Gettysburg battlefield: July 2009 Archives

I have been through the newly restored Gettysburg Cyclorama a few times now. Here are my initial impressions:

1) The recent improvements to the canvas are astounding - curving it the way it was supposed to be viewed, restoring the missing pieces, cleaning and refreshing it - all are excellent!

2) I like the 3D effect with the foreground objects and terrain "blending" in with the painting. Note the cannon in the photograph - there are dozens of similar 3D objects that have been placed in front of the canvas, similar to what has been done years ago with the Atlanta Cyclorama in Grant Park. That's the way the Gettysburg painting was displayed in the 19th century and early in the 20th.

3) The canned presentation with the sound effects and music is OK, but I would prefer live narration with the speaker pointing out specific features of the painting. The soundtrack is somewhat redundant with the Morgan Freeman movie at times.

4) I like the new setting, and relish looking forward to the day that the Richard Neutra concrete eyesore is gone from Cemetery Ridge and Ziegler's Grove is restored. It never should have been located on such historic ground to begin with.

5) There's another copy of the Cyclorama down at Wake Forest, and two other copies were destroyed decades ago.

Please leave your comments!

G. Craig Caba will be speaking at the July 15th York Civil War Round Table meeting. His program is called "Aspects of the J.Howard Wert Gettysburg Collection." Free to the public, his presentation will be at 7:00 PM Wednesday evening in the auditorium of the York County Heritage Trust at 250 E. Market Street in York.

The July 15th meeting of the York CWRT will feature period artifacts collected by the Wert family of Adams County for over a span of four generations. This collection of early Americana will be presented by G. Craig Caba, who is the CEO and Chief Curator of the J.Howard Wert Gettysburg Collection.

The Werts were an 18th century colonial Pennsylvania-German family who saved important heirlooms marking their accomplishments in the new nation. They actively participated in the American Revolution, the French and Indian War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The family deeply cherished the American vision of liberty and equality, and the family slogan became "Preserve for posterity." Thus, a private collection of historical memorabilia was formed by one of Gettysburg's earliest families. This collection continued to grow well into the 20th century and these documented relics give tangible testimony to America's unique cultural heritage.

York, Pennsylvania, photographer, historian, and architectural expert Scott D. Butcher is one of the four history bloggers for the York Daily Record. His WIndows into York blog offers interesting insights into the history of the individual buildings in York and around the area. The author of several interesting books, his latest effort is perhaps my favorite. Gettysburg Perspectives is one of the best, if not the best, photographic anthologies of Gettysburg. Filled with stunning photographs that are artistic and informative at the same time, this new release from Schiffer Books is well worth adding to your Civil War collection, especially at only $9.99. Soft bound and printed on high quality, clay-coated semigloss paper, the book is well done.

Butcher's battlefield photographs are excellent, and are wide in their scope and variety. But, perhaps the real charm of the book is his unique interpretation of the buildings of Gettysburg. His architectural background obviously shining through, Scott examines the historic town through his well trained eye for the unusual, the interesting, and the visually appealing. Many of the photos are of scenes that the casual photography would never have captured (or even noted). The people, the buildings, the scenery, the battlefield - it's all there in this wonderful new book.

I had the privilege of signing copies of my books this past Thursday evening at the American History Store in Gettysburg, and I was speaking with a family from the western U.S. I recommended Scott's book as a great memory of their visit to Gettysburg, and, after glancing through it, they agreed. One person called it "a great way to share their memories with their family." I agree - this one is a must have as long after the vacation to Gettysburg is over, Scott Butcher's fabulous photos will live on.

Scott Butcher's website with 225 photos of Gettysburg, York County PA, and the Atlantic Coast (as well as Arizona and other places he and his camera have visited) can be viewed by clicking HERE.