Gettysburg/Washington DC Trip Part I

Hubby and I finally planned a trip to Gettysburg. Thanks to a family wedding in the area, we were more motivated to make a long vacation out of it. I am a history buff, thanks to the genetics of my father and usually I am drawn to every museum and wanting to not only read everything around me, but also to really take in the moment and at times take myself back in time and imagine myself there. Sounds weird, I know but thankfully my hubby shares my history love and is very patient with me as we go to all the museums. we made the trip extra long so we can take our time and see a lot and also have time when we arrive home to settle in and rest up before starting back to reality!! We took our travel trailer and friends from Ohio met us for part of the trip. It truly was a great time with so many memories! It was during the heat wave too, but we survived intact!

My most favorite part of the trip was visiting the Jennie Wade museum. The tour guide was not only dressed in period clothes, but she explained to a small group of us, the entire story. It was over an hour but filled with so much detail, that I fell in love with the story, and even bought the book about Jennie Wade. Please read the link that follows, to not only get the full story but more pics! You wont regret it!   http://july1863.homestead.com/jenniewade.html 

Now onto downtown Gettysburg. We went to the Wills house. This is where Abe Lincoln stayed and edited the Gettysburg Address. I find it interesting that Lincoln, in his speech, said that "all would long forget the words said here"...his speech was 3 mins compared to the 2 hour speech given by the previous speaker, and his speech went down in history. The actual furniture from the room he stayed in was of course my favorite part of this museum

Then over to the train depot where he first arrived in Gettysburg. Lots of interesting stuff to read and see in this little depot too!! And of course, while we were in Washington DC for one day, we saw the house across from Fords theater where he died and his clothing and hat!! I have to say that the tour in Washington was also a favorite of mine, since I have not been there before and it is filled with so much history. It was a very hot day, which made it hard to walk around much, so we hit a few things, the monuments all over including the white house

                       Hat Lincoln wore to the Fords theater the night he was assassinated

                                                             Lincolns suite and tie

 

                              The Lincoln memorial-bigger than life, which I never knew!

 

and so many others we were also able to stop and enjoy

 

I teased my hubby that we were visiting his final resting place. After 20 yrs in the military, you already are eligible to be placed in the Arlington cemetery, which changed after JFK was buried there. So I of course looked over the area for the perfect spot under a tree!!! Hopefully I go before him though!!!

below is the gravesite of Lincoln's son, Robert-buried here not because he was Lincolns son but because he served. JFK also was to be buried in the Kennedy family grave yard until one day when he was visiting this cemetery, he looked out over the view from the building above and stated "I could enjoy this view forever" and so the man that was with him and heard him say this told Mrs Kennedy after he was killed, who against family wishes, buried JFK here so he can enjoy the view-I thought that was interesting too!

 

to be continued!!!