Here's News I Though I Would Never Hear: Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association Endorses Mason-Dixon Resort Project

Here's what they report in it's entirely:

Gettysburg - The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association (GBPA) today announced its support of the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort project.

The GBPA is the oldest Civil War preservation group in the nation. Since its inception 50 years ago, the land the GBPA has secured over the years now constitutes one-third of the present day Gettysburg National Military Park, a park visited by nearly two million visitors a year.

Brendan Synnamon, GBPA president, said the group’s board of directors initially
determined to take no position on the project last January but, after months of learning project details, voted to support it.

“The Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association would not support a commercial
project that would use or impinge upon the battlefield. This has been a longstanding
Association policy and this has not changed,” Synnamon said.

“In this case, the Eisenhower Conference Center, located well south of the Battlefield and which would be converted into the Mason-Dixon Resort, already exists as a commercial facility and the resort would not go beyond its already existing boundaries. This is a far different circumstance than taking open, undeveloped space near the battlefield and building all new structures. The existing Eisenhower Conference Center has never interfered with nor detracted from the Gettysburg Battlefield and its reuse as the Mason-Dixon Resort likewise will not interfere nor detract from the Gettysburg Battlefield,” Synnamon stated.

“Our primary mission and focus are on preservation," asserted Synnamon. “We find,
after very thorough review, that the proposed Mason-Dixon Resort project does not represent a preservation issue. The property site under discussion played no significant role in the three-day engagement.”

“The Board of Directors of the GBPA regard the proposed project as a local issue. The
board is aware that the economy of the Gettysburg area and Adams County is hurting. We need jobs. We need more private investment. We could use additional visitation. The Mason-Dixon Resort offers all these things and would do so without one square inch of battlefield or nearby undeveloped open space being developed,” Synnamon said.

He added: “A stronger local economy is helpful to the cause of preservation.
Preservation does not exist in a vacuum. Our local preservation work cannot thrive absent a local economy that helps induce and support it.”

“What is more, the proposed project is not on the scale and scope of what exists at large casinos. The Mason-Dixon Resort would have no more than 600 slot machines and 50 table games, which is considerably smaller than attractions at the large casinos.”

Synnamon said “It is the GBPA board’s belief that the Resort will draw more people to
visit the Gettysburg area and encourage them to stay longer because there will be more to see and do here, not only with the resort but with the non-gaming components of the resort and the surrounding region from Biglerville south to the Mason-Dixon Line, and from Cashtown east to Wrightsville.

“In addition to the direct positive impact on jobs, the added visitors and visitor hours the resort will encourage will also bring in new tax and other revenues to the local communities and county.”

On the question of whether the proposed project would affect heritage tourism, the
GBPA Board strongly believes the Gettysburg Battlefield has a unique position among all Civil War-related sites. It is considered the place where the tide of the war changed. It is considered the most significant battle of the War, and led to President Lincoln’s defining the Union cause in honoring the dead at Gettysburg.

“Our heritage-based tourism exists because of this and this does not change,” added
Synnamon. “The battlefield, this hallowed ground, will always be here, and so
should economically sound communities around it .” Synnamon stated.

Here is what Susan Star Paddock the No Casino head had to say about this:

“This is the second time that the GBPA’s stance contrasts with the stance of every national and statewide battlefield preservation organization,” “Their statement contrasts with world-renown historians and they are the smallest preservation group by far.”

She quite correctly added, “I don’t understand what the GBPA is hoping to accomplish by courting favors for casino investors.” Precisely. It’s called selling one’s soul to the Devil.

Let’s examine the hypocrisy of that, shall we?

The Lady Farm, which saw little fighting, and is more than a mile from Culp’s Hill is worthy of saving, but actual battlefield land half a mile south of the park boundary isn’t? Say what?

I can’t help but wonder whose palm got greased here, what unholy deal was cut by the board of the GBPA to sell its soul to the devil.

Well, I'm speechless. What has happened?

What do you think? Leave your comment.

Three arrested in cemetery vandalism!

LEWISTON — Authorities on Tuesday announced the arrests of three Lewiston men in connection with the desecration last week of one of the city's oldest cemeteries.

