Gettysburg National Military Park has news!

Kate Lawhon from the Gettysburg National Military Park shared some great pieces of news with me! See below!

Main Street Gettysburg and Gettysburg National Military Park will provide an update on the David Wills House museum exhibits and aspecial "behind-the-scenes" look at original artifacts that will be on display in the museum.

The briefing will take place in the Library of thepark's new Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, and in theCollections Storage Area. Both are located on the lower level of the Museumand Visitor Center.The briefing will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 10: a.m.until approximately 11:30 a.m.
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Gettysburg National Military ParkSuperintendent John Latschar will be leaving his post on March 1, 2009 tobecome the new president of the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation, it was announced today by the Gettysburg Foundation and the National Park Service.

"John's vision and leadership are an important part of the successful public-private partnership between the Gettysburg Foundation and theNational Park Service," said Robert Kinsley, Chair of the GettysburgFoundation. "John's experience and dedication exemplifies the type of leader we are looking for as we continue to work with the National Park Service to preserve Gettysburg for future generations."

Latschar was selected after a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors of theFoundation. "Obviously, Bob Wilburn is leaving some huge shoes to fill," said Latschar. "No one else could have taken the Gettysburg Foundation from a concept tothe opening of our new museum and visitor center in eight short years. I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to work towards the preservation and care of Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower NHS from a new perspective. My goal will be ensure that we continue our momentum, and to move the organization forward into a new era of philanthropy for the benefit of this and future generations," said Latschar.

Working as a partner with the National Park Service, the Gettysburg Foundation raised $103 million to build a new park Museum and Visitor Center which has ensured the preservation of the Gettysburg's museum collections and the Cyclorama painting. The facility's 24,000 square feet of museum exhibits have improved visitor understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War. A final keystone to the projectwill begin this winter when the park and the Gettysburg Foundation demolish two outdated visitor facilities located upon the center of the Union Army's battle line of July 1863.

"John's background and perspectives as an army officer, a combat veteran, a Ph.D. historian, and park superintendent contributed to his success in addressing preservation challenges at both Gettysburg NMP and the Eisenhower Site in innovative ways," said Dennis Reidenbach, Regional Director for the National Park Service Northeast Region. "The projects and partnerships he created have dramatically improved the park's ability to meet its mission now and for the future."

"It has been a pleasure to work with the dedicated park staff, our partners, and the community to create the new museum and implement battlefield rehabilitation to restore Gettysburg's historic integrity and enhance visitor understanding of the battle. I'm also proud of our combined efforts with Main Street Gettysburg and others to develop the David Wills House, a National Park Service museum opening February 2009 in downtown Gettysburg about the aftermath of battle and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address," said Latschar. "As President of the Gettysburg Foundation, we will continue to work with all our Gettysburg-area partners on the implementation of the Borough of Gettysburg Interpretive Plan."

Latschar has been superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park since 1994. He is a 31-year veteran of the National Park Service. Prior to his appointment at Gettysburg, he served as the first Superintendent of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA, and in various capacities at the NPS Denver Service Center. He has been recognized by the National Park Service for his leadership numerous times, including being named Superintendent of the Year for the Northeast Region of the NPS in 1991 and in 2001, Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship in 2003 and for Cultural Resource Stewardship in 2000.

The Gettysburg Foundation is in the midst of a $125 million Campaign to Preserve Gettysburg, which includes the construction of the new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park. TheFoundation's broad preservation mission began in 1989 and includes land preservation, battlefield rehabilitation, artifact preservation and monument and cannon-carriage preservation. The Foundation has more than 30,000 members and supporters nationwide and internationally.