Local Tourism Spotlight: Gettysburg 150th Anniversary

Battle of Gettysburg by Thure de Thulstrup

A monumental battle of the Civil War that transpired at Gettysburg is celebrating its 150th anniversary this week and with gusto!  Are you unfamiliar with the magnitude of the sacrifice that occurred at the site on July 1-3, 1863?  Then, please take some time to read this account of Battle at Gettysburg. 

Are you in town visiting Central Pennsylvania and interested in Civil War history?  Then you've come to our region at an optimal time.  This week and weekend is full of 150th anniversary-related events and activities.  We've collected a sampling of what you can do and see this week:

• 150th Anniversary Park Rangers Program - held daily July 1-4, 2013
• Guided Double Decker Bus Tours - held twice daily June 28 - July 7, 2013
• Independence Day Parade - July 3, 2013
• Gettysburg 150th National Civil War Battle Reenactment - July 4- 7, 2013
• Historic 1776 Dobbins House Tours - May 25 - November 24, 2013
• Civil War Heritage Foundation - July 5-7, 2013
• Civil War Era Brunch & Fashion Show - July 7, 2013

The town of Gettysburg and the National Park are not the only places available to visit 150th anniversary celebratory events.  The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA, the only museum in the country that tells the stories from both sides of the War, is also hosting a series of lectures and activities to commemorate the 150th.  Check out their calendar of events. 

For more on the 150th anniversary celebration visit the official website, and for a wide variety of attractions, restaurants and more in Gettysburg, visit the local convention & visitors bureau online.

If we might recommend an activity that we enjoy when visiting the battlefield?  Make a point to see the Cyclorama - you won't regret it!  

Share with us some of the great memories you've experienced when visiting Gettysburg Battlefield - we'd enjoy hearing about them!

The History of Middletown, PA

Early 1700 maps of Pennsylvania show that the area of land, now called Middletown, was once the village to the Conoy Indian Tribe of the Susquehannock Nation. When the town was planned out in 1755, some of their lodges were located in the area of where the town square is now located.

  

Middletown was founded in this rich agricultural area, thirty years before Harrisburg.  Due to its location for trade, the town grew rapidly in the next century and a half both by land and water.  The Scotch-Irish were the first white settlers in this area.  It is estimated that nearly 200 Scotch-Irish families resided in the vicinity.  With the sudden growth of settlers, several well-constructed roads had to be built. Middletown was named for its location midway between Lancaster and Carlisle along the Old Stage Coach Road on the Wagon Trail. 

 

Many different architecture styles can be found in Middletown today since the town is so old.  Log cabins, Victorian mansions, churches and several houses are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Middletown is noted in colonial records as being a supply depot for the Revolutionary Armies.  Small boats for General Sullivan’s army were built here and his troops were supplied with provisions from local farms.  The Swatara Ferry House is said to have housed Hessian prisoners during the Revolution.

Residents of Middletown published their “Resolves of Independence” from Great Britain at a meeting in 1774 chaired by Colonel James Burd.  These ideas would later become incorporated in the colonies’ “Declaration of Independence”.

After the Revolutionary War, trade grew with the completion of the Pennsylvania and the Union Canals.  Joined together at the confluence of the Susquehanna River and the Swatara Creek, the town was an important trading center for lumber, flour and iron.  The Harrisburg-Lancaster Railroads were also in this area, as well as a ferry which ran back and forth across the River to York County.

Volunteers from Middletown enlisted in all wars leading up to the Spanish-American War of 1898.  Camp Meade was set up as a troop garrison during the Spanish-American War.  Named for the Civil War General George Meade, the camp was visited by President William McKinley.

The proud history of the Olmsted Air Force Base is said to have begun here when the United States Army Signal Corps established a military presence in Middletown with this temporary staging area during the Spanish-American War. 

When the Middletown General Supply Depot broke ground on the site of what had been a pickle farm for the H.J. Heinz Company in 1917, the aviation section of the Army Signal Corps and the 113^th Aero Squadron of the Pennsylvania National Guard were assigned to the new facility and the first aircraft landed in 1918.

By 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Depot became an important part of the war effort. As the largest airplane overhaul center in the world, it employed 17,000 civilian employees.

The Middletown General Supply Depot became Olmsted Air Force Base in 1948 and the Olmsted Field runway was expanded and modernized in 1958.  During the Korean Conflict, the base continued to overhaul jets until its closing in 1964.  Olmsted Field then became Harrisburg-York State Airport which would later become Harrisburg International Airport.

