Gettysburg Continued

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Today we had an at home day to just relax and do nothing but hang out.  It was also a day when we found that one of our RV problems was a "user mistake" in trying to take care of another problem.  You know the kind I mean.  We have all had them.  Our excuse is that this is a new RV for us and we did not have some of the things we have now in the old RV.  Sound familiar?  Good excuse?

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

We are up early this morning taking the RV to the repair shop down the road for another problem that is not user error.  We have a jack that tells us it is not up when it is.  Diagnosis is that we will need to replace the jack which will have to be ordered.  Hopefully it will be fixed by either Friday afternoon or Monday meaning we are staying here for an additional three days.  No problem as we do not have any reservations beyond here so far.  Thank goodness for the Extended Warranty.

Today we finished  our drive through the Battlefield and came away in a contemplative mood after seeing where the final battles were fought

and entering the Soldiers Cemetery where Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address.  The cemetery is huge and much of it is behind locked gates so you only get to view it from afar.  There are many large monuments including the two below having to do with Lincoln's address.
Much to think about here.

This evening we go to a Crab House for dinner which is located in Emmitsburg.  There are 14 of us (all family) and 27 fire fighters including my son-in-law, Kyle.  They will graduate on Friday from their management program.  We meet several of the group including one of the instructors.   I ordered a crab dinner which I thought was out of the shell, but that turned out not to be the case.  I have done my share of cleaning crab out of legs, etc. in my past, but it's not something I enjoy doing.  I did manage to get something to eat, but it was a slow process.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

My grandson Garrett's 12th birthday.  Happy Birthday, Garrett.  Where have the years gone?

Today Ron and I take the bus from the Battlefield Visitor Center to the Eisenhower National Historic Site.  This is the home that President and Mrs. Eisenhower purchased in 1950 and lived in until both their deaths.  The house built  prior to the Civil War and 189 acres was purchased for the extravagant price of $44,000.  It is still furnished with most of the Eisenhower's furniture and memorabilia and is still a working farm and cattle ranch leased by a local farmer from the United States National Park Service.  It was interesting to learn that the land was very depleted and this appealed to "Ike"  when looking for property as he was very interested in soil conservation.  He obviously brought it up to "snuff" as it is still a working farm.

The house and furnishings are what I would call typical 1950's style and reminded us very much of visiting our  grandparents homes and the ones in which we grew up.   Now we are dating ourselves.

The Eisenhower's did not live lavishly thou Mamie did have a personal maid and they had a couple who did things around the house and cooked for them.  It was not until after 1961 when the President left office that they lived here full time.  During the time prior to this, the Eisenhower's used the property as a retreat and often entertained well known dignitaries as Eisenhower "practiced his one on one diplomacy."   A docent gave  us some brief information and then left us to tour the house on our own.

We enjoyed our visit and the commentary given by the tour bus driver who brought us to the farm.  When the Eisenhower's left the property to the park service, they stipulated that there was to be no parking lot on the property, thus the bus.  The property was not open to the public until the 1980's.

Gettysburg really is an interesting place.  While there is a historic downtown and community and lots of old Civil War period homes and commercial property, the city is pretty much surrounded by National Park Service property which is comprised of the battlefield and monuments.  During the Civil War there were many farm houses, etc. which were there among the battles and which survived.  Today all of those homes on the battlefields that survived are owned by the Park Service and lived in by employees who are responsible for maintaining them.  Interesting.  I had just assumed they were privately owned.

Gettysburg, PA

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Family Gathering

Today we spent the afternoon with my children, their families and their father and stepmother who have rented a large house for a family week here in Gettysburg.  The house is huge (4600 square feet) with three floors, five bedrooms, a number of bathrooms, a nice basement den, loft, a screened in three sided porch on the main floor, etc.  It is quite a ways out in the country and quite secluded but really lovely.

This week is our grandson, Garrett's 12th birthday and his father's graduation from the Fire Academy fire management program he has been doing for the past four years so we all got together today to celebrate.  We will all attend his graduation on Friday morning at 8:00 (too early in the morning) at FEMA in Emmitsburg, MD which is very close to here.  Kyle's (my son-in-law) parents are also coming from Texas for the graduation so we will be quite a group.

Not a great picture of my grandkids, but they were having fun eating birthday cookie.

