A Change of Scenery
by Jeff Yocum
“A Change of Scenery” focuses on day trips from Thurmont that are within 150 miles (give or take). These trips will not include “Disney-level” destinations, but rather, lesser-known points of interest. The purpose of the article is to suggest venues for folks seeking a short, easily accessible change of scenery. In the process, hopefully something will be learned. Some will be historic, some cultural, and others just plain quirky. I confess an ulterior motive for writing this article: I have a wanderlust addiction.
Beyond the Battle Museum
Looking for something new to do that’s not far from home? Maybe it’s raining for days straight or you are in need of a break from the heat, and you’re looking for something to do with the kids that has the extra benefit of teaching them something.
Well, there’s a new museum in Gettysburg that is well worth a visit, featuring lots of hands-on activities that don’t require batteries or an internet connection. USA Today selected the Beyond the Battle Museum in Gettysburg as the “Best New Museum” for 2024.
Except for the battle, the story of Gettysburg⸺prehistoric, pre-Columbus, Colonial, Industrial Revolution, and Modern Age—is shared with thousands of similar towns in the Mid-Atlantic region. Industrious settlers, not long from Europe, hacked out an existence in the wilderness, free to pursue freedom that was foreign to them in their homes of origin.
Most of the new inhabitants came of their own free will, but not all. The Museum explores the stain of American slavery by looking at local events and characters. Portions of the Underground Railroad ran through the surrounding areas. You are introduced to the stories of runaway slaves, captured freemen, and active abolitionists. The explosive issue of slavery was soon to come to a head in a way no one could imagine. A stone wall on a farm just outside of town would be dubbed the “high water mark of the Confederacy.”
The Battle of Gettysburg made the small town known all over the world, and in so doing, changed the trajectory of the town forever. (Interesting fact: Union General Meade tried to draw the Confederate Army into a fight along Pipe Creek, just outside of Taneytown). The Museum is unique in its focus on the fate of ordinary civilians trapped between two armies of 165,000 combatants.
The “Caught in the Crossfire” exhibit does an excellent job of simulating the terror a family huddling in their home felt as the battlefront fight passed just outside their door. Often forgotten in war is the wreckage left behind for the innocent civilians to clean up and rebuild. Some families were left homeless, crops and businesses were destroyed, and farm animals were taken or killed. The aftermath of 51,000 human casualties, 7,000 fatalities, and untold numbers of dead animals. Today, such an event would be called a mass casualty event.
After touring the Beyond the Battle Museum, it is easy to see why it was awarded “Best New Museum” by USA Today. The exhibits go well beyond stagnant displays of artifacts. It draws visitors into an engagement with history.’
For more information on prices, events, hours, and so forth, visit the website at gettysburgbeyondthebattle.org.
Two of the many fascinating exhibits you will see at Beyond the Battle Museum in Gettysburg, which tells the remarkable story of Gettysburg civilians and their extraordinary experiences before, during, and after the Civil War.