The lives of many residents of Middletown were impacted for nearly a half century by Olmsted Air Force Base; as well as playing a very important role during war times.

Have you visited Middletown to enjoy in its rich history?  What aspects of this community appeal most to the traveler in you?

Local Tourism Spotlight: National Civil War Museum

To continue our local tourism spotlight posts, today we share with you a recent visit that one of our marketing personnel, Cheryl W., enjoyed at the local Civil War museum.

The National Civil War Museum is the only museum in the United States portraying the entire story of the American Civil War.  Galleries offer equally balanced presentations without bias to the Union or the Confederate causes.            

                                          

Located on top of a hill overlooking the City of Harrisburg, the museum offers spectacular views of the city and the surrounding mountains.  A touching sculpture created by Terry Jones at the entrance of the museum entitled “Moment of Mercy” depicts the selfless act of courage by 19 year old Sergeant Richard Kirkland, a scene that could be found many times throughout the war.

                                                                                                         

Ascending the Grand staircase upon entrance, this self-guided tour begins on the second floor of the museum.  The American struggle is portrayed as a time line, focusing on the four actual years of the war.  The pre-War period includes a collection of artifacts reflecting the evolution of American Slavery.           

                                                          

The Creation of the Confederacy and the first shots fired upon Fort Sumter signal the beginning of the American Civil War.  The Making of the Confederate and Union Armies features uniforms, weapons and other items used by the Artillery, Infantry and Cavalry units as well as the Union Navy.                  

                                                                 

Pictures are on display of the military camp established in Harrisburg by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtain.  Camp Curtain became one of the North’s most important training centers for volunteers and new recruits.  The camp also served as a supply depot and a center for the sick and wounded.  Governor Curtain is often referred to as “the greatest of the Northern war governors”.  During his term in office, Pennsylvania contributed 427,000 soldiers serving in the war.

Some of the battles depicted are:  Bull Run, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chancellorsville, Antietam and Gettysburg.  More than 3 million men served in the military during the four years of war; 700,000 died and nearly 400,000 were wounded.  War related deaths from 1861-1865 were greater than the total number of American deaths in all American wars.  Gettysburg was the single bloodiest battle ever in American history.  Out of 170,000 men, there were over 50,000 casualties.                                                                                       

Disease killed more soldiers than battlefield wounds, claiming over 96,000 lives. One in sixty five was killed in battle - One in thirteen died of disease.  Cleanliness and proper sanitation helped reduce sickness.  Various artifacts of personal hygiene can be seen including; soaps, toothpaste, shaving kits and mirrors.  A field hospital is also displayed featuring a surgery.  Surgical instruments, syringes, crutches and artificial limbs are showcased; but the most impressive item on display has to be the hospital wagon - believed to be the last surviving ambulance from the civil war era!                                               

The tour concludes with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington.  On display are newspapers, a picture of the funeral procession, a sash from the funeral train and even a piece of the dress Mary Todd Lincoln was wearing that fateful night.  Less than a year later, slavery was abolished by approval of the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution.


Have you enjoyed a visit to the National Civil War Museum?  What are your favorite exhibits at the museum?  If you've not been there, are you planning a visit now that you've read this post?

The Beginnings of MDT (1917-1969)

David Vanderhoof, Aviation Historian

We'd like to introduce, David Vanderhoof, an avid aviation historian from here in Pennsylvania that graciously agreed to guest blog a 2-part series on the history of Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), also known as HIA.  David maintains an interesting historical blog and a podcast due to his love of aviation.


Many of you may be familiar with David as one of the hosts and commentators on the popular aviation podcast, Airplane Geeks!  On the weekly podcast David shares his bits of aviation history with the audience.  Today you're his audience as we begin part one, enjoy! 

Harrisburg International Airport is located on the Susquehanna River.  It has had a long history with aviation as well as a long runway! 

But why does the tag on my bag say MDT when I am at HIA? 

The story of HIA starts in 1917 with the United States Army Signal Corps adding an airfield to the Middletown Facility.   The Signal Corp actually had been on the site since 1898.  Next to supply depot, a grass field was put in place.  By 1918, the first aircraft were landing and taking off at Middletown Airfield. Curtis JN1s or Jennys filled the field.  The Middletown facility became a strategic supply depot supporting the U.S. efforts in World War I. Machine shops for engines and woodshops for fuselages.  Fabric for wings.  A nest for the fledgling air service.  The base continued its work post war.

