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Wingeezer · 05-03-2010, 03:51 PM

Just wondering if anyone has camped at Gettysburg to attend the big Civil War re-enactment held every year around the July 4 weekend?

This winter, after visiting Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor where the first shots of the war were supposedly fired, I suddenly developed a real interest in learning more about the civi war - read a few books, watched a few movies, and even listened to a few lectures from Yale on Itunes University or whatever they call it!

Now I'd like to go to Gettysburg to see the huge re-enactment event that they hold each year.

Adding to my interest is the fact that I'm trying to learn clawhammer (old time) banjo, and I think they usually have re-enactors playing old civil war songs which would be a real plus for me!

I'm guessing that since they have had up to 13,000 re-enactors attending, let alone the number of spectators as well, chances of getting an RV site anywhere near would be slim to none!

Probably we will leave the Airstream at home and take the motorcycle instead and hope to get a hotel within an hour or so drive from Gettysburg, but I just thought that before making plans, I'd ask if anyone has been and might have any advice/comment/tips.

Brian.

gettysburg · 05-03-2010, 08:53 PM

You'll have a good time. It won't be 13,000, but it could be 3,000-4000 reenactors. Get there plenty early because traffic gets backed up for miles/hours. Now, when they have their 150th in 2013 you'll probably see 15,000 reenactors. That will be a memorable one. (Take plenty of water to drink with you.)

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gettysburg

You'll have a good time. It won't be 13,000, but it could be 3,000-4000 reenactors. Get there plenty early because traffic gets backed up for miles/hours. Now, when they have their 150th in 2013 you'll probably see 15,000 reenactors. That will be a memorable one. (Take plenty of water to drink with you.)

Thanks, I am looking forward to it! I'd like to take the trailer but figure it will be easier just going by bike - maybe I'll call a couple of RV parks in the next week or so but I'm guessing I won't have much luck. I'll bet they already have reservations for 2013!

I think if we go to Gettysburg with the bike it might also be interesting to run down to Harpers Ferry - looks to be interesting and a very attractive area for touring.

Brian

Rebee · 05-04-2010, 07:25 AM

There are several campgrounds near Gettysburg which may have avaliable spaces. They are located near Bendersville and Bigglersville.

Conewago Campground, Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Mountian Creek Campground.

All three are an easy drive from Gettysburg

pinktrailer · 05-04-2010, 08:27 AM

Hi--You are probably correct that the campgrounds may be full.....We have stayed twice during the past two years at the "Gettysburg Campground" www.gettysburgcampground.com

It is about 3 miles away from the battlegrounds and cemetary. It really was much nicer than it looked on the website. The entire rear area is wooded, and the sites toward the rear, along the creek, are quite nice. The front area, as you enter, is very commercial looking, though. The bathrooms are clean and people in the office very friendly. My son goes to college there, so I expect we will stay there a couple more times in the next few years.

Soyboy · 05-04-2010, 08:38 AM

If you want a spot that would allow good access to both Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry (and Antietam for that matter) I would suggest looking at Frederick Md (My fair city). Lots of hotel rooms, Civil War Medical Museum in the historic downtown area. About 30 miles south of Gettysburg, 20 miles east of Harpers Ferry and 25 miles or so east of Antietam.

The Official Tourism Website of Frederick County, Maryland

National Museum of Civil War Medicine - Home

Getaways · 05-04-2010, 03:52 PM

You mentioned G-burg and Harpers Ferry. Don't forget as Soyboy mentioned to consider Antietam. If you want to really see Antietam I strongly recommend looking up when they do the luminaries on the battlefield. Antietam was the single bloodiest day of the war. 21,000+ casualties. They light a luminary for every recorded casualty. Awesome freaking sight.

If you really want to get into Civil War history don't forget to explore VA. Tons and tons and tons to see and do.

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebee

There are several campgrounds near Gettysburg which may have avaliable spaces. They are located near Bendersville and Bigglersville.

Conewago Campground, Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Mountian Creek Campground.

All three are an easy drive from Gettysburg

Thanks Rebee, I will check them out! I'm certainly prepared - and expecting - to have to drive quite a ways from Gettysburg to find a spot. Don't really have a problem with that - within reason.

Brian

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinktrailer

Hi--You are probably correct that the campgrounds may be full.....We have stayed twice during the past two years at the "Gettysburg Campground" www.gettysburgcampground.com

It is about 3 miles away from the battlegrounds and cemetary. It really was much nicer than it looked on the website. The entire rear area is wooded, and the sites toward the rear, along the creek, are quite nice. The front area, as you enter, is very commercial looking, though. The bathrooms are clean and people in the office very friendly. My son goes to college there, so I expect we will stay there a couple more times in the next few years.

Thanks much - I'm not hopeful but I filled out their reservation request anyway, nothing ventured nothing gained!

Brian

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyboy

If you want a spot that would allow good access to both Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry (and Antietam for that matter) I would suggest looking at Frederick Md (My fair city). Lots of hotel rooms, Civil War Medical Museum in the historic downtown area. About 30 miles south of Gettysburg, 20 miles east of Harpers Ferry and 25 miles or so east of Antietam.

The Official Tourism Website of Frederick County, Maryland

National Museum of Civil War Medicine - Home

Thanks Soyboy, - added to my list of possibilities, especially if we wind up using hotels instead of the AS. Sounds very well situated.

