I've never seen my wife, Lori, more alive than when she talks about history—her eyes light up, her hands become animated and she speaks as though she's remembering a conversation she had with a friend. The detail she uses to describe historic events makes them seem so vivid, like they could have happened just this past weekend—kind of funny considering centuries have passed.
In order to indulge her passion, I picked a vacation in nearby Gettysburg, for a three-day weekend. The region had a couple draws for both of us: Lori would be thrilled by the history; I would be enchanted by the way she talked about it. Ok, fine, there were also some nearby wineries which I couldn't wait to visit.
"We walked on toward the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station, where President Lincoln entered town to deliver his Gettysburg Address."
I've never seen my wife, Lori, more alive than when she talks about history—her eyes light up, her hands become animated and she speaks as though she's remembering a conversation she had with a friend. The detail she uses to describe historic events makes them seem so vivid, like they could have happened just this past weekend—kind of funny considering centuries have passed.
In order to indulge her passion, I picked a vacation in nearby Gettysburg, for a three-day weekend. The region had a couple draws for both of us: Lori would be thrilled by the history; I would be enchanted by the way she talked about it. Ok, fine, there were also some nearby wineries which I couldn't wait to visit.
We arrived Saturday afternoon...
and promptly checked in to The Brafferton Inn. I booked this bed and breakfast for two main reasons: it is located in the center of town, a quick jaunt away from most of the places we planned to see, and as the oldest deeded house in downtown Gettysburg, it is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Lori and I walked down to the Majestic Theater, a place where President Eisenhower spent much of his time. Looking toward the stage, the ceiling first caught my eye with its ornate crisscross molding and grand saucer-shaped chandeliers. The stage itself looked formal, framed with deep crown molding at the top, a rounded platform below and one column on either side.
"Did you know that Eisenhower and Mamie would bring world leaders to performances here?" Lori said. "The White House press corps even held press conferences here."
We walked on toward the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station, where President Lincoln entered town to deliver his Gettysburg Address. Lori took a breath. "Did you know that this station served as a hospital for the wounded after the Battle of Gettysburg? It was a morgue, too."
And with that, I decided it was time for a drink.
"Surrounded by a charming period folk mural, we dined on a scrumptious meal lovingly prepared using local bacon and sausage, and the fruits and vegetables came from area markets."
We grabbed dinner, and then popped in to local favorite Reid's Orchard & Winery Tasting Room and Cider House. I really enjoyed Old Snapping Turtle, a chardonnay with crisp apple undertones. Reid's has hard ciders, as well—Lori was a big fan of the Black Bear Hard Cider. We picked up a growler of the cider to enjoy back home, a toast to the fun we had (and were continuing to have) in Gettysburg.
The next morning, we had an exquisite breakfast in the original 1815 dining room. Surrounded by a charming period folk mural, we dined on a scrumptious meal lovingly prepared using local bacon and sausage, and the fruits and vegetables came from area markets. Even the herbs were harvested from the inn's own garden!
Full and energized, Lori and I took off toward Lincoln Square, in the center of town.
The square is simply fabulous—funnily enough, it's in the shape of a circle. The David Wills House, a museum about Abraham Lincoln and the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, was just across the road. As we walked over to the museum, we couldn't miss a marvelous life-sized statue of Lincoln.
As we wandered around the David Wills House, Lori was silent. She was in her element here—observing, learning.
"Huh," she said. "Looks like Wills gathered supplies to help the wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg, and provided safety for local citizens."
"After the war," she continued, "he managed to get the local farmers compensation for losses they suffered as a result of the battle."
I thought of the fresh berries we had munched on at breakfast this morning.
"With glasses of Devil's Den Red, we toasted to a great weekend."
Post-David Wills House, we decided that a growler of cider wouldn't suffice for a souvenir. We walked to Steinwehr Avenue, where several shops are located. When we stopped into The Regimental Quartermaster, I bought a military slouch hat, and Lori got a thick woolen blanket and 2 documentaries. There was one final destination we needed to visit to cap off our weekend.
We spent the end of the afternoon at Hauser Estate Winery. Acres and acres of the winery's farmland stretched on around us. With glasses of Devil's Den Red (intimidating name—after a bloody Civil War battle—delicious taste), we toasted to a great weekend.
We came to Gettysburg primarily for the great history, but wound up finding more than just a hands-on education. We found fun, peace and connection to both the past and the present.