In 1922, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was formed and one of its most important bases was the Middletown Air Depot.   During the thirties, it continued to grow and add more warehouses and storage facilities.  Eventually the Middletown Airfield became the Olmstead Army Airfield. 

Olmstead AAF was named after 1^st Lieutenant Robert Stanford Olmstead who was killed in the line of duty.  Olmstead was an accomplished aeronaut, and the U.S. Army entered the Army Balloon S6 into the prestigious 1923 Gordon Bennett Cup.  The Bennett Cup was, at the time, equivalent to F1 or NASCAR Racing.   The ’23 race was a nightmare due to the weather.   Olmstead and his partner, 1^st Lieutenant John Shoptaw, launched and were immediately thrown by wind into another unlaunched Belgian Balloon the Ville de Bruxelles.  The Belgian’s netting was cut by the S6’s gondola and couldn’t take off.  The S6 seemed to be ok, and Shoptaw  and Olmstead climbed into darkened thunderclouds on September 23, 1923.  After surviving the harrowing takeoff, the S6 and its crew were struck by lightning three hours later.  The Balloon and gondola caught fire and crashed near the town of Loosbroek in the Netherlands.   Neither Olmstead nor Shoptaw survived the crash. 

Olmstead Army Air Field was, again, another strategic base during the conflict in World War II.  Numerous Transport and Reconnaissance squadrons arrived at Olmstead AAF to pick up their aircraft before heading to the European Theatre of Operations.  If you looked at the flight line in 1943, you would see C-47s, C-54s, and all sorts of P-38s and P-51s. 

After the war, the base continued to be a facility with strong ties to logistics.  In 1947, with the creation of the United States Air Force, the facility again changed its name to become Olmstead Air Force Base. 

Olmstead became a hub for supplies and made a serious contribution to OPERATION VITTLES, the airlift during the Berlin Blockade.  While not actually providing the food shipments, Olmstead provided the support for the transports making the runs.  Engines, overhaul equipment fuel supplies all the necessary logistics to support a major airlift.  They also served as the depot for all the medical supplies sent to support the mission.  During that time, much of that was airlifted, was by the 64^th Troop Carrier Squadron flying Curtis C-46 Commandos.

For the remainder of the 50’s through to the late 60’s the base remained part of the Air Force Logistics Command  (AFLC) and was the prime support base for the Northrop T-38 Talon and the L-27/U-3 “Blue Canoe”.  These were two very important aircraft that trained and supported the modernizing USAF.

In order to reduce costs due to the on going Vietnam War, a decision was made by the Pentagon to inactivate the facility. This became effective June 30^th 1969.   The base was transferred over to the Pennsylvania Air National Guard.  Thus changing from Olmstead Air Force base to Olmstead Air National Guard Base.   

In Part II, we will focus on the 70’s through to the current times.

Thanks for reading along on our historical MDT journey.  What questions might you have regarding the facts that David shared in his post?

Works Cited

Francillon, René J. The Air Guard. Austin: Aerofax, 1983. Print.

"Harrisburg Air National Guard Base." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Jackson, Donald Dale. The Aeronauts. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life, 1980. Print.

p144-145

Vaeth, J. Gordon. They Sailed the Skies: U.S. Navy Balloons and the Airship Program. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute, 2005. Print.

Williams, Nicolas M. Aircraft of the United States' Military Air Transport Service. Leicester: Midland Limited, 1999. Print.

"The WILMER LOWER STULTZ Page of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register Website." Welcome to the Website of the Davis-Monthan Airfield Register. Web. 03 Dec. 2011. .

Aviation Field Trips for the Young & Young at Heart

Our Facebook fan page wall is a great place to crowd source the answers to many questions.  We know that many of you L-O-V-E to travel and be a tourist.  So we took the opportunity to ask our fans where they found to be the best spots for an aviation-themed field trip.  We were so pleased with the response!  

Looking for a great place to check out aircraft in your local area, or perhaps a new place to plan a trip to?  Well why not plane spot at these fantastic locations?  This list is not comprehensive and is in no particular order, but certainly includes some thoughtful recommendations from MDT fans: 

Wright Memorial (Kittyhawk, North Carolina)
Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where, after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights in 1903. With courage and perseverance, these self-taught engineers relied on teamwork and application of the scientific process. What they achieved changed our world forever.

