The Rosensteel Museum (1921 - 2009)

My friends at Military History Online and Gettysburg Daily recently informed me that the old Rosensteel Gettysburg Museum and former Visitor Center is in its first stages of demolition. Fences are being set up around it and utility fixtures are being removed. This building will most definitely be gone by late spring.

While I am highly pleased with the new visitor center, some are saddened by the removal of this Gettysburg fixture which enlightened millions of visitors in its eighty-eight year history. However, this area will be restored to its 1863 appearance, which is the greater good.

Now, let us look back on the Rosensteel Museum and reflect on its important place in Gettysburg History. If you have any pictures of the museum, please send them to me and I will be happy to post them for you. Please click on any of the photo to enlarge them. (These photos are courtesy of my little bro, Mark. Thanks buddy!)

This view was taken on Remembrance Day 2007 - the last hurrah for the former Rosensteel Museum.

Seen here is the main lobby with its famous gum-stained carpet. The desks at right were where visitors could learn about tours, tickets for Eisenhower's Farm, and the most frequently asked question: "Where are the restrooms?"


Upon entering the museum from the lobby, visitors would look down to see a dozen or so cannon tubes from the Civil War. Most of these artillery pieces are now on display in a semi-circle encompassing the entrance to the newly restored cyclorama painting.


Directly underneath the visitors would be this Confederate Howitzer which was actually used in the battle. I believe this piece is now in one of the galleries at the new museum, but the caisson behind it is not.


Here are the plaques dedicated to the Rosensteel Family - the founders of the original museum before the Park Service bought it in the 1970s. These plaques were not originally to be in the new museum, but public demand for them to be so made the Park Service change its mind. They look very nice in their new location.


Even President Ike and Monty visited the map. Eisenhower often used the battlefield and museum to entertain his numerous important guests, also including Charles de Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Richard Nixon, as well as the granchildren.


And here is my final book signing at the visitor center...good times.


Farewell you trusty old museum...

Three Months to go...

Three months from today, three other interns and myself will begin our training at Gettysburg National Military Park. It is so close yet so far away. Three months may seem like a short time to many, however, I suspect most of you don't have two and a half months of College Algebra left in that time period! Ah! Oh well, we all have trials and tribulations to put up with until we are rewarded.

I just recently discovered who my fellow interns will be. One is from Yale, one from Scranton University, and a fellow Penn Stater. In fact, the intern from Scranton is a graduate student who also went to Penn State. We feel bad for the Yale student who will have to put up with us Nittany Lions!

The four us will be living in what is known as the "Welcome Traveler," a nice brick home not far from the 10th Maine Battalion Monument. Most of the 10th Maine mustered out early in 1863 at the end of their enlistments, but enough men had signed up for three years service to reorganize as a three company battalion. It was commanded at Gettysburg by Captain John Davis Beardsley, a sawmill owner from Woodstock, ME who had enlisted along with all his mill hands. Assigned to provost guard duty, the group saw no heavy action, if any. Nevertheless, everybody has a monument at Gettysburg!

I may be working with the Living History coordinator at the park, but await more information. Barb Sanders, our Education and Intern coordinator told us we may have the opportunity to initiate our own projects and ideas into the park's events. I have some really fun ideas and hope I might be able to work on some of them during my time at Gettysburg. Eighty-eight days until the experience begins.

Upcoming Events in Gettysburg

As those cold and miserable days of winter are (hopefully) nearing an end, plans are underway for some great events this spring in Gettysburg. There are some terrific activities to do in the spring off-season beginning in late March. Below are some of which I hope to attend. There are even more listed on the Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, showing numerous events for all different tastes and interests.

On Saturday March 28, Harrisburg Area Community College (Gettysburg Campus) will be hosting their annual Civil War Seminar. The cost is $59 and includes two indoor sessions, two meals, and a battlefield tour. The first speaker will be James Getty, famed Lincoln impersonator and historian. Mr. Getty will be speaking about Lincoln and the bicentennial. Afterward, attendees may choose one of the following sessions:

President Lincoln Comes to Gettysburg - by John J. Fitzpatrick
Ring of Iron: Defense of the Baltimore Road - Charles C. Fennell
June 26, 1863: The First Battle of Gettysburg - Timothy Smith
Connecticutt at Gettysburg - Stuart Dempsey
Clash of Sabers at East Cavalry Field - David Hamacher

Another upcoming event is History Meets the Arts on April 18 and 19. That Saturday, I will be attending the 2nd Annual Mort Kunstler Collectors' Seminar at the MKunstler Gallery and Gettysburg Hotel on York Street. The famed artist and other experts will be there discussing Kunstler's work, technique, and more. Kunstler will be painting or drawing something at that time, and all who attend will be entered in a raffle to win it. (Now that would be cool!) This event is $30 per adult and $15 per student and well worth it. The little brother and myself attended last year and had a great time.

