The air is clean and the lush green grass under your feet seems to go on forever. The serenity you see is in contrast to the trepidation you feel as you realize that you are standing on the very ground that over 22,000 Americans fought, bled and then let go of their last breath. Antietam. The very name evokes an emotion of solemn reverence.
“The nation that we know today was really born here.” said Keith Snyder, chief of resource, education and visitor services for Antietam National Military Park. “We need to remember the sacrifices that built this nation.”
Snyder, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force has been interested in military history for as long as he can remember and he spouts off facts about Antietam off the top of his head as if he was present in the battle.
The eyes behind the thin spectacles convey a deep respect for the work he does and his tone evokes an enthusiasm that becomes richer the longer he speaks.
Snyder says that not everyone who visits the park is interested in history. “Sometimes they just want to see the beautiful countryside of western Maryland,” he said. “We hope to educate people no matter what reason they come here.”
Driving into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, monuments begin to dot the countryside all around you. There is a reason Gettysburg is known as one of the most monument-populated places in the world. Every memorial is unique and every one tells its own story.
“Gettysburg is very much on the mindset of people when they think of the Civil War and history, “said John Heiser, historian for Gettysburg National Military Park.
“Gettysburg is what comes to mind, not just because of the battle and the park here, but also because of the Gettysburg address.”
He was born as what he describes as a ‘centennial child’, meaning he was born during the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.
Hesier said, “In the 1960s, history was on TV all the time, not like today with reality shows and crime dramas.”
Hesier said history remains constant, but its relevance to different generations can change.
Snyder, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force has been interested in military history for as long as he can remember and he spouts off facts about Antietam off the top of his head as if he was present in the battle. The eyes behind the thin spectacles convey a deep respect for the work he does and his tone evokes an enthusiasm that becomes richer the longer he speaks.
Snyder says that not everyone who visits the park is interested in history. “Sometimes they just want to see the beautiful countryside of western Maryland,” he said. “We hope to educate people no matter what reason they come here.”
Driving into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, monuments begin to dot the countryside all around you. There is a reason Gettysburg is known as one of the most monument-populated places in the world. Every memorial is unique and every one tells its own story.
Snyder, a 20-year veteran of the Air Force has been interested in military history for as long as he can remember and he spouts off facts about Antietam off the top of his head as if he was present in the battle. The eyes behind the thin spectacles convey a deep respect for the work he does and his tone evokes an enthusiasm that becomes richer the longer he speaks.
Snyder says that not everyone who visits the park is interested in history. “Sometimes they just want to see the beautiful countryside of western Maryland,” he said. “We hope to educate people no matter what reason they come here.”
Driving into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, monuments begin to dot the countryside all around you. There is a reason Gettysburg is known as one of the most monument-populated places in the world. Every memorial is unique and every one tells its own story.
“Gettysburg is very much on the mindset of people when they think of the Civil War and history, “said John Heiser, historian for Gettysburg National Military Park. “Gettysburg is what comes to mind, not just because of the battle and the park here, but also because of the Gettysburg address.”
He was born as what he describes as a ‘centennial child’, meaning he was born during the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.
Hesier said, “In the 1960s, history was on TV all the time, not like today with reality shows and crime dramas.”
Hesier said history remains constant, but its relevance to different generations can change.
“It was an inspiration to the people who were there at the time and that the war needed to be continued,” said Heiser. “Today, I think we use it as a national basis, as a national feeling of why it is important to fight for democracy and fight for our way of life, even at the cost of lives.”
Over One million people visit Gettysburg every year and the visitors are as diverse as the monuments and statues that line the park.
David Van Lanchute of Hayward, Wisconsin visited Gettysburg in March, 2016.
Van Lanchute, a Vietnam veteran and artillery soldier, said he had a lot of respect for the artillerymen of the battle.
“This is American history and it is something that everyone should know – what happened here and why,” he said.
Elizabeth Jeske, a 23-year old teacher from Milwaukee visited Gettysburg with a friend and fellow teacher while on spring break.
“I think a lot of people forget our past,” she said. “We can respect it and learn lessons from it.”
Brian Hughes visited the park with his family from Squib, Washington. His reason for visiting – family ties, or in his words, “A shared sense of the ownership of history.”
Hughes said, “Many people who come to places like this know that they had ancestors that may have been in or near the activities that were going on.”
Many people feel a connection to something greater than themselves at these hallowed grounds.
The stories and events seem to reach out and transcend time to teach us relevance and lessons, lest we dare to repeat them in the future.