St. Maartin

As the second busiest airport in the Caribbean after Puerto Rico's San Juan airport, St. Maarten/St. Martin airport serves as a gateway to the Lesser Antilles as well as an alternate route to the British Virgin Islands. And, given its famous dual French/Dutch personality, this fabulous destination is itself well worth at least a mini-vacation on its own.

Air Force Museum (Dayton, Ohio)

The National Museum of the United States Air Force galleries present military aviation history, boasting more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles on display -- many rare and one-of-a-kind -- along with thousands of historical items and powerful sensory exhibits that bring history to life and connect the Wright brothers' legacy with today's stealth and precision technology. We invite you to take an online glimpse of our galleries. Click on a gallery name to see exhibits, including aircraft, engines, equipment and weapons of the USAF. The section also highlights special exhibits, current exhibits and restoration projects.

Carolinas Air Museum (Charlotte, North Carolina)

The museum is conveniently located adjacent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, so your visit will include watching all types of commercial and private aircraft land and takeoff.  The excitement of feeling the power of the big jets taking off is sure to be an experience all visitors will remember.

Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins, Georgia)

The summer is in full swing, and it’s the perfect time to visit the Museum of Aviation with vacationing visitors and your family. 

Guided tours are available and geared for people ages 5 to adult. They require a minimum of 10 people. The tours are history-based and led by the trained staff of the museum’s education department.

Museum of Flight (Seattle, Washington)The independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, attracting more than 400,000 visitors annually. The Museum’s collection includes more than 150 historically significant air- and spacecraft, as well as the Red Barn®—the original manufacturing facility of The Boeing Co. The Museum’s aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 100,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum’s on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Associations of Museums, and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum (Pooler, Georgia)

The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum preserves for all Americans the stories of courage, character and patriotism displayed by the men and women of the Eighth Air Force from World War II to the present.

The Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum’s vision is to sustain our cultural heritage, support lifelong character education, and to be a center of community engagement.

EAA AirVenture (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)

For 51 weeks a year, EAA is an international community of more than 160,000 members that nurtures the spirit of flight through a worldwide network of chapters, outreach programs, and other events.

But for one week each summer, EAA members and aviation enthusiasts totaling more than 500,000 from more than 60 countries attend EAA AirVenture at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where they rekindle friendships and celebrate the past, present and future in the world of flight.

Museum of Naval Aviation (Pensacola, Florida)

Fly high with an adventure at the National Naval Aviation Museum, one of the world’s largest aviation museums. Located aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, this historic treasure boasts more than 150 beautifully restored aircraft, hands-on exhibits and more than 4,000 artifacts representing Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aviation. Watch the awe-inspiring Blue Angels at practice air shows from March through November, take a ride in a motion-based or Top Gun Air Combat simulator, have fun with the ultimate seven story giant screen movie experience in the IMAX Theatre and dine in the Cubi Bar Café, an exhibit itself. There are plenty of family-friendly ways to get the most out of quality time with the kids.

Free admission is an added bonus, as well as free tours inside the Museum and on the flight line.

Udvar-Hazy Center (Washington, DC)

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport is the companion facility to the Museum on the National Mall. The building opened in December, 2003, and provides enough space for the Smithsonian to display the thousands of aviation and space artifacts that cannot be exhibited on theNational Mall. The two sites together showcase the largest collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world.

Aircraft Graveyard (Tuscon, Arizona)

The Pima Air & Space Museum offers exclusive bus tours of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), also known as the "Boneyard." The facility is located adjacent to the Museum at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

National Museum of the Marine Corps (Triangle, Virginia)

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines--past, present, and future. Situated on a 135-acre site adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and under the command of Marine Corps University, the Museum's soaring design evokes the image of the flag-raisers of Iwo Jima and beckons visitors to this 120,000-square-foot structure. World-class interactive exhibits using the most innovative technology surround visitors with irreplaceable artifacts and immerse them in the sights and sounds of Marines in action. 

CR Smith Museum (Dallas, Texas)
C.R. Smith Museum is named for the innovative aviation pioneer and former President of American Airlines, Cyrus Rowlett Smith. The building of the museum honoring C.R. Smith and his accomplishments was the culmination of a two and one-half year fundraising and building effort led by various AA employee and retiree groups. The museum opened July 3rd, 1993.
Artifacts, which began with the Paul Kent Collection, were acquisitioned, painstakingly catalogued and incorporated into the museum's displays and archives by staff and volunteers. Many of these original volunteers are still actively involved with the museum.


Have we missed any that you think should be added to the list?  Where's your absolute favorite location to plane spot and absorb aviation history?