Battlelines/December 2015 - Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation

GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION
December
2015
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Battle Lines
The “Lady” wraps up the season
The year before, the question was whether anyone would show up during a heavy snow storm. This year, it was
whether or not to turn on the air conditioning.
Despite the “balmy” December copnditions, the volunteers of the American Living History Education Society outdid
themselves at the annual Holiday House Tour and Tasting on December 12.
Once again, the Daniel Lady Farm was one of the highlights of the tour sponsored by the Inns of the Gettysburg Area
Association.
Guests were funneled in through the front door of the farmhouse and introduced to the parlor, where Kirk Davis, as a
Confederate surgeon, described medical treatment administered in the room as the Battle of Gettysburg unfolded in 1863.
The ALHES ladies took over in the dining room, decorated with period
holiday trappings, telling of the yuletide customs of the day. In the kitchen
and hearth, the focus was on preparation of the holiday feast the Lady
family, of German
heritage, would
enjoy.
Off the back
patio, visitors tasted
samples of that
German cuisine and
serenaded with
period music by the
GBPA’s Venture
Crew 1861 Boy
Scouts.
Five days of work
by 31 volunteers
ensured all 373
guests enjoyed the holiday hospitality of the historic Daniel Lady Farm.
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Melynda Wrightstone
Annual Banquet
Remembrance Day Weekend 2015
Joanne Getty and members of her family are presented with an oil portrait of her late husband, James Getty,
commissioned by Pa. state Rep. Harry Readshaw.
Getty passed away in September.
For nearly four decades, Getty
portrayed President Abraham Lincoln.
His rendition of “The Gettysburg
Address” was a highlight of visits to
Gettysburg and garnered him national
recognition as the preeminent Lincoln
reenactor.
Getty's appearances included
delivering Lincoln's Gettysburg
Address at the original site in the
Gettysburg National Cemetery for the
Remembrance Day observance on
the site where the speech was given
in 1863 at the cemetery’s dedication.
Readshaw founded the
Pennsylvania Gettysburg Monuments
Project, of which Getty was an ardent
supporter, appearing many times at
functions benefiting the project.
GBPA President Barb Mowery,
right, joined Readshaw, standing at center, in
presenting the portrait to Joanne Getty, seated.
Members of the Confederation of Union
Generals stood at the front of the room in honor
of James Getty as the portrait was unveiled to
his family.
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50th anniversary of dedication of the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation
Association Monument in the Gettysburg National Military Park
The monument on Howard Avenue was officially unveiled on November 19, 1965. It was a notable
exception to the park’s policy of allowing only monuments related to specific actions of the battle in July 1863.
The National Park Service permitted the placement in gratitude for the GBPA purchasing McClean Farm and
turning it over to the park. The farm had been the scene of heavy fighting on the first day of the battle. The
Park Service eventually restored the house and barn.
Among those present for the observance was Craig Caba,
second from right in the photograph. Caba, a trustee of the GBPA
and former president, was present at the original dedication. Also
pictured, from left, are GBPA member and author Cooper Wingert,
board of directors member Jay Purdy and vice-president of
administration Stephen Reed. To Caba’s right is Pennsylvania state
Rep. Harry Readshaw.
Caba is the sole remaining charter member of the GBPA.
Addressing the GBPA dinner the
prior evening, Caba recalled his early
memories of the GBPA. Those
memories include riding in the back
seat of his father’s car as he drove
former President Dwight Eisenhower
around the park. The two discussed portions of the battlefield that should be protected from commercial and
residential development.
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Great ride celebrates memory of a great ledy
The 15th annual Pennsylvania A.B.A.T.E. Ride to Gettysburg on Sept. 26 was blessed with a sunny
day as participants paid homage to the late Jennifer LeVan, who played an integral role in establishing and
maintaining the event over the years. Nearly 400 motorcyclists
took part.
“Jen” and her husband Dave have been major supporters of
the annual A.B.A.T.E. (Alliance of Bikers Aimed Toward
Education) trek from the state Capitol in Harrisburg to
Gettysburg that began 13 years ago. The LeVans traditionally
treated ride participants to a chicken barbecue, music and a
recognition ceremony in a picnic area outside their HarleyDavidson/Buell dealership at the ride’s end.
Jen LeVan passed away in February after a battle with
cancer.
The rides have brought in better than $150,000 to assist the
Pennsylvania Gettysburg Monuments Project and the
preservation of GBPA’s historic Daniel Lady Farm
Among those who took in the trek state Reps. Bryan Barbin, D-Cambria, Mark Keller, RColumbia/Perry, Bill Kortz, D-Allegheny and Dan Moul, R-Adams/Franklin. Former state Rep. Teresa Forcier
of Crawford County brought 28 members of her “Motor Maids” from around the state.