That same day, equally as talented Civil War artist John Paul Strain will be at The Gettysburg Frame Shop on Chambersburg Street. Artist Keith Rocco will be there that day as well at the Brafferton Inn. I plan to soak in all the info and talent in Gettysburg that weekend. Simply looking at the artwork of all these guys helps my own technique as an artist improve. Plus, the newly opened David Wills House should be worth a visit as well. If you think these are a lot of things to do, just wait until summer!

The Studebakers of Gettysburg

Yes, those Studebakers. I bet most people don't know that the early automobile industry had its origins in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Members of the then "Staudenbecker" Family arrived in Philadelphia from Germany in 1736 and moved westward to Gettysburg shortly thereafter. In 1820, John Studebaker married Rebbecca Mohler there. Eventually, they have five sons, one of whom was John Mohler, the future president of Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing.

John Studebaker made wagons in Gettysburg up through the 1830s until the family moved to Ohio. (Gettysburg was well known for its wagon manufacturing, not shoes as is widely believed.) In South Bend, Indiana, the Studebaker sons produced countless wagons for the Union Army during the Civil War-many of which were coincidentally used at Gettysburg. Studebaker's five sons went on to enhance their father's original profession by creating some of the first electric automobiles (which we need more of these days). The Studebaker corporation first made these in 1902. Two years later, they built a similar car, but gasoline-powered. The company lasted until 1967.

I often joke with my father that so much of modern history and society can be connected with the American Civil War...even Studebaker cars.

Picture of the Week

This photo was taken in 1913 at the 50th anniversary of Gettysburg. This particular tent housed "Tar Heels" of North Carolina. The man in front of the tent and the other on the cot look too young to be veterans, so perhaps they are companions or even reporters from North Carolina. The banner reads: "1861-1865. The Tar Heel State: First at Bethel and Last at Appomattox. God Bless North Carolina." A great photo! (Click to enlarge.)

More Bicentennial Buzz

As some of you may know, director Steven Spielberg has long been planning an epic biography on Abraham Lincoln. Liam Nesson has been cast as the 16th president for a number of years now. The film has been in the works for years and gone through several writing revisions. Just as I began to doubt this film was going to be made, I found this article. Looks as if it might be out this year! Obviously, that would be very appropriate.

Playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner last night took part in a panel discussion at the Harvard University Institute of Politics under the rather prolix heading of Looking For Lincoln: In his Time and Ours - A Conversation on the Meaning of Abraham Lincoln. Kushner’s invitation was most likely on the basis of his longterm engagement, scripting a Lincoln picture for Steven Spielberg.

Present at the event was a wonderful snoop who chose to confide in Jeff Wells via cellphone e-mail. This snoop reported a claim from Kushner that “the decision will be made on Lincoln next week” and that a green light would likely see the film in cinemas “before Christmas”. Kushner also gave some details on how the script has been shaped and what the narrative would entail.

So, what do we know? Here are some bullet points reported from Kushner’s revelations.

1. The movie only covers two months of Lincoln’s life.

2. The the first draft covered four months and was 500 long.

3. The 13th amendment, by which slavery was abolished, “is a big thing in the movie."

4. Lincoln died just over four months after the 13th amendment was enacted, so either these two months of screen narrative are non-continuous, Kushner has taken some liberties, or Lincoln’s death won’t be part of the movie.

I’m thinking Kushner will have taken some liberties. I mean… that’s what he does. It’s what his director does. It’s how they tell stories. I might even put some of my imaginary money on the film ending with the abolition of slavery.

Sally Field and Liam Neeson are reportedly attached as the president and his wife, with Harrison Ford (perhaps improbably) rumoured to be taking on the role of Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s successor.

Previous Kushner-Spielberg collaboration Munich (talking of liberties…) was released in cinemas within six months of principal photography beginning, so I see no reason why they couldn’t pull it off again.

And for the record, Kushner says “the decision”, but he really means “a decision”. If Lincoln isn’t given the greenlight this time, I dare say Spielberg will have another shot in the future.

Something Different...

People celebrate different things in different ways. The Lincoln Bicentennial this week showed us numerous commemorations throughout the country. There were many speeches, countless lectures, and plenty of ongoing exhibits. However, just this morning, I saw a form of commemoration I'd never thought I would witness. Believe it or not, Marvel Comics too is celebrating the Lincoln Bicentennial...

Yes, Spiderman and Captain America witness the Gettysburg Address in "Gettysburg Distress." I couldn't help but laugh at seeing our 16th president in his superhero mode as Spidey and the Captain look on in amazement. You can view the whole six page comic online for free here beginning on Feb. 16th. Well, that's one way to get kids to learn. As I said, people celebrate in different ways...

Abe Turns 200

Today marks the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. All across the country, from Kentucky to D.C. to Gettysburg, people are commemorating Lincoln's life. Please read this article from the New York Times which discusses the opening of the David Wills House in Gettysburg and how it is celebrating the bicentennial. Also check out my art page on the official Lincoln Bicentennial website. The illustrations can be used by students and adults alike. Happy Birthday, Mr. President.

