I have never visited the museum, but have been to Gettysburg many times.
As an adult I love CW history. But honestly, even though we studied in grade school, I didn't get it.
So unless your 12 adn 13 yr are history buffs it may be a bit heavy.

I do remember as a 6th grader immensely enjoying DC landmarks Washington monument, Lincoln memorial, War memorials, Arlington, Smithsonian museums, etc.

It might be a bit heavy, but the girls are good sports and like hanging with us--or at least they're good at giving that impression.

We've all been to DC--separately--plus I'd like to keep this trip less ambitious, in terms of both money and energy expended. One thing I would like about a cruise is that I'd get to sit a lot. :-)

It would be a long trip from Pennsylvania, but Atlanta has a Civil War museum and Cyclorama, and it is a pretty amazing place. They have a diorama, which is a sort of 3-d painting (depicting a battle in the war), and it is HUGE. It has been in Atlanta since the late 1800s I think.

Here is a link that might be useful: Atlanta Cyclorama

That is impressive, Vicki!

I probably need to do more thinking about this. I love the idea of learning something together, and the history theme might be fine. But is "America's greatest tragedy" the best choice? Perhaps not.

I live a few miles from the museum but have never been there. But I've been to Gettysburg about a gazillion times. That's the place to visit for the civil war experience. If you want to tour the museum, Gettysburg is a mere half hour away from there. I'm just assuming you're speaking of the one in Harrisburg.

Last winter we walked the battlefields with the dogs late one day when the sun was setting, and it was so moving. I climbed the PA monument and viewed the whole valley...even over the mountains where I was born.

In Gettysburg tours are very popular with guides in your car and guiding you around or walking you around. They're very good at explaining just what happened when and where. There are also tiered bus tours.

Gettysburg! Why didn't I think of that, Lily? Thanks! I just looked it up; it's 3 hours from here. That sounds fine. And probably loads of info on the Internet about tours, places to stay, where to eat, etc. This is a possibility....

You have 2 major Civil War sites: Gettysburg and Antietam. Both are documented. Although Gettysburg is the more famous, I found Antietam sobering; It made an impact on me. There are several battlefields spread over a couple of square miles. The stone bridge over anteitum creek is still there - I think it is a restored version. Be sure to read the sign by the bridge approach wall along the creek. It tells about temporary storage of bodies along that wall. Be sure to view the inside of "Dunker's Church". It is a simple building and remains repaired to its original form. This church took a cannon ball through its south gable end. That has been repaired. Find out why it was called Dunker's Church.

Do take your camera and note pad. There are several very nice momuments in place. The display in one small battlefield was simple and to the point. Little white flags marked the spots where soilders fell and died. The density of these flags was appalling.

After touring Antietam, I had a better picture in my head about the battle fought in that place. It was horrible and sad.

I don't know of anything notable enough to warrant a trip to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania, but we found a very interesting historical note about that area. We ran across this while researching my wife's family history. One of her Humgerfords was involved in the Wyoming Valley squabble. This squabble was not mentioned in our Early American History when we were in school, but maybe it should have been.

A squabble between Pennsylvanians and Yankies of Connecticut over the Wyoming valley began before the Revolutionary War when both groups of people tried to occupy and settle Wyoming Valley. The argument was partly due to poorly laid out boundaries for the original charters granted by the King of England.

The squabble was temporarily laid aside while the colonists fought the revolutionary War. After that war, Colonial charters had little power because England was no longer in control and settlements of disagreements now fell to the newly minted states.

It was an interesting contest between Pennities and Yankies and I feel it has a place in school books. You and your friends may find interest in reserching this bit of Pennsylvania history.

DH and I visited Gettysburg about 15 years ago. He had been there as a young boy but didn't really remember much about it. I had never been there. We were living in Maryland at the time and it was only a couple of hours drive. I wanted to see it before we moved here. So glad we went. We were both very moved by it.

