Planning Has Started For 150th Gettysburg Event
(January 2010 Civil War News)

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — It’s not too early to plan for the Battle of Gettysburg 150th anniversary in 2013.

The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee (GAC), which hosts the annual reenactments, held a briefing meeting on Remembrance Day weekend and announced formation of the Gettysburg 150th Anniversary National Reenactment organization.

Several 150th anniversary special events are planned, including a grand review, a living history weekend and a four-day reenactment. The theme for the event is “Capture A Rare Reenactment Memory!”

Invited representatives of military and civilian organizations heard an outline of plans from Gettysburg Anniversary Committee staff and Gen. Allen Baldwin (U.S.) and Gen. Dave Cornett (CSA). State Senator Rich Alloway III (R-33rd District Adams/Franklin) and Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Norris Flowers were also there.

The informational meeting was held at Lutheran Theological Seminary. It was followed by a rare tour led by Adams County Historical Society Director Wayne Motts of the society’s Archives and the historic cupola in Schmucker Hall.

GAC Operations Manager Randy Phiel said the reenactment will be held on July 4-7, 2013. He is hopeful that GAC, working with community officials, will be able to organize a 150th Grand Review through the streets of Gettysburg on July 3. He said their smaller-scale 145th Grand Review at the beginning of the 2008 reenactment was well received by reenactors and the community.

Phiel said GAC expects to organize and host a 150th Gettysburg Anniversary Living History Weekend on June 29-30, the       weekend before the national event. The weekend would include extensive living history, some potential field activities and possibly civilian interpretations.
Phiel is also a member of the Gettysburg Main Street Executive & Events Committee that is proposing to seek sponsorships for a variety of appropriate and varied 150th and sesquicentennial events throughout the summer and all year long.

In addition to numerous anticipated National Park Service, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary and other organization events, Phiel said a sample of major community events that were mentioned mentioned include Hands At The Wall Meeting, Governor’s Ball, Lincoln Activities and a Presidential Invitation.

Suggested prelude events include Early’s March Into Gettysburg, March From The Potomac Into Pennsylvania, Burning of Chambersburg and Skirmish In Town.

The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee has organized and hosted major annual events in Gettysburg for 15 years. Phiel said they have the experience, ability, resources, staff, infrastructure, land access, planning capability and military relationships to responsibly carry out an event of this scope.

The Gettysburg 145th, with 13,000 reenactors, was considered a “dry run” for the 150th. It came off with very positive reviews from reenactors, needing only minor tweaks, according to Phiel and overall event commander Gen. Allen Baldwin.

They said to begin serious planning four years out is a reflection of just what the scale and importance of this event is to the local community and reenactment community.