Old Gettysburg NPS Visitor Center and William Patterson House Updates

This photograph was taken near the Taneytown Road across (west of) the street from the entrance to the Soldiers National Cemetery. The cement foundations and floors/pads have been removed from the east and south sides of the old Visitor Center location. The basements have been filled in and covered with dirt. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

At the Old National Park Service Visitor Center demolition site, the basement areas have been filled in, and earth is now exposed in this area for the first time since 1921. The dirt was turning into mud on Monday when we stopped by to take pictures. For us the demolition phase is turning into the rehabilitation phase of the Ziegler’s Grove restoration project.

The restroom wall has finally been removed, and the alleged donors’ bricks remain underneath the tree where thousands of individuals used to wait for their parties to emerge from the restrooms. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

We’re standing on the steps left by the fence for visitors to see the site from a higher perspective than on the ground. We’ll pan from southeast to southwest in the next couple of pictures. In this image, we’re looking towards the entrance of the Soldiers National Cemetery, which is in the left background. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

There are a couple of large piles of rubble that have not yet been hauled away. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

The old Cyclorama building is hidden in the trees in the background. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

While the location where the old Electric Map Visitor Center was is now covered with dirt, the parking lot still has its cement and asphalt. The Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on Steinwehr Avenue is hidden behind the trees in the right background. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

We have gotten off the small ladder, and are now looking through the old 1932 Electric Map location (middle of the Electric Map Visitor Center) towards the Cyclorama parking lot. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

The rain was falling steadily when we visited Monday afternoon. Steinwehr Avenue is behind us. The trees in the Soldiers National Cemetery are in the background. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Again, on the right or south side of the former demolition area, it is now almost all dirt. The debris piles are being pushed towards the dumpsters on the left (north). This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Some of the seats from the 1962 Electric Map auditorium still remain on the site. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

While we miss the old building, we are more anxious to see how this area will look after further restoration. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:30 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

See the following related posts:

William Patterson House and Old National Park Service Visitor Center Updates on April 15, 2009.
Culp’s Hill Part 2 with LBG Charlie Fennel, and Visitor Center Demolition #13 on April 10, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #12 on April 8, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #11 on April 7, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #10 on April 6, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #9 on April 4, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #8 on April 3, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #7 on April 2, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #6 on April 1, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #5 on March 31, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #4 on March 27, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #3 on March 26, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Update #2 on March 25, 2009.
Demolition of the Old Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center Begins on March 24, 2009.
Cyclorama Construction Fencing: Completed on North Side, Redone on West Side on March 13, 2009.
A Fence Too Far: Cyclorama Construction Fencing Completed on West Side on March 1, 2009.
Construction Fences Arrive at Old Visitor Centers on February 27, 2009.
Old Visitor Center Lawn in Limbo on May 28, 2008.
Lights Out at the Electric Map on April 13, 2008.
Moving Day at the Gettysburg Visitor Center on April 12, 2008.
An Emptiness at the Visitor Center on March 31, 2008.
Gettysburg Guide Room: The Final Days on March 8, 2008.
A Sunday Afternoon Walk Around the Old Gettysburg Visitor Center on February 24, 2008.

National Park Service employees Ray Singley’s and Ray Miller’s work on the west foundation of the William Patterson House, which we showed you in our previous William Patterson post, is now complete. This view was taken facing east at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Most of the masonry foundation work on the main structure at the William Patterson House has been completed. Now the logs are being placed on the foundation.

Therefore, logs can now be positioned on the foundation. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

These logs have been placed on the north and south walls. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

After logs have been placed on the east and west walls, the rest of the masonry work can continue. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

66% of the logs taken out of the house will be used in the restoration. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

These are some of the 34% of the new logs in the structure. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Most of the new logs will be in the lower floor of the house. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

The original log structure was constructed in 1796. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

There’s not as much water standing in the basement as we thought there would be after a full day of rain. This view was taken facing west at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Gravel is now between the inner basement wall, and the outer foundation wall on which Ray Singley and Jeff Miller were working on our last visit. This view was taken facing south at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Those going to the basement are really going to have to duck their heads when they go downstairs if the log stays at this level. This view was taken facing north at approximately 4:15 PM on Monday, April 20, 2009.

Related Posts:

Taneytown Road Battlefield Rehabilitation on July 18, 2008.
William Patterson House Stabilization on August 11, 2008.
Cemetery Ridge Rehabilitation Shows Subtleties of Terrain on September 2, 2008.
Tree Cutting on East Side of Cemetery Ridge Covers a Large Area on October 15, 2008.
William Patterson Tree Cutting Update on October 17, 2008.
William Patterson Field Earthworks on October 29, 2008.
Confederate Earthworks on Seminary Ridge on October 30, 2008.
William Patterson Farm Tree Cutting Update on November 9, 2008.
William Patterson Field Earthworks 1890s Photo on November 20, 2008.
William Patterson Farm Update and Patterson Field Panorama #4 on December 12, 2008.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Rich Bellamy: Colonel Edward Ephraim Cross Part 2 on January 5, 2009.
William Patterson House Deconstruction on January 18, 2009.
William Patterson House Stabilization: Reconstruction Methods Impressive on January 28, 2009.
William Patterson House Stabilization Update: Foundation Enclosed on February 22, 2009.
William Patterson House Stabilization Update: Foundation Nears Completion on April 5, 2009.
William Patterson House and Old National Park Service Visitor Center Updates on April 15, 2009.