The 2016 A.B.A.T.E. ride to Gettysburg is planned for Sept. 24.
Two weeks before the A.B.A.T.E. ride, a memorial service was held at the GBPA’s Daniel Lady Farm to
honor the memory of Jen LeVan and her
support of the GBPA and the farm.
A commemorative t-shirt featuring a
photograph of Jen was on sale for the ride and
more than 40 were sold. All proceeds from the
t-shirt sales go to the Gettysburg Battlefield
Trust Fund. The trust fund endowment was
created in 2003 to provide a perpetual financial
resource for periodic cleaning for the
Pennsylvania monuments and markers to
ensure they stand for many generations to
come.
A steady rain forced most of the
ceremony to be held inside, but the rain let up
for the unveiling of a stone engraved with Jen’s
in the farm’s Memorial Garden.
“Jennifer LeVan was dedicated to the preservation of Gettysburg’s legacy
and the betterment of today’s Gettysburg community and its people,” said GBPA
president Mowery. “Through her spirit and generosity, she has become part of that
great legacy.”
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At the annual banquet, Kirk Davis, vice-president of operations, reported the Lady Farm is exploding in
popularity as a Gettysburg historic
attraction.
Altogether, 2,551 visitors paid
admission to farm events and tours in
2015. That’s a big jump from 875 in
2014.
There were 29 living history
events during the year, nearly double
the 16 held in 2014.
Davis noted that there was an
explosion in the number of Boy Scout
units that camped at the farm.
“In 2014, we had 337 scouts
camp on the farm,” said Davis. “This
year, we were gunning for 500. When
we total them up this week, our jaws
dropped when the figure came in at
1,017.
“The best news is that
we’re getting troops making
return trips.”
Davis said 150
scouts are already booked
for a weekend at the farm,
that April and much of May
are filled with visiting troops
and August and much of
September are filling fast.
Adding to its
popularity is the farm’s
recent recognition as a
Scout camping site by the
Boy Scouts of America.
Volunteer hours donated at the
Daniel Lady Farm:
2014: 7868
2015: 13,378
The vast majority of the hours were
donated by members of the American
Living History Education Society.
Newsletter
photographs courtesy:
Jay Purdy, Suzie Cheeks,
Malinda Binek
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MESSAGE FROM THE
PRESIDENT:
Let there
be lights!
Thanks to the efforts of Jeff Cheeks, our
maintenance building is now aglow with new
fluorescent lighting.
It formerly had been dark enough for Dracula to
call it home. Nobody had noticed Judge Crater, D.
B. Cooper and Jimmy Hoffa residing in the back.
What a year of ups and downs.
We lost two dear friends with the
passing of Jen LeVan and James Getty.
Jen, along with her husband Dave, had
been a long-time benefactor of GBPA,
especially in the sponsorship of the annual
A.B.A.T.E. Ride for the Monuments.
Getty, of course, was nationallyrecognized for his portrayal of Abraham
Lincoln for nearly four decades. Jim was
always ready to don the stovepipe hat for
GBPA events, and deliver a stirring
rendition of the Gettysburg Address.
On the “up” side, there was the dramatic
increase in the number of Boy Scouts who
camped at the Daniel Lady Farm for an
emersion in history and often to help us
with projects at the farm.
Our own scouting unit, BSA Venture
Crew 1861, is burgeoning and getting
involved in more and more Civil War
events at the Lady Farm, in south-central
Pennsylvania and in neighboring states.
They do the memory of the musicians of
the original 1st Pennsylvania Reserve
Regiment proud.
As reported at our annual membership
dinner, attendance for our weekend tours
of the Daniel Lady Farm and special
events is looking better than ever.
We’re in the final stages of assemblying
the small museums in our headquarters at
33 York Street.
Stay tuned for news of even more
progress coming in 2016 in our next
newsletter.
Have a Happy New Year!
We’ll see you at the farm!
Barb
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Stephen Reed, Vice-President of Administration, at the
Annual GBPA Dinner
The mission and successful efforts of the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association
gave example to other communities and to the nation, giving rise to other groups in other places -- and on a national level --- to undertake similar endeavors.
What we did in Gettysburg led to preservation in many parts of America.
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With the extent of historic preservation here, an economy has been built upon it.
Historic preservation means investment and jobs and all the synergistic benefits of such.
Historic preservation brings tourists --- one of the top three industries in Pennsylvania.
Historic preservation is good business.
And so, amidst the challenges that exist today in the pursuit of its mission, the GBPA
remains steadfast and undaunted.
**********
To know and understand the causes and consequences of the Civil War is to know and
understand much about the nation and society in which we live today. Many of the issues and
differences of that seemingly distant time resonate with us still.