On our way back to the campground, we drove around the town of Gettysburg which is quite interesting.  So many old, old homes and buildings.  Many of the homes are townhouse style and others are separate with about 5 feet between them.  Some are brick and others are wood siding.  All are close to the street and most are no more than about 12 feet wide.  We recently learned that the reason they are so narrow is that owners were taxed based on the width of the house.

Gettysburg was originally named Marsh Creek Settlement and founded between two low ridges just north of the Mason-Dixon Line in the 1780's.   It was renamed Gettysburg in honor of General James Gettys and was incorporated in 1806.  The town center square is the crossroad of four major highways and was a stopping point for travelers as well as a strategic location during the Civil War.


Monday, July 27, 2015

Gettysburg National Park

Today we go to the Battlefield Visitor Center where we purchase a CD and dramatization of the Battles that took place here in Gettysburg. The battles that took place on July 1-3, 1863 were the most important and hotly contested of the Civil War.  There were 51,000 casualties and it was the bloodiest battle of the war.

Returning to our car, we begin our 31 mile drive around town, through town and down one way narrow wooded roads and along cultivated open fields to view and understand what transpired here.  There are 1,300 monuments, cannons, markers and statues throughout the Park.  This is one of Robert E. Lee

Many states  have erected monuments in the park including Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

The Eternal Light Peace Memorial dedicated by  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 75 years after the Civil War with 1,800 Civil War veterans present is very thought provoking with its inscription reading "Peace Eternal in a Nation United."  

The drive takes over 2 hours and there are many places to stop, contemplate and view strategic places where events took place.  It is hard to believe such devastation took place here when you see the beauty and tranquility of the landscape before you.

We did not complete the tour today but will continue another day this week.  There are so many other historic places and museums to visit and we will have to pick and choose where else we go.

A Visit with Cousin Sarah and Family

We left Front Royal this morning around 9 (early for us) doing something we never do.  Since it was only 36 miles to Charles Town, WV where my cousin Sarah and her family live part of the time on the family farm, I followed Ron in the car so we would not have to unhook and then rehook up the car after our visit.  Lazy I guess, but it seemed easier this way.  The farm is a ways out in the country and on a narrow gravel road, so we left the RV in the parking lot of the Casino in town.

Charles Town  is another one of those old towns with lots of old houses and buildings in the historic downtown area as well as out in the country.  Sarah and her family live in Washington, D.C. during the week but come out to the farm on the weekends to get away from all the hustle and bustle.

The farm is about 7 miles from town and off a narrow country road with old farm houses, cultivated fields, cattle, etc.  We arrived to see a very old farm house with several out buildings including an old barn.  As it turns out the farm belonged to Sarah's husband Rob's family and when his parents died, he and his brother Charlie inherited the property.

 The left side of the house dates to 1798 and the section to the right of the front door was added by Rob's grandfather in the 1930's when he tore down the small old log house.  Between that portion and the old kitchen is a newer structure tying it to the kitchen and used by the family as their dining room.   The kitchen of the house was a separate building at one time and dates to 1765 and still has the old fireplace and equipment to hang pots over the fire.

In the backyard are a number of out buildings including a part of the old dairy, the smoke house and the barn.

These old steps are located in the front of the house and were used to help ladies to get up on their horses.

The house also includes old antique family furnishings making it an even more interesting place to visit.

 Recently, the house experienced a sagging in the ceiling over the front hallway and it was discovered that the attic was loaded with great deal of old magazines and some old heavy furnishings which caused too much weight on the ceiling.  The lath and plaster ceiling was exposed waiting for repair and it appeared just as what we have seen shown to us at some old houses we have visited.

We sat outside in the shade and then returned inside for a lovely lunch which Sarah and her daughter Clare had prepared for us.  After lunch we looked at some old family photos of Sarah and my grandparents, great grandparents, etc. which she had never seen.  What fun talking about our family and learning about Rob's family history in the house.  Too soon, it was time for us to depart and drive on to Gettysburg where we will be staying for a week.

Here is a photo of the family group on the front steps.  From left to right:  Charlie, Rob's brother; Rob; Sarah; daughter Clare and Kathy.

Front Royal, VA

Wednesday, July 23,  2015

Left the campground in Mitford around 10:00 and arrived here in Front Royal around 1:00. The road is pretty smooth and we make good time.

This is a member owned campground but they do rent out other spaces to the "public."  The campground is along the river and we were assigned a back in spot right next to the river near the back of the grounds away from most of the incoming and outgoing traffic of the campground.  Owner can leave their campers, trailers here and come and go.  We understand it is quite busy on the weekends which is why we will leave here on Friday to stay one more night here in town at the Elks Lodge before heading to Gettysburg.

