We did a little road trip into Maryland and back today. Diesel prices were anywhere from $4.25 to $4.50 here at Gettysburg, but just a few miles south of our campground at Emmitsburg MD we paid $3.95 per gallon. We've been to Emmitsburg several times before as it is the home of the National Fire Academy where I attended classes and our son Deputy Chief Dan Schellhase graduated from the Executive Fire Officer program. This time we did not spend any time there other than to refuel.
With fuel on board we headed back to Gettysburg and attended the 19th Century Base Ball Festival! This weekend is their 14th annual gathering of 30 teams from all over the United States that will play 61 games of baseball like they did in 1864. Their mission is "To honor America's national pastime by transporting players and spectators back in time to relive the glory and challenges of base ball as it was played in the 1800s through a commitment to historical accuracy, authentic match play, and period appropriate uniforms and equipment." They even use the same terminology they used back in the day. This is very similar to the baseball that is played at our Living History Farms back in Des Moines.
No gloves are used and no catcher's equipment.
Vendor's sell baseball caps of teams that play
Bats like were used in the 1800's
Bleachers consist of hay bales and are likely more comfortable than wooden bleachers!
Teams sit on hay bales rather than in dugouts
The back stop is hay bales
We had a great time watching the "boys of summer" play America's favorite past time right here in Gettysburg. Thank you so much to Theresa Alsworth for letting us know about this event!
After visiting the baseball festival, we drove through some of Gettysburg's battlefields and through the town and west to the Edward McPherson farm. The area was the scene of intense fighting on July 1st, 1863, as Confederate General Henry Heth’s Division advanced towards Gettysburg against defending Union cavalry under General John Buford. Union reinforcements from General John Reynolds’ First Corps arrived and counterattacked, and fighting swirled through McPherson’s pasturelands and two fields planted in corn and wheat, as well as through neighbor John Herbst’s woods. McPherson’s barn became a place of refuge for the wounded, and continued as a hospital long after the battle ended. The significance of all of this is that I worked with Master Sergeant Jimmy Murrell and his wife Fran was a McPherson and related to the owner of the farm. Jimmy and Fran have both passed away but it seemed appropriate to visit the farm and give a shout our to Jimmy and Fran. R.I.P. you two.
Cattle chilling out under the tree.
The McPherson barn, all that remains of the farmstead
After visiting the farm we cruised through the downtown Gettysburg area and past the Dobbin House Tavern where we will have lunch tomorrow with our friend April Stanton Hill. On our way back to the campground we stopped by the grocery store to replenish supplies a bit.
Later this evening our Alliance friends Blaine and Theresa Alsworth stopped by our campsite for a visit. We first met them 22 Jun 2022 in Oklahoma City OK at the Mustang Run RV Park. They were new Alliance owners at that time and were working through a few issues. They are "full-timer's" now and traveling around the United States with their Alliance fifth wheel RV seeing the sites. We had a great time tonight reconnecting, sharing some wine and exchanging stories! They are wonderful people and we are so thankful we are friends! Tomorrow they head out to their next destination.
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