A Sunday Afternoon Walk Around the “Old” Gettysburg Visitor Center
February 24, 2008
The new Gettysburg National Military Park Visitors Center will open April 14, 2008. It will replace the Cyclorama Center, which was opened as the NationalPark Service (NPS) main visitor center in 1962, and the current “Electric Map” Visitor Center, which opened as the National Park Service main visitor center in 1972. The Cyclorama Center is currently closed to most NPS visitors. The current “Electric Map” Visitor Center will close April 13, 2008.
The Gettysburg Daily is glad that both visitors centers will be removed, and the land rehabilitated to look closer to what it did in 1863. However, one can’t forget that these buildings saw tens of millions of visitors over the last 30 to 40 years. These buildings contributed to educating many of these visitors to the events that occurred here in 1863.
So on a February Sunday afternoon, the Gettysburg Daily took a walk around the buildings and took some pictures by which to remember them.
The Cyclorama Center from the northeast looking southwest approximately 4:00 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The Cyclorama Center east entrance. Approximately 4:05 PM, Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The Cyclorama Center from the east looking west approximately 4:18 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The Cyclorama Center from the southeast looking northwest approximately 4:20 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008. This is the view from the area of Meade’s Headquarters.
The Cyclorama Center from the southeast looking northwest approximately 4:22 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008. This is the view from the area halfway between Meade’s equestrian statue on Cemetery Ridge and Meade’s Headquarters.
The Cyclorama Center from the southwest looking northeast approximately 4:25 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The Cyclorama Center from the northwest looking southeast approximately 4:30 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008. The monument to the 108th New York Infantry Regiment is in the foreground.
The Cyclorama Center from the northwest looking southeast approximately 4:30 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
A not very busy “Cyclorama” parking lot late on a Sunday afternoon. This photograph was taken from the southwest looking northeast from the sidewalk leading to the Cyclorama Center. The “Electric Map” Visitor Center is in the trees in the left background, and the National Cemetery is in the right background. Approximately 4:00 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The east front of the “Electric Map” Visitor Center from the Taneytown Road entrance to the National Cemetery. This view is from the southeast looking northwest. Approximately 3:30 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The north side of the “Electric Map” Visitor Center from the sidewalk west of the Taneytown Road. This view is from the north looking south. Approximately 3:34 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The north and west sides of the “Electric Map” Visitor Center from the bottom of the parking lot where school busses parked during many busy springs. This view is from the northwest looking southeast. Approximately 3:40 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
The south side of the “Electric Map” Visitor Center. This view is from the southwest looking northeast. Approximately 3:43 PM Sunday, February 24, 2008.