Our site along the river is partially shaded, nice since the one in Williamsburg was heavily wooded and very little light shown through.   The front of the RV here faces other RV's but beyond them is a lovely long narrow grassy area and woods.  The weather here too is cooler and we were told tonight that we would be able to leave our windows open and not need our air conditioner.  That will be a pleasure after our high temps and high humidity in Williamsburg.

Our neighbors on either side are very friendly and are couples in our age.  Had a nice conversation with  one couple about full timing.  We were amused when she told us that it takes them a "cool" one hour and twenty minutes to set up their 37 foot fifth wheel.   We told them it takes us about 20 minutes.  The interesting thing is that the owners must move their RV's every 28 days and this couple exchanges places with their neighbor on the other side of them every time.  What a pain that must be but I guess if you like a spot and own a rig here, you put up with it.  They were doing the set up next to us when we returned to the RV so had a chance to see this process in the works.  Think we will stick to our motohome.

Thursday, July 24, 2015

Woke to a very, very quiet and sunny day.  We spend most of the time in the RV relaxing and just enjoying doing nothing until late in the afternoon when we leave for the Shenandoah National Park taking a short drive on Skyline Drive.

The  river in the distance is the Shenandoah River.  Unfortunately, it is a hazy day so the view is not as clear as we would have liked.

The drive is much like the one we were on on the Blue Ridge Parkway and through the Great Smoky Mountains - lots of trees and a narrow, windy smooth road with a number of overlooks.  This is no surprise since the Skyline Drive is just the extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  

We stop at the Visitor Center and watch the 10 minute video about the Park.  Driving further we suddenly spy a small black bear by the side of the road foraging for food.   We stop and observe and slowly drive  closer to take a picture but he is somewhat spooked and disappears into the brush next to the road.  This is only the second time we have seen a black bear, the first being in Yellowstone a number of years ago.

We drive on for a while and then turn around to return back as it is getting late in the day.  As we approach the area where the bear was, we see two cars suddenly pull over to the side of the road.  They tell us they have spied the bear so we slow down and again try to take a picture.  This time we get a bit closer, but still not quite as close as we would like.   Below is the result of our attempt.

Friday, July 25,2015

Leave our campground early for the Elks Lodge as we want to ensure that we get the one space they have with electricity.  It is only a couple of miles. Set up and drive to I HOP for breakfast.  Have no plans but to just relax and do some shopping at Walmart.  Where else?

We are staying here for the day and night and will leave early tomorrow morning for Charles Town, WV where we will stop to have lunch with my cousin Sarah and her family before going on to Gettysburg where we will stay for the week.  I am really excited about this visit as it has been over 20 years since I have seen her and have never met her family.

Stop in at the Elks Lodge for a drink and dinner.  There is a competitive dart game going on which keeps us
amused while we enjoy our dinner.

Fredericksburg, VA

Monday, July 20, 2015

We leave the Retreat Center where we have been staying for our trek 60 miles north to the Fredericksburg area and a campground called Hidden Acres Family Campground located along Highway 301 just south of Milford, Virginia about 22 miles south of Fredericksburg.  After getting set up and settled in, we venture north in the car to the Visitors Center in town.  Since our time here is limited (only this afternoon and tomorrow) we decide to take a Trolley Tour around the city to see what's here and what interests  us the most.

The Trolley leaves from the Visitor Center and the Tour lasts about 1-1/4 hours and proves to be well worth our time and money.  Our driver, Heidi, is extremely knowledgeable about the city and the places we stop which are considerable.

Since we have taken the last Trolley Tour for the day leaving at 3:30, it is after 5 when we return to the Visitor Center.  This being the case, we head back to the RV and our dinner cooking in the slow cooker since we left this morning.  We also are expecting to visit with a couple we met in Red Bay, AL at the Tiffin Service Center who are staying at our same campground.   

Debbie and Bill stop by after 7 and the time flies by.  We enjoy getting to know them and sharing our Tiffin Service Center experiences, our RV travels and the joys of living in our RV's full time.  We hope to see them again down the road.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

We get a late start.  So what else is new with the Ballards.  Our intentions are always good, but we just enjoy lazy mornings more.  Once again heading down the road, we arrive in Fredericksburg to begin our own tour.  The weather is very overcast this morning but so far no rain.

