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Monocacy Battlefield opens new visitor center
Originally published June 28, 2007
By Karen Shih
News-Post Staff
The Battle of Monocacy lasted just two days. The struggle to protect and preserve the battlefield went on for decades. Victory in that second battle could be declared Wednesday with the opening of the new Monocacy National Battlefield visitor center.
"We are thrilled that it's finally open," said superintendent Susan Trail. "I think our visitors will love it. You can really spend time here."
Keynote speaker former Rep. Beverly Byron described the difficult history of preserving the battlefield which opened to the public in 1991, almost 20 years after Congress began to buy up the land south of Frederick.
The Battle of Monocacy, fought July 8 and 9, 1864, delayed a Confederate attempt to take Washington, helping to change the course of the Civil War.
The new visitor center shows the sequence of the battle through interactive displays and a fiber-optic map.
"We have totally new exhibitions," Trail said. "Visitors will be able to experience the whole battle from the very beginning to the very end."
A series of vignettes shows the battle through the eyes of Confederate and Union soldiers, as well as civilians. The center also has an enlarged museum store, ranger offices and a park library.
The battle started at the Best Farm, where the new visitor center, which resembles a barn, was built.
"It orients you to the battlefield," Trail said.
The entire second floor is devoted to exhibitions. Timelines detailing events before, during, and after the war line the tops of the walls. Visitors can see authentic relics from the battle, such as guns, swords, clothing and a rare 17th Virginia Cavalry flag.
"We have a great deal more of our collection on exhibit now," said curator Tracy Shives. "Finally, people can come here and experience what there is to learn É to take in all sides of the battle."
The old visitor center at Gambrill Mill was much smaller and had fewer displays.
"It is just so vastly improved," said Dolores Gebus, who volunteered at the mill.
Interactive question boards let visitors guess the answers to queries about the battle, and visitors can listen to readings of soldiers' accounts of the two-day clash. Visitors can use mounted binoculars on a balcony area of the second floor to view battle locations.
In the middle of the room, part of the Best Farm is recreated as it looked during the war; an exhibit tells the story of a six-year-old boy who witnessed the battle from the farm.
Olivia Thews, a young descendant of a Confederate cavalryman, was at the center's opening with her two brothers and her father. She liked the hands-on stuff for kids, she said.
"It's pretty cool."
She liked putting on a jacket and hat like those a Civil War soldier would have worn.
"It's a fantastic preservation of Frederick and Maryland history," said her father, Dean Thews. "It really brings alive the history."
Trail hopes that the new center will bring more visitors.
"I believe they will (come), now that visitors can really spend time here," she said.
Monocacy Battlefield opens new visitor center
Originally published June 28, 2007
By Karen Shih
News-Post Staff
The Battle of Monocacy lasted just two days. The struggle to protect and preserve the battlefield went on for decades. Victory in that second battle could be declared Wednesday with the opening of the new Monocacy National Battlefield visitor center.
"We are thrilled that it's finally open," said superintendent Susan Trail. "I think our visitors will love it. You can really spend time here."
Keynote speaker former Rep. Beverly Byron described the difficult history of preserving the battlefield which opened to the public in 1991, almost 20 years after Congress began to buy up the land south of Frederick.
The Battle of Monocacy, fought July 8 and 9, 1864, delayed a Confederate attempt to take Washington, helping to change the course of the Civil War.
The new visitor center shows the sequence of the battle through interactive displays and a fiber-optic map.
"We have totally new exhibitions," Trail said. "Visitors will be able to experience the whole battle from the very beginning to the very end."
A series of vignettes shows the battle through the eyes of Confederate and Union soldiers, as well as civilians. The center also has an enlarged museum store, ranger offices and a park library.
The battle started at the Best Farm, where the new visitor center, which resembles a barn, was built.
"It orients you to the battlefield," Trail said.
The entire second floor is devoted to exhibitions. Timelines detailing events before, during, and after the war line the tops of the walls. Visitors can see authentic relics from the battle, such as guns, swords, clothing and a rare 17th Virginia Cavalry flag.
"We have a great deal more of our collection on exhibit now," said curator Tracy Shives. "Finally, people can come here and experience what there is to learn É to take in all sides of the battle."
The old visitor center at Gambrill Mill was much smaller and had fewer displays.
"It is just so vastly improved," said Dolores Gebus, who volunteered at the mill.
Interactive question boards let visitors guess the answers to queries about the battle, and visitors can listen to readings of soldiers' accounts of the two-day clash. Visitors can use mounted binoculars on a balcony area of the second floor to view battle locations.
In the middle of the room, part of the Best Farm is recreated as it looked during the war; an exhibit tells the story of a six-year-old boy who witnessed the battle from the farm.
Olivia Thews, a young descendant of a Confederate cavalryman, was at the center's opening with her two brothers and her father. She liked the hands-on stuff for kids, she said.
"It's pretty cool."
She liked putting on a jacket and hat like those a Civil War soldier would have worn.
"It's a fantastic preservation of Frederick and Maryland history," said her father, Dean Thews. "It really brings alive the history."
Trail hopes that the new center will bring more visitors.
"I believe they will (come), now that visitors can really spend time here," she said.
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