Only reason I am dragging my heels a bit on making hotel reservations now is that the internet reservation places I have checked out so far all want full payment up front and no refunds at all on cancellations. Maybe I should just take a chance and book now. Only thing is we are not getting any younger and one never knows when health could be an issue. I should be more optimistic!

Do you think everything likely gets full around Frederick for the o4 July weekend?

Brian

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Getaways

You mentioned G-burg and Harpers Ferry. Don't forget as Soyboy mentioned to consider Antietam. If you want to really see Antietam I strongly recommend looking up when they do the luminaries on the battlefield. Antietam was the single bloodiest day of the war. 21,000+ casualties. They light a luminary for every recorded casualty. Awesome freaking sight.

If you really want to get into Civil War history don't forget to explore VA. Tons and tons and tons to see and do.

Sounds great! I don't know how I got to this stage of my life knowing so little about the details of the civil war - I guess not living in the US would be a big part of the reason!

Actually I am embarrassed to say that I have seen much more of the US than my own country (well - adopted country really, as I am originally from the UK.)

Now that I have started learning about the US Civil War, I find the whole subject quite fascinating! Just finished watching the Ken Burns documentary (11 hrs!) and am currently working my way through a whole series of lectures from Yale on itunes!

Thanks again ......... Brian.

gettysburg · 05-04-2010, 05:45 PM

Rebee mentioned Pine Grove Furnace State Park. That is an excellent idea. It is a state park and very close to the reenactment site. Highly recommended! Google Pine grove furnace state park.

loudruff · 05-04-2010, 07:23 PM

Larry and I checked out Chickamauga National Battlefieldwhen we went to the Springstream Rally in GA this April. It was a beautiful place to walk and consider the whole ordeal of the Civil War..

Brian, how about checking with some of our airforums folks that live in PA and see if you can find some courtesy parking? You can access the list of those offering courtesy parking, and search by state with an advanced search. I'll bet there are a few out there who would be able to let you camp over. That is lots of fun and you get to meet some fine folks!
Lou and Larry

Wingeezer · 05-04-2010, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loudruff

Larry and I checked out Chickamauga National Battlefieldwhen we went to the Springstream Rally in GA this April. It was a beautiful place to walk and consider the whole ordeal of the Civil War..

Brian, how about checking with some of our airforums folks that live in PA and see if you can find some courtesy parking? You can access the list of those offering courtesy parking, and search by state with an advanced search. I'll bet there are a few out there who would be able to let you camp over. That is lots of fun and you get to meet some fine folks!
Lou and Larry

Thanks Lou, good Idea,I never thought of that! I have just sent of enquiries to a couple of the campgrounds people suggested so we'll see if anything comes of that.

Bottom line is that I'd almost just as soon take the bike - looks like some great countryside for touring around!

Either way, It'll be good!

Brian.

Over59 · 05-04-2010, 09:43 PM

TAC gathering for 2013. Rent a whole campground. Of course u have the Dec 2012 problem to get by.

Soyboy · 05-04-2010, 09:49 PM

Getaways: Nice idea about the luminaries. Unfortunately, I think the only time they do that is around the first weekend in December. This year it is 12/4/10. It is really something to experience though, I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area at that time. BTW I think there is a Jellystone RV park close to Antietam in Williamsport, MD. I also think there is a KOA in Harpers Ferry. I don't know anything about them as we are generally state park campers.

Antietam National Battlefield - The Memorial Illumination (U.S. National Park Service)

Wingeezer · 05-05-2010, 07:27 PM

Well, no luck in finding a campsite for the re-enactment in July as yet!

I checked out a few of the places mentioned but all full.

Pine Creek furnace has a few spots available but no hookups - maybe I should just grab a spot while they have them, and buy me a Honda EU2000i gennie , I've been wanting an excuse!

I'll check around a few more RV spots yet! The "Mrs" prefers taking the Airstream and truck rather than riding down on the Goldwing! Damn! (Well, not really, she's up for going no matter which - I'm lucky that way! At least with the bike, she'll be staying in hotels with no cooking to do!)

Brian

loudruff · 05-05-2010, 08:57 PM

Well, I hope some of the PA folks that are listed in the courtesy parking list will step up and have a spot for you. Don't give up yet.

gatorboy · 05-07-2010, 02:38 PM

If you're interested in Civil War reenactments and reenactors, I would highly recommend reading Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz.

Pete

Emerson75 · 05-07-2010, 09:26 PM

Brian,

I would imagine that every campground (and there are quite a few) in and around Gettysburg is booked for July 4th. However if you don't require full hookups and can manage with just electric, there are a lot of nice PA State Parks within an hour of Gettysburg that may have sites still available.

We regularly camp at Cowans Gap SP, Gifford Pinchot SP, and Codorus SP. All three of these are very nice and would be less than an hour from Gettysburg. Caledonia SP is a really nice area, the campground is okay, but I'm sure it is booked by how close it is to Gettysburg, but you can check.

You can check for site availability and make reservations online, here is the link to their website...
Pennsylvania State Parks - Camping - PA DCNR

Good luck,
Eric

P.S. I live about 20 mins from Gettysburg, and my grandparents (who we bought our AS from last August, and who were avid AS'ers for ~50 years) have a farm in the heart of Gettysburg. Over the years (since 1953) they have found a lot of artifacts (cannon balls, shells, medical bottles, syringes, etc). Their farm butts both the Virginia and North Carolina monuments, and their bank barn was a field hospital, so it is quite rich in history. In fact, I believe they were the first site picked to have the filming of the movie Gettysburg, although my grandfather chose to turn down the offer.