Fredericksburg was created in 1728 as a frontier river post, and gained prominence for its tobacco trade and ties to the Virginia gentry  It is located between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, the capital of the state.  Because of its location, it drew contending armies to its location because the Rappahannock River served as a natural defensive barrier and the north-south rail corridor helped keep the armies supplied.   On four separate occasions, the Union and Confederates fought in and around the city.   Fredericksburg has much to offer in terms of  history, Civil War battles, and old homes and buildings.  It suffered some of the worst destruction and pillage of any city during the Civil War and it took 100 years for the city to recover and for the population to once again reach the preWar number.

Our first stop is across the Rappahannock River at the Ferry Farm which is the boyhood home of George Washington from age six until his early manhood.  The farm was on the edge of the frontier in the 1700's when George's father purchased the property.  The original house does not exist but archaeologists are doing extensive work on the property and have unearthed many Washington artifacts, etc. and have plans to erect a replica of the home.    While walking around the property, it began to drizzle and before we knew it, it was a downpour.  We tried staying under a large tree for cover, but it soon became evident that we would be just as wet there as we would be sprinting back to the visitor center  in the downpour so that's what we did.  Needless to say, we were drenched from head to foot and no dry clothes to put so so we just "air dried" for the remainder of the afternoon.  We looked liked drown rats, but oh well we were enjoying ourselves.  

In the continuing downpour, we drive back across the river deciding we will make the best of things and take some pictures from the car.   George Washington bought his Mother Mary  the house shown below where she lived for the last 17 years of her life.    This kitchen building behind her is is one of the few kitchen buildings still standing from that time.  

Down the street is the 1760 home of James Mercer, Mary Washington's attorney.

Interestingly, when I was child, my family visited Fredericksburg and the one and only recollection I have of it is the James Monroe Law Office (now the James Monroe Library)  located on Charles Street.  Why I remember that, who knows.  Below are a couple of pictures of the building including one photo of a cannon ball lodged in the outside wall from the Battle at Fredericksburg in 1862.

The most interesting and haunting part of our visit occurred at the Frederickburg Battlefield Visitor Center and Site.  We viewed a 22 minute video about the battles that took place here.  They were the most bloody with the heaviest and most continuous fighting of the War and had the most loss of life of any battles in the entire Civil War.  Watching this video and listening to quotes from soldiers and civilians, you could not help but  feel the effects of the war.  The most interesting quote for us was one from a woman on the Confederate side saying how much she hated the Unionists and how she wanted her loved one to kill them all.  On the other hand, the slave quotes stated that it was a great day when the Union arrived.  No other video or exhibit we have seen has ever given us any insight on the feelings of the Confederate people as this did.  We have now visited a number of Civil War sites, but this touched and moved us the most.

Outside, we walked around the Sunken Road trail  where the battles took place.

 Just next door is the National Cemetery which was established in 1870 and where more than 15,000 Union soldiers from in and around Fredericksburg are buried.  85%  of those buried are unknown.  A sample unknown marker below indicates the plot number (4 digits) and underneath that is another number which indicates how many remains are in this grave.  The cemetery is terraced and includes a number of taller monuments.

Confederate graves can be found in this cemetery in town.  

 I am sorry we did not schedule more time here as there is so much to see including old homes and buildings dating back to the 1700's.  After the destruction of the Civil War, it is amazing that there are that many from before the War.  Walking and driving around the streets, you really do feel the history here.  Houses and buildings that have been identified as Historic all have this type of marker next to the front door which indicates the year the house or building was built.    There are hundreds.

There are numerous murals on the walls of some of the buildings but this one in particular captured our attention.  Each leaf on the mural represents 1,000 soldiers who died between December 13-15, 1862.
There are 15 though you cannot see them all due to the tree in the left corner.

Another marker that gave us to something to think about was this slave block one the corner of Charles Street.  Here slaves were brought from the basement of the hotel across the street to be auctioned off.  How scary this must have been for these people.  Imagine being brought up here and in most cases separated from your parents and siblings, never seeing them again or knowing where they were sent or if they were treated well.

This blog is rather lengthy, but even with this you cannot really do Fredericksburg justice.  There is just so much to see and absorb here.

We leave Fredericksburg with a new prospective on the Civil War and a great respect for those who fought 

and continue to fight for this great nation we call the United States of America.