**********
We seek not to rekindle
the passions nor the divisiveness
of 150 years ago. We seek to
educated --- we seek to educate --we seek for today’s citizens to
learn from our history --- that we
may be a better people, a better
nation and a better society.
We seek to make us better
Americans. We seek one nation,
indivisible and under god.
And we seek to honor the
service and sacrifice if the men who
fought here.
**********
The GBPA fulfills the
admonition of Lincoln spoken here:
“ … that we shall never forget what
they did here.”
To such high and noble
purposes we do dedicate ourselves.”
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Venture Crew 1861, another year of accomplishment
Mike Cassidy wears two hats (kepis) with the GBPA. He
serves on our Board of Directors and is also an advisor to Venture
Crew 1863, the Boy Scout unit sponsored by the GBPA.
The Crew provides Civil War period music in portraying the
musicians of the 1st Pennsylvania Volunteer Reserve Corps.
Here’s Mike’s summary of 2015 in a report to the Board of
Directors.
RECHARTERING:
We have submitted the paper work for 2016 Rechartering. Venture
Crew 1861 Fife & Drum Corps is chartered by the Gettysburg
Battlefield Preservation Association (GBPA) in the New Birth of
Freedom Council. The Crew will recharter 18 Venturers plus leaders
for 2016. An additional 7 youth musicians (including scouts, siblings
& other quests) participate with the Fife & Drum Corps (many will
become Venturing eligible in a few months). Youth participants hail
from six different Pennsylvania counties and three youth members
are from Maryland. Leaders come from the Erie, Gettysburg, and Lancaster areas in Pa., and Baltimore and
Manchester Maryland. Active Boy Scouts and trained Leaders from at least five Troops in three Councils
participate as youth members or leaders in the Crew.
EAGLE SCOUTS AND ADVANCEMENT:
We will have added four new Eagle Scouts this year! Congratulations to Auden Block, Austin Nedrow and
Andrew Adam and Evan Templin. The FDC has ALWAYS encouraged scouts on the Eagle Trail. We are losing
count, but well over 20 Eagles have come through our ranks over the past 12 years. The Venture Crew has
begun an advancement program especially for Venturers who are not in a Boy Scout Troop-- several of the
young women in the group are actively working on Venturing Advancement.
YEAR END REPORT ON 2015 EVENTS:
Venture Crew 1861 participated in, or performed for, over 30 events in 2015. Events included Civil War
reenactments; civic, memorial and veterans performances and parades. Some weekend events, such as
Remembrance Day weekend in Gettysburg, included multiple performances, all as part of our mission:
Preserve Our Civil War Heritage,
Honor our Nation's Veterans, and
Promote the Ideals of Scouting
New Member Practice is often held on Mondays 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. before the Troop 83 (Pa. Dutch Council)
regular meetings at the Zion Lutheran Church in Leola Pa. Other practices are held before and after events.
More information is on the Venture Crew 1861 website at
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www.fieldmusic.org.
Want to join us or renew membership?
Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association
Annual Membership Form
Thank you for your annual membership! Founded in 1959, the GBPA continues its mission to preserve
our American heritage through land preservation & advocacy, living history programs, lectures,
seminars, Daniel Lady Farm tours, and support of Scouting. With your support we look forward to
preserving our history for generations to come.
Name(s):___________________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________________________
City: _________________________________ State: _____ Zip: ______________
Email (print clearly):__________________________________________________
Telephone __________________________________________________________
Date: ___________________
Type:
___ New ___ Renewal
Annual Membership Benefits include
____ Individual $30
 Free Admission to Daniel Lady Farm House and Hospital Tours *Does Not Include Special Events
 Subscription to “Battle Lines” newsletter and “Double Canister” email blasts
 15% Discount at GBPA Headquarters 33 York St. Gettysburg, PA
 Invitations to members only events
____ Family/Grand-family $50
 Same benefits as Individual Membership for 2 Adults and all children under 18 OR Two Adults and up to 4
grandchildren under 18
____ Student $10
 Same benefits at Individual Membership with valid student ID
____ Lifetime Individual $500
 Individual Membership Benefits for life.
Please accept an additional donation of $__________ on behalf of
____________________________________________________________________
(Organization, Scout Troop, or Reenacting Group )
Please check if you are interested in volunteer opportunities with the GBPA_____
Please check if you are interested in a Corporate Membership _____
SEND TO:
G.B.P.A.,
P.O. Box 4087,
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Or Visit www.GBPA.org
The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association is a 501c3 nonprofit organization under the Internal Revenue Code and is
registered as a charitable organization with the Pennsylvania Department of State. Contributions are tax deductible.
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