Gettysburg Daily

Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 8

2010-09-09T03:32:29Z

This non-historic structure, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s will soon have running water again. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

We previously covered the decision to run a new water line from the Spangler’s Spring Restroom to East Cemetery Hill. A number of our readers requested we show pictures of what the water line ground looks like post-disturbance.

We begin once again on East Cemetery Hill. Near the marker to the 106th Pennsylvania Infantry is where the new piping reaches a main, before diverting southwest to Baltimore Street. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The Gettysburg area has seen the summer haze lift in the last few weeks, and it was a very clear and beautiful day to take a walk. The monument to the 134th NY Infantry is in the foreground. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

We will begin to follow the water line off the hill where the attempt to plant new grass begins. This straw in the foreground and left of this view will become a familiar sight. The Howard equestrian statue is in the right background. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

As we walk down the hill we pass the 7th West Virginia Infantry charge marker. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The grass is making a concerted effort in some areas, but the lack of rain in the last few weeks has certainly not helped things. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Some of our readers wondered whether the spray paint contractors applied to these original rock walls constructed by the soldiers would wash off in the rain … This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… We regret to inform them that the paint seems quite permanent. Both at this wall … This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… And the next. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Looking back up East Cemetery Hill. Due to the straw, the water line is very well-defined on the landscape, and until the grass grows in, we imagine it will be for some time. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

This “Road Closed” sign was here for the repaving Wainwright Avenue, which as you can tell, recently occurred. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The water line runs under this non-original rock wall and behind the 33rd Massachusetts Infantry monument … This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… crosses Slocum Avenue … This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… and begins to ascend Stevens Knoll/McKnight’s Hill. The Slocum equestrian statue is in the left of this shot. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The old circular brick structure that used to be underground here was replaced with this piping. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

As we descend Stevens Knoll, the contractors made much wider and noticeable paths in the landscape. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The water line runs off of the knoll and under Williams Avenue, which was also recently repaved. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The grass here is coming in a bit better than in other areas where the landscape was disturbed. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

This particular spot was extremely noticeable when it was all dirt, and it is quite the visible scar with all straw as well. Pleas excuse the windshield of our vehicle. The water line crosses Williams Avenue once more … This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… And descends down the slope towards Pardee Field. Some have taken to referring to this area as a perfect spot for a new miniature golf hole. You could start up here … This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… And place the hole down at this end of the ravine. The grass in this area is not growing well at this time. Pardee Field is behind the camera position.This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Further down Geary Avenue the grass situation is much better on the left side of the road. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Unfortunately, just off of Geary Avenue where the water line enters the woods is where the effort to replant grass stops. We imagine that due to the fact that the public doesn’t go back into the woods, it was determined an unnecessary effort. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Alongside the road the cleared area we showed in our original post on the water line looks much the same … This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… And takes us to our final destination, for a grand total of $295,767 or $49,294.50 for each toilet/sink. You might be wondering whether after all this effort since late June, whether you can actually use the restroom in this structure now. Well, at this point in time, we have some bad news … This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… If we go back to East Cemetery Hill and walk towards Baltimore Street … This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… we can see where the new piping exits the old 1937 pipe it has been threaded through. It then exits out on top of the ground … This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

… And sits here at the side of Baltimore Street, waiting forlornly to be connected to a water source. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

See the following related posts:

Water Line to be Run to the Spangler’s Spring Restroom. Why? on July 2, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 2 on July 14, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 3 on July 20, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 4 on July 23, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 5 on July 29, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 6 on July 30, 2010
Spangler’s Spring Restroom: The Water Line Part 7 on August 2, 2010

Pender “Witness Tree” Struck by Lightning, Saved by Cable

2010-09-08T05:25:35Z

The Pender Tree, located on the east side of Seminary Ridge’s West Confederate Avenue, was struck by lightning sometime during the last two weeks of August. The lightning struck the lightning rod at the top of the tree, ran down the cable and exploded the bark where the bare wood is visible. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Visitors frequently ask about trees that might have been on the Gettysburg Battlefield in July, 1863 and are still standing today. The most common guess is that there might be somewhere between 100 and 200. The United States War Department, which operated Gettysburg National Military Park before the National Park Service took over in 1933, thought some of these “witness trees” were important enough to mark, and sometimes, protect. Small brass tags were placed in some of the trees, and lightning rods were also placed in some.

One of the lightning rods and its accompanying cable saved the Pender Witness Tree on Seminary Ridge sometime last month. So if you thought those cables, which were possibly installed by the War Department to protect any unexploded ordnance in Witness Trees are worthless, look how this cable possibly saved this witness tree (even though it wasn’t properly grounded). Maybe more cables should be installed in the other witness trees around the battlefield.

We would like to thank Licensed Battlefield Guide Larry Wallace for alerting us to the lightning strike which he discovered while giving a tour last week.

