Happy summer from the Swope Manor! This week, we will be marking the 162nd anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg. Be sure to keep an eye out in the coming weeks for additional blog posts marking events connecting the Swope Manor and the battle/the battle’s aftermath.
Here in Gettysburg, you will find plenty of options for ways to explore the history of the battle over the next few days. On July 1st through the 3rd, Gettysburg National Military Park will be offering multiple free two-hour battlewalks per day. This special programming will take participants on a deep dive into specific parts of the battle of Gettysburg, allowing you to learn about key leadership decisions and follow in the path of some of the soldiers who fought here. Check out the park’s website for their full battle anniversary schedule. In the evenings on the days of the battle anniversary, you can find “Sacred Trust” talks happening in the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitors Center. You will need to pick up free tickets for these lectures and book signings as seating is limited. The full schedule is on the Gettysburg Foundation’s website. In addition, 100 Nights of Taps will be hosting a performance of “Taps” at the Pennsylvania Monument every night at 7:00 PM.
There will also be several options within walking distance of the Swope Manor to suit your history-learning needs! On July 1st, you can head to the Seminary Ridge Museum to help rebuild the Seminary barricade, exactly 162 years after the original was constructed. This free event from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM will be outside and you will need to pack some work gloves and closed-toe shoes. It is a great opportunity to have a hands-on experience with history! On July 2nd and 3rd, you can visit a living history encampment at the Children of Gettysburg museum from 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM.
If you have a love of music, you might want to stop by the town square at 10:00 AM on July 4th to hear a flute sextet perform patriotic songs in a concert called “Flutes on the Fourth.” You will also have a special opportunity that day to visit General Lee’s headquarters from 10:00 AM through 3:00 PM thanks to the American Battlefield Trust. That evening, there will be a Fourth of July celebration in the Gettysburg Recreation Park starting at 5:00 PM and concluding with a firework show at 9:15 PM.
The battle reenactments at the Daniel Lady Farm are also back! Their gates open daily at 8:30 AM on July 4th through the 6th. You can catch a talk by the first governor of West Virginia—a brand new state in 1863—or take a turn down sutler’s row. A daily “battle” will also take place, featuring different parts of the fighting around Gettysburg. A full schedule of events is available on the Daniel Lady Farm’s website. From 5:00 through 9:00 PM on July 5th, you can watch Confederates take the Shriver House—this tour will give you a glimpse inside the lives and home of the Shrivers during the battle. For even more activities happening in town during the next few days, please feel free to check out Destination Gettysburg’s website.