Sunset Sunday-A Civil (War) Sunset from Gettysburg, PA

I always wanted to visit the Civil War site at Gettysburg. The National Park Service’s Military Park located in southern Pennsylvania is constantly a topic of conversation in my family, but I never stepped foot on its soil until recently.

When driving south to a wedding on I-81, I noticed the Gettysburg exit and decided to get off and spend the night. I still had miles to travel, but it was time to see the site and this piece of American history. After checking in to the famous Gettysburg Hotel, I sensed a splendid sunset. The sky looked ripe and after studying the sunset through my camera lens for the past 5 years, I expected something special. I followed my intuition again and drove past the hotel parking lot and headed out to the Gettysburg battlefield for sunset.

it almost seemed as if cannon fire illuminated the sky

As I drove back towards the National Park Service site, I noticed a place to park on the side of the road, exited my car and marched across a field towards a distant monument. The monument, a New York regiment monument, made me smile. Apparently, I found the right place and kept walking until I eventually stopped in front of two cannons. I paused to appreciate the sunset. I also found myself wondering what thoughts filled the minds of the men and women who were here just over 150 years earlier. A much different time and under a much different circumstance.

I soaked up the rest of the sunset moment and headed back for dinner in downtown Gettysburg. I needed to wake up early to get in a full day Happy Sunset Sunday.

Travel Tips:

Admission to the grounds (and parking) at Gettysburg is free. But the recently renovated visitor center provides access to tours (for a fee) and a must see movie about the importance of Gettysburg. For all the details on planning your visit to the National Military Park (part of the Nation Park Service) click here.

Sunset Mindset

We can all learn from history and if we don’t we often repeat it. I often enjoy taking in a historical sites and reflecting on what people thought then and the differences, the changes of today. I realize I cna learn from my past too and then make better decisions going forward. I selected this sunset for the 2015 Sunset Sunday Calendar, because I wanted to remind us how to reflect on our own past and focus on a better today, a better now. So take in an historic sunset and make changes for the better.

Order the 2015 Sunset Calendar

Stay adventurous, Craig