car tours are a popular way to tour the battlefield. Licensed Battlefield Guides are tested and licensed through the National Park Service. The Licensed Battlefield Guides provide our guests with engaging and enlightening perspectives of the battle and its aftermath. We encourage residents to enter the drawing for a chance to win the tour.
I encourage Adams County residents to enjoy these experiences so close to home. Your visit will be “on us.” Simply present proof of residency to receive your complimentary admission. I hope you have a moving and memorable experience.
We look forward to welcoming all Adams County residents on Presidents Day weekend, and I hope to see you in the Museum.
Wayne E. Motts
President and CEO, Gettysburg Foundation
First appeared in the Gettysburg Foundation's column in the Jan. 24, 2022, edition of the Gettysburg Times.