Gregory Coco: 1946 - 2009

Greg Coco gives a tour in the National Cemetery (NPS)

Last night, all us History Buffs lost a great friend. Gregory A. Coco, a longtime park ranger at Gettysburg and gifted author of many books, lost his long battle with cancer. I was only acquainted with Greg, but his books that I read and his tours which I attended taught me an incalculable amount of history concerning the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War. Greg was known for his humor and great knowledge. He once jokingly called me "one of the disciples" of Gettysburg History, one who carries on the stories of the past so that others may learn from them as well. Nevertheless, that meant a lot to me. He will be truly missed. Rest in peace, Greg.

Picture of the Week

This week's picture is a photo depicting Boy Scouts playing during the 50th anniversary of the battle in July 1913. The scouts were among of the force to assist the aged Civil War vets get around from event to event. I'm sure they heard some very good stories from the old warriors. This photo is set in the grand encampment in which the veterans stayed during their visit. (Click to enlarge.)

New Book Planned

As some of you may know, I've been asked to complete some illustrations for an upcoming book depicting Schuylkill County's (Pennsylvania) role in the Civil War. The author is John Hoptak, a park ranger at Antietam National Battlefield and a resident of Gettysburg. The work will interpret the lives of a number of famed fighters from that region, including Gen. James Nagle (pictured right) and Col. George Wynkoop, commander of the 7th PA Cavalry (in which I had an ancestor serve). Isn't that a big coincidence? It will be a relatively small book, but composed of some pretty good illustrations and human interest stories. It should be a great project and I look forward to working with John on it.

Battlefields good for Economy

This recent study done by Michigan State indicates that Civil War Battlefields and related historic sites prove popular destinations even during difficult economic conditions. I like to think perhaps people are looking to the past to solve the problems of the present and future. It also goes to show that, in the long run, preserving a battlefield or historic place is more economically and morally feasible than bulldozing them and turning them into shopping centers. The town of Gettysburg alone often makes $300-$400 million per year off historic tourism. Oh, if only many local politicians could put two and two together to equal four. You see? Saving battlefields can be the way to stimulate economic growth, not prevent it. If only the American people could understand that.

National Parks still booming in bad economy
February 2, 2009 - 2:43pm

Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Hank Silverberg, WTOP Radio

MANASSAS, Va. - It's a lucrative industry, even in a bad economy: Civil War battlefields.

A new Michigan State study shows people seeking out the past spent more than $247 million at 10 national parks within the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, a 175-mile stretch from Gettysburg to Charlottsville.

It's estimated that every tax dollar spent on those parks generates $4 in visitor spending within a 50-mile radius of the community.

"They come from all over the country and even international," says Ed Clark, superintendent at the Manassas Battlefield. "They stay in local hotels, eat in restaurants. They buy their gas, souvenirs and do other types of shopping."

Clark says the figures will probably go up in a few years when the Civil War turns 150 in 2011. Tourists spent more than $11.7 billion visiting U.S. national parks in 2007.

The battlefields in the National Heritage area include Antietam, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Gettysburg, Appomattox Court House, Catoctin Mountain Park, The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the Monocacy Battlefield.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

Picture of the Week

Starting today, I will try to be posting one picture a week of something Gettysburg related. Of course, I will attempt to find interesting and little seen images that convey something which might not be usually seen. These images will include black and white photos from different eras, both old and contemporary art, and other images as well.

This first photo is entitled "Gettysburg camp of Captain Huft" and was taken by famed photographer Alexander Gardner. (Click on it to enlarge.) It was taken in July of 1865 when the cornerstone of the Soldiers National Monument in the National Cemetery was dedicated. The road behind them would almost have to be the Taneytown Road looking southward. This photo was most likely taken in the area of what is now the soon-to-be demolished old visitor center. The cemetery would be to the rear left of the photographer's point of view.

As to this Captain Huft, who I assume is the prominent figure on the right center, I really do not know who he is or what his official position was. Did he have some official part in the creation or construction of the monument? If you know the answer to this question, please feel free to leave me a message below.

The African-Americans in the photo pose an even more interesting question: Who are they? Since Gardner took a photo of Huft and these gentleman, one would assume they had some significance or relevance in the ceremony proceedings. I would guess that they are paid laborers and possibly even laid the cornerstone itself for the monument. Either that or they played some important part in getting things started. Regardless, it looks as if they are enjoying a good meal! Ah, the mysteries of history. Anyway, it is a great photo that many I'm sure have not seen. Enjoy.

The Immaculate Connection

Not to digress from my usual posts, but me and everyone else in western Pennsylvania are celebrating the Steelers' triumph over the Arizona Cardinals. The 27-23 victory was a true nail biter in the 4th quarter but was saved by Santonio Holmes amazing end zone reception. He had three Cardinals on him yet made the catch. Amazing! Holmes was recognized as MVP.

I had the opportunity to meet Dan and Jim Rooney, owners of the Steelers, this past October. They must be incredibly proud to be the only NFL team to win six Superbowls. It can be considered an historic night for sports fans. In 2006, we got one for the thumb. Now, we got six for kicks. Go Steelers!

Holmes makes his game-saving touchdown.