There are five witness trees in this area of McMillan Woods north of the North Carolina State Monument, which is out of sight in the left background. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

We showed these trees in our first Witness Tree post on April 30, 2008. The “Pender Tree” is labeled number 3 in this picture. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Wednesday, April 30, 2008.

The Pender Tree is on the other side of this cannon marking the position of Crenshaw’s Battery. The marker for Pegram’s Artillery Battalion is in the left background. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

At some point, long ago, the cable was torn and failed to be properly grounded. A line of green-colored bark at the bottom of the trunk shows the area where the cable was attached to the tree. Other pieces of bark were exploded and/or burned off the trunk by the lightning. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Let’s see how far up the trunk that we can follow the cable. This view was facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The bark that was growing around the cable, appears to have been burned by this or another lightning strike. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

We believe that this tree is 80 to 90 feet tall. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The cable twists around the trunk as it makes its way to the lightning rod at the top, so we had to photograph it from another angle. It’s attached to the left center branch… This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

…maybe you can see it better now. But this is where we lost it in the leaves and couldn’t follow it all the way to the lightning rod. Maybe during the late fall or early winter we’ll remember to come take a look at it. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Just in case lightning, disease, or the National Park Service takes it down in the future, this view shows what most of the tree looks like. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

No damage is visible from the other/north side of the tree. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

This photograph shows the relation between the cable on the right and the War Department disc identifying the tree as a witness tree on the left. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Disc number D195. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

The Pender Tree acquired its name because supposedly Confederate Major General William Dorsey Pender was near the tree on July 2, 1863, looking across the future Pickett’s Charge fields (in the distance, but washed out by the sun) when he was wounded in the thigh by a shell fragment. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

General Pender was taken to Staunton, Virginia to recover, but an artery ruptured on July 18, 1863. Pender was able to stop the blood with a hairbrush and towel as a tourniquet, but surgeons determined the leg could not be saved. Surgeons amputated his leg, but he died a few hours after the operation. Some of his last words were “Tell my wife that I do not fear to die. I can confidently resign my soul to God, trusting in the atonement of Jesus Christ. My only regret is to leave her and our two children. I have always tried to do my duty in every sphere in which Providence has placed me.” William Dorsey Pender is buried in Calvary Churchyard in Tarboro, North Carolina. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

Gettysburg Idols Part 3: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski

2010-09-07T10:27:53Z

Brigadier General John White Geary (1819-1873) commanded the Second Division of the Twelfth Corps at Gettysburg. This of painting by J. M. Boundy, is courtesy of the State Museum of Pennsylvania, and was painted circa 1867.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joseph E. Mieczkowski is the host for our Gettysburg Idols series. A resident of nearby Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Joe is a Civil War living historian and educator. Joe portrays Lincoln’s Secretary of War, Simon Cameron as well as Gettysburg resident, David Wills. In addition Joe is a Licensed Town Guide in Gettysburg. He is also the past President of the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable.

Educated at Salem College, Salem, West Virginia and at Pennsylvania State University, Joe has been employed for over 30 years with the Social Security Administration. He has served in a variety of locations and assignments including 16 years as a manager and director in Washington D.C. Presently he is the Area Director in Harrisburg PA.

If you would like to contact Joe, click here to reveal his email address.

In our first Gettysburg Idols post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski presented United States Major General Abner Doubleday, and some of his actions before, during and after the Gettysburg Campaign.

In the second Gettysburg Idols post, Joe Mieczkowski presents the first day battlefield statues and stories of James Wadsworth, John C. Robinson, and Francis Barlow.

In today’s Gettysburg Idols post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski presents information on Brigadier General John White Geary.

This map shows us the locations taken of the videos for the Gettysburg Idols series. Videos #1-#8 were shown in our previous posts. Videos #9-#11 were taken near the John White Geary statue on Culp’s Hill. This map was created facing north at approximately 10:00 PM on Sunday, September 5, 2010.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski is our host for this series on Gettysburg Idols. He is standing on Culp’s Hill near the statue to Brigadier General John White Geary. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

Gettysburg Idols Part 3: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski

In Video #9 (Videos #1=#8 were shown in our previous Gettysburg Idol posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski presents pre-war biographical information on Brigadier General John White Geary. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

In early May of 1863, a “spent” cannon ball hit Brigadier General John W. Geary in the chest at the battle of Chancellorsville. While not quite enough to kill him, it did knock him unconscious and left him unable to speak above a whisper for many weeks. Less than a month later, Geary was leading his men at the Battle of Gettysburg. This view was taken circa 1865.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski is standing on the southeast slope of Upper Culp’s Hill. The earthworks constructed by Geary’s soldiers were right of the monuments to the 137th New York (partially hidden) and the 7th Ohio. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

Gettysburg Idols Part 3: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski

In Video #10 Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski shares the work of Geary’s division on Culp’s Hill. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

Joe Mieczkowski is standing near the statue of John White Geary. Williams Avenue is in the background. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

Gettysburg Idols Part 3: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Joe Mieczkowski

In Video #11 Joe Mieczkowski provides information on Brigadier General John White Geary’s life after Gettysburg. He also shares the fumes from the dye for his beard may have led to his having a heart attack. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, August 27, 2010.

