Category: the battlefield
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the visible landscape, historic context
In April 1988 the US Park Service produced a report about the Antietam National Battlefield and surroundings called analysis of the visible landscape [pdf]. Its stated purpose: Recently, residents and state and local administrators have become concerned that the rural character and lifestyle of south Washington County, including Antietam National Battlefield, are being eroded by…
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The dead of Antietam 158 years later
On the occasion of the battle anniversary this month I’ve taken stock of the AotW database. There may be another lifetime’s work to do in other areas of the Campaign, but I now have a reasonably complete list of the troops who were killed and mortally wounded at Sharpsburg. The first of its kind anywhere,…
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The Antietam observation tower and the birth of the Park
My project on the visual history of the Antietam National Battlefield continues, focused today on one of the most iconic features on the field – the Observation Tower. Since it was built in 1896 the tower has been a central memorial and educational feature of the National Battlefield, and it has always been a popular…
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The Wounded Lion
On our most recent trip to the battlefield we walked part of the West Woods Trail, mostly to see the most unique monument on the battlefield – that for the 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. One of my favorites. There’s been a lot of interest in this lion online lately, at least in the places I…
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It began with the National Cemetery
I greatly enjoyed a rainy afternoon last Thursday in Sharpsburg, spending part of it at the Antietam National Cemetery. I’m working on a project tracing the history and evolution of the Antietam National Battlefield, and the Cemetery, created shortly before the Battlefield was established, is a big part of that story. But it is also…
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Summer fly-by visit
On the return leg of an excursion north to visit family and friends, we made a stop at the Battlefield. It was a glorious day, as is so often the case there, and perfect for catching up on some of the changes at the Park.