Gettysburg is a very moving place to tour. So many died there on those hot days in July those many years ago. I learn something new every time I go there. Growing up 30 minutes away when I was a kid meant every field trip was to G=burg. Spring would be a lovely time to go. Summers can be hot and humid and when they do the reenactment, terribly crowded.

Well there you go Susan- Wilkes Barre is almost in your back yard. I have read about the Wyoming Valley area and how it was claimed by CT.

When I read your first post I just assumed you meant Gettysburg. I never even think of Harrisburg when I think of Civil War history. The Gettysburg area is nicer and smaller than Harrisburg, and the battlefield shouldn't be missed - it leaves an immediate, sobering impression. You could easily spend the entire weekend there but you might also take a drive around the Lancaster area, it's one of my favorite spots in the state.

I think the Gettysburg trip would be wonderful..They also have the cyclorama painting in the new Visitors center. What can make the trip even more meaningful is to try to focus on a certain regiment or soldier. If you do genealogy go back to that time period in all your ancestral lines to see who might have fought in the civil war. Doesn't matter which side...once you find someone and their regiment it becomes a very personal experience to tour the battlefield knowing a particular regiment stood there and fought. The kids will love the reenactors who usually have an encampment in the park and there are shops and restaurants too. We always have a wonderful time when we go.
Joann

I think the kids would like Gettysburg and Anitetum. They are certainly old enough to have had some of it in history. We have been many times. And will go back. We purchased the drive your own tour cd's, and even tho the one for Gettysburg has changed slightly since the new visitor center was built, it's only the begining directions upon leaving the visitor center, so we still use it. You can walk as little or as much as you like. There are no cars allowed in the cemetary, so if you want to see that, you will have to walk. There are hikes guided by rangers, segway (sp?)tours (one of these days we are going to try that!). As mentioned above, guides that will go in your car, bus tours with guides on them. It is more commercialized than Antietam is. I found Antietam sobering, also. Go to the visitor center first and listen to the ranger talk. Then go explore. Climb the tower if you are able.

Surprisingly, I find both places sort of peaceful. I don't feel the anguish, ect. that you might expect. It's almost as if, especially at Antietam, that the fallen of both sides know that what they fought for was not in vain, and are at peace. On the other hand, the Andersonville prison camp in GA, is another story completely. There you can feel every bit of the misery, ect. It's almost creepy. Like the very soil absorbed it all. Even my DH who plays most of that stuff off, and yes he does believe, just doesn't like to admit it, Said right away that he could feel it.

Have fun planning! We may even be in that area the end of April, beginning of May, if all goes as planned.

Tami

I love Gettysburg. My husbands writes for and occasionally teaches at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg. While he is working during the day I take the car and go to Gettysburg. I have toured the park many times, stopping to read every plaque along the way. Then I go on into downtown. There are several really interesting antique shops with all kinds of memorbelia you can purchase including bullets from the civil war, shot or unshot. Locals say that farmers still to this day find bullets when tilling the soil. There is a beautiful old cemetery in the town that is interesting to tour. The town square is very interesting to see... you can sit in a little restaurant to eat look right across the street at the building where Lincoln was staying when he wrote the Gettysburg address. I think that now you can even look at the room he was staying in. There is at least one museum in town also, that remember. There is a great little pub/ restaurant... can't remember the name of it right now, that still look original and the people that work there dress the same. It has two stories, maybe more. You can eat downstairs in the pub also, the the ground floor is a restaurant. There was a space built inbetween two of the floors for fleeing slaves to hide. They have cut out a section of the wall so you can see this area. This town is just full of history and such beautiful countryside. Heck... I'd wanna go with you if I was there...

my mom and her dbro and sil did a tour of several civil war sites, some no more than a marker in a field, to more well known battles...they LOVED the entire trip...my aunt said there was such energy at a couple of places...

to me it sounds like a lovely trip, esp if you love history...

someday i'd love to stop at all those historical markers we usually rush by at 70 mpr...it seems like we're always in a hurry to get someplace, sigh! we live in detroit and i've yet to visit the fort, or ford family home museum...

