Visiting Gettysburg (for the battlefield, not the college)

Parent Cafe
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<p>There is a lavender farm nearby in Fairfield, PA. It is about 10 miles going west on 116. They have a lavender festival coming up, and they are open other days for cutting lavender and to things in their shop and greenhouse. They also have “boardinghouse luncheons” which are wonderful. Not sure what those dates might be. </p>

<p>The farm happened when a couple “retired” from the State Department and they had been stationed in France for years where he learned to grow lavender and she trained with a French chef. </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.willowpondherbs.com”>http://www.willowpondherbs.com</a></p>

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<p>I love the idea of touring the battlefield by bike. Touring by car, for me, is so removed it’s like watching a movie instead of being there. </p>

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<p>If you can spare the time, I highly recommend - as a Civil War buff - visiting Antietam. It’s about an hour away. The battlefield is compact and conveys some of the essentially scariness of that era of combat. You can stand in the sunken road to see how the Union soldiers had to stand feet away to fire and you realize so much of this war was fought when you could literally see the whites of your opponent’s eyes, when you could see the expressions, when you could see a man hit and torn apart. </p>

<p>Gettysburg is fairly grand. At Antietam, in the small space of the Cornfield - which is privately owned today - you see where thousands of men fought and then realize the Pennsylvania troops - led by an underage flag bearer - were nearly wiped out in a space the size of a big suburban yard. It’s very striking, much like the way you see the fortified strong points developed at Petersburg and wonder how anyone made it through alive. </p>

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<p>The Utz factory in Hanover can easily be done with the Revonah pretzel tour (also in Hanover) and you wouldn’t have to choose - as long you’re there on the days they give tours:</p>

<p><a href=“Factory Tours – Revonah Pretzels”>http://revonahpretzel.com/factory-tours/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Intercourse is a bit of a drive away from Gettysburg.</p>

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<p>Years ago we hired a ranger for our car - worked very well. (At the time we had a 3 month old baby who nursed, so it was great to have flexibility. We actually did similar hired guide in Amish country).</p>

<p>We took the bus to see Eisenhower house - very interesting! Later I decided to read his autobiography. </p>