To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.

Gettysburg at Arlington Part 20: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr

2010-09-05T20:55:10Z

William Howard Taft (1857-1930) was the twenty-seventh President of the United States and the and the tenth Chief Justice of the United States’ Supreme Court. He visted Gettysburg a couple of times, including Memorial Day in 1909. The purpose of his visit on May 30, 1909 was to dedicate the monument to the United States Regulars. This view, courtesy of the Library of Congress was taken circa 1915.

Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking Washington, D.C., has many connections to Gettysburg and to the Gettysburg Campaign. There are many more connections than to only Robert E. Lee’s residence, and John F. Kennedy’s grave. Almost every row in the older sections have someone buried there who had a link to Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows us the individuals connected to Gettysburg who are buried at Arlington.

To contact Rich Kohr, click here to reveal his email address.

To see the previous posts on Gettysburg at Arlington, click here.

In today’s Arlington post, Rich Kohr shows the graves of William Howard Taft, Omar Bradley, Robert Todd Lincoln, and Thomas Ottenstein.

This map shows us the locations taken of videos for our Gettysburg at Arlington series. Videos #1-#53 were shown in our previous Arlington posts. Video #54 was taken near the graves of William Howard Taft and Omar Bradley. Video #55 was taken near the gravesite of Robert Todd Lincoln. Video #56 was taken in the columbarium where Thomas Ottenstein’s ashes are located. This map was created facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 5, 2010.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing near the monument and grave of President William Howard Taft. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Gettysburg at Arlington Part 20: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr

In Video #54 (Videos #1 - #53 were shown in our previous Arlington posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows the final resting places of President William Howard Taft and General Omar Bradley. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing by the grave of General Omar Bradley. The bottom of the monument to William Howard Taft is visible in the background. This view was taken facing west at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

This is West Point’s Class of 1915, also known as “The Class the Stars Fell On.” They are sitting on the steps of Gettysburg’s Christ Lutheran Church. Of the 164 graduates, 59 earned at least one star (attained the rank of General), the most of any class in the history of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Two reached the second highest rank, five-star General of the Army (General of the Armies being the highest). The two five-star Generals were Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. We have circled Eisenhower on the left and Bradley on the right. This view, courtesy of the Christ Lutheran Church, was taken facing south around noon on May 3, 1915.

Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926) was the only child of Abraham Lincoln to live past his teenage years. He served as Secretary of War under James Garfield and Chester Arthur. This image, painted by Daniel Huntington, was created while Lincoln was Secretary of War (1881-1885), and is courtesy of the United States Army Military Institute.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr is standing by the grave of Robert Todd Lincoln, who was at the Peterson House when his father died, and was present at the assasinations of Presidents Garfield and McKinley. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Gettysburg at Arlington Part 20: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr

In Video #55 Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr shows the grave of Abraham Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert Todd Lincoln. This view was taken facing west to north at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Rich Kohr is standing in the Columbarium, a large area where urns holding ashes of cremated individuals are stored. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Rich Kohr is pointing to the space holding the remains of Thomas Ottenstein, a Maryland real estate developer who created the Gettysburg National Tower. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Gettysburg at Arlington Part 20: Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Kohr

In Video #56 Rich Kohr shows the final resting place of Thomas Ottenstein, who besides owning the 307 feet tall National Tower, was also involved in book, newspaper, and magazine distribution. This view was taken facing southeast to east at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

Thomas Ottenstein’s “Classroom in the Sky”/Gettysburg National Tower existed from 1974 to 2000. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:15 PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010.

To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.

Point of Woods Panorama: September 2010

2010-09-04T02:35:55Z

On the left the camera is pointed northeast. On the right, the camera is pointed southwest. On the other (southwest) side of the cannon is the red Alexander Spangler barn. This view was taken at approximately 4:45 PM on Friday, September 3, 2010. For a medium-sized version of the panorama click here. For the larger JPEG version, click here. If you’d like to see the uncompressed TIFF file, you can download it here (59.3 MB).

We are at General Robert E. Lee’s position on July 3, 1863 during Pickett’s Charge. The “Point of Woods” is behind us. The wayside exhibit and audio station describing some Confederate incidents at Pickett’s Charge is to our right today, as some folks were gathered in this area when we came to take the panorama.

July 27, 2010.

June 1, 2010.

March 8, 2010.

January 18, 2010.