Gettysburg and the Beauty of History

Gettysburg is one of the historic Civil War areas in the country that almost everyone knows because of its deeply felt historic relevance. Its allure is not only based on the fact that it is prominent in history textbooks but because it actually intensifies people’s appreciation of history.  The experience of visiting the most important sites in the area helps give appreciation and understanding of American history on an emotional level.

The first stop for visitors should be the Gettysburg National Military Park. This is the site where one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War was fought. To appreciate the sights in the park, join guided tours that are regularly held here. Aside from the actual battlefield, where cannon replicas are in place, visitors will get the chance to take pictures of monuments of the great military leaders of the time, the protagonists of the Battle of Gettysburg. One unique way of taking the tour is on horseback through the National Riding Stables at Artillery Ridge Campground.

In relation to the battlefield tour, visitors see the area where hundreds of wounded soldiers were treated. Candlelight at Christ Church is a church-owned hospital that was made into a refuge of the wounded and dying as the battles around Gettysburg were raging. The David Wills House is a house that played an important role when Abraham Lincoln prepared his speech which is now called the famous Gettysburg Address. Visiting the area is greatly enhanced by staying in one of the several Gettysburg bed and breakfast inns located nearby.

Gettysburg is also a town which is said to have many sightings of ghosts. These paranormal activities have become part of the attractions, drawing visitors and tourists from across the country who want to have encounters with ghosts. Among the most prominent locations is the Farnsworth House, which provides visitors the opportunity to descend a staircase leading to an eerie 19th-century Victorian parlor. Guided tours are also provided for these attempts at encountering the paranormal. These include the Ghosts of Gettysburg Candlelight Walking Tour and the Haunted Gettysburg Candlelight Walking Tours.

For those who do not believe in ghosts though, the historic relevance of the entire town should be the main reason why they come to visit. Knowing about Gettysburg through history books may be a good thing but actually seeing it and absorbing the rich details of the historic sites can deepen one’s  appreciation of the country’s history.