I definitely wouldn't celebrate a milestone in Harrisburg - the city is literally falling apart - there are giant sinkholes showing up now.

There is no good reason why there's a Civil War museum in Harrisburg. The mayor who ruled the city for years, during the time the Civil Way Museum came into being, also wanted to put a Wild West Museum in the city. Because of course you think Central PA when you think Wild West LOL. He envisioned a city of museums, mainly because he liked using money from taxpayers to buy collectibles.

Gettysburg is a very nice area. You can do a driving tour - pick up a map at the Visitor's center. Or you can join a tour, or hire your own private tour guide. There are a lot of ghost tours in Gettysburg, since there is a lot of interest in that kind of thing right now. You should find enough to do to make it interesting for everyone on an overnight trip.

Philadelphia of course is another option and you would have many more choices (museums, history, shopping, zoo, etc) but Gettysburg would be much more relaxed (especially the drive - getting in and out of Gettysburg is a breeze).

I agree about Harrisburg falling apart with sinking streets. Yet I hear the Civil War museum is very nice, but I have yet to visit. There is a reason it was built because a lot of Civil war history was made around here. There were plans to overtake Harrisburg, and scouts were sent all over the area. In my pre- civil war house's own history, the owner was shot by southern snipers from the nearby train. There are civil war groups who regularly meet around here, and there are historical markers many places telling the story. Civil war museum , yes, wild west one NO: It was a crazy idea by a mayor who was a collector of such things.

That said Gettysburg is definitely the destination for a day (or more ) of tours and sightseeing. I'd just plan to hit it before the tourists arrive in droves.

Definatley stop at the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. It takes about 2 hours to tour so it could be a stop on an overnight trip to Gettysburg or for a nice day trip.

It may be a very nice museum and I know this area was touched by the Civil War but I still won't agree that it makes sense.

What doesn't make sense, Paula--the idea of going to the museum? I've given up on that, but I'm seriously considering Gettysburg.

I love anything to do with the Civil War. Not that I will ever get to see any of the sites. When we were in Washington D.C. we wished we had taken a tour bus too some of them. I think it was about 20 years ago they had a mini-series on tv called The North and South. I loved that series. I used to have it recorded but I don't know what happened to it. I guess living 17 miles from Gettysburg SD will be the closest I'll get.

If you visit Gettysburg, check out Devil's Den, Little Round Top, Pennsylvania Momument, and the Peace Light Memorial on the battlefield.

You can also tour President Eisenhower's house and farm while you are there in Gettysburg. You get the tickets for the tour at the Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center. Then a shuttle bus takes you to the farm.

On the square of Gettysburg is the David Wills house. At that site, you can visit the bedroom where Lincoln stayed and wrote the Gettysburg Address.

Check the Dobbin House while in town. This building is the oldest building in town. The Dobbin House Tavern is in the basement. The servers dress in period costume. The main floor is a restaurant.

Another interesting place to see is the Shriver House on Baltimore Steet. The tour shows you what it was like to be a civilian in Gettysburg during the war. You get to visit all four floors of the house. This historic home is furnished the way it would have looked at the time of the war. The tour does a great job of showing how the war personally affected the Shriver family.

The Adams County Historical Society at the Lutheran Theological Seminary has many interesting items from the Civil War. This is a gem that many tourists miss when they come to town. It is free.

These are my favorite spots in Gettysburg.

This post was edited by dmickey on Fri, Jan 4, 13 at 23:12

Thank you for sharing your favorite spots. I just looked up the Shriver House, and I'm psyched! I'll check out the others tomorrow.

By all means eat at the tavern in the Dobbin House. Very cool. The best way would be to hire a guide to go with you in your car. It would require too much walking to cover many important areas, although my daughter and grandson have run 5Ks there quite often. When my son was a little boy he wanted to be a battlefield guide when he grew up. They used to stand around the square as we drove thru, and you'd pick one up in your car.