Police charged Shane Haskell, 20, of 98 Pierce St., Billie Coburn, 18, of 131 Horton St., and Jesse Macia, 18, of 125 Pierce St. with aggravated criminal mischief and desecration and defacement of a burial site in connection with widespread vandalism at Riverside Cemetery.

The suspects are alleged to have toppled more than 100 headstones sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning last week. Some of the stones were 200 years old and weighed 1,000 pounds or more.

Many were completely torn from their bases, including those marked with small American flags as veterans' graves. A few stones had rolled downhill and were found beside the cemetery road.

You can read the article here


I just don't understand people. There minds have to be warped to do this! This just shows that respect and morals have left society!

Virginia Historical Society - Audio and Video

I was on the Virginia Historical Society website today and discovered they have audio and video's of there past lectures and events. This is great since I live in Birmingham, Alabama. I have been to the Virginia Historical Society many times while visiting my parents in Williamsburg, my parents are members, listening to authors speak. Birmingham doesn't have many if at all authors or any types of lectures on the Civil War like Virginia does. If I only lived in Virginia!

Anyway if you would like to check out what the VHS has go here.

You can also subscribe to their podcast and/or itunes.

WOW This is BIG!! "One of the biggest archaeological Civil War finds in decades"

Major archaeological find at site of Civil War prison

Outside of scholars and Civil War buffs, few people have heard of the Confederacy's Camp Lawton, which replaced the infamous and overcrowded Andersonville prison in fall 1864.

In its six weeks' existence, between 725 and 1,330 men died at the prison camp. The 42-acre stockade held about 10,000 men before it was hastily closed when Union forces approached.

You can read more here

Hiram’s Honor: Reliving Private Terman’s Civil War

I'm soooo late in getting this review posted. I received this book in the spring thinking I could get it read before my busy summer started. Guess, I was wrong!

Here it finally is:

Hiram’s Honor: Reliving Private Terman’s Civil War
By Dr. Max R. Terman

Dr. Max R. Terman has researched the life of his ancestor Hiram Terman a Civil War soldier for the 82nd Ohio Union infantry. He has traveled the same paths, walked the same land to get a feel and understanding of how is was for Hiram during the Civil War. In doing so, Dr. Max R. Terman has written a wonderful book.

Through Private Hiram military records you will be taken back in time to experience what life was like for this soldier of the Civil War. In camps, marching long and sometimes wet sinking in the mud, cold and unbearable heat, and days without food. Fighting alongside his comrades in places such as Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and Pennsylvania battlefield at Gettysburg. At Gettysburg, Hiram and his two closest friends are captured and taken to Virginia then later to Georgia to the Andersonville prison.

Once you open this book you will be transported back in time as if you are really there; a time of chaos, division and honor; a time known as the American Civil War. If you cherish the American history whether you live in the North or the South this book is for you. Dr. Terman has captured the best and worst but most that Hiram had hope, courage and honor.

Thing Do Happen!

Well, I thought I was back until we all had to leave for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary but things do happen that you have no control over. I was just getting back to normal after I had spent 3 weeks in Virginia for a research trip and then we got the phone call. You see my grandfather had been sick for quite sometime and we all new the phone call would come but just not this soon but it did.

My grandfather passed in his sleep so we had to figure out our plans. Even when you know the time is coming you just can't prepare for it. There was phone calls all day, Mom and my Uncle were working on the funeral arrangements and the whole family was trying to see what the best way to get back home was. Most of my family are now on the east coast and we are all from Kansas. I had a day and a half to get things done, arrange for the dog sitter, pack the care and head out. Boy that was fun!

Anyway, everyone made it back home either by car or plane and the funeral was very nice. My grandfather wanted a full Military Funeral as he was in WWII and it was very touching. The hardest part was when the soldier handed the flag to my Mom and Uncle. I didn't know that they put the 21 casings from the 21 gun salute tucked into the flag after the soldiers fold it. Everyone in the family received one. I thought that was very respectful.

A Military funeral is a very respectful and nice funeral. I have other Military members in my family, my husband, son and brother. I know my grandfather was looking down as they saluted him.

Read more: http://genealogysf.blogspot.com/#ixzz0wQIl0ag6
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution