See the field like A.P. Hill!
Posted to the Project on 21 May 07
So you want a birds-eye view of the Gettysburg battlefield? How about climbing a tree? After all, A.P. Hill watched the battle (supposedly) from a tree. OK, ok. So maybe the National Park Service wouldn’t be too happy with you climbing up their trees. Luckily a bird’s eye (or, rather, an A.P. Hill eye) view can be freely obtained by climbing one of the three remaining war department era towers, by climbing to the top of the inside of the 44th New York Monument on Little Round Top, or by climbing to the top of the Pennsylvania Monument. No need to harm or climb any trees!
The War Department Towers
The Longstreet Tower
There are three remaining War Department towers on the Gettysburg battlefield. There were originally five — there were also towers located near where the Cyclorama currently sits on Cemetery Ridge and one on Big Round Top — but today only the Longstreet Tower, Culp’s Hill Tower, and the Oak Ridge / Robinson Tower remain. And the Oak Ridge tower has been reduced in size.
Pictured is the Longstreet Tower, located on West Confederate Avenue near the intersection of the Millerstown Road and West Confederate Avenue. It is usually referred to as the Longstreet Tower because General Longstreet’s headquarters cannon is located nearby.
This tower is a lung buster (I believe there are around 120 steps) and it will give your legs a good work out as well. But no complaining — if your Hodgkin’s Disease afflicted “guide” can go up there without huffing and puffing, you can too. Plus, think, it is STILL easier than shimmying up a tree dressed like a Confederate lieutenant general.
The Longstreet tower stands 75 feet tall. It, like the other War Department towers, was / is made of steel. The original Oak Ridge tower also stood 75 feet tall, but was later reduced in height (more on that in a minute). The Culp’s Hill tower (the only remaining large tower) stands 60 feet tall.
Here are some of the gorgeous views from the Longstreet Tower. Really, these towers are scary looking — they shake and rattle in the wind — but the Park Service takes good care of them so they should be safe. And the views are worth the oxygen-robbing, leg-beating climb.
These are battlefield views: down the Emmitsburg Road, the Trostle Farm and Peach Orchard, and Little Round Top and the Rose Farm.
The views to the west are great too and include the Eisenhower Farm.
Clockwise is sunset to the west, view down West Confederate Avenue (Georgia and South Carolina monuments) and the third view shows the route to the Eisenhower farm.
Some of the prettiest sunsets you’ll ever see at Gettysburg occur when looking west (away from the battlefield) on the Longstreet Tower.
The Culp’s Hill Tower
Also impressive are the views from the Culp’s Hill tower. Standing about 60 feet in height, this tower is still at its full height.
This is just an interesting view from the bottom looking up at the stairs. Looks kind of like a snake, eh? Not exactly created for those of us who are afraid of heights. And this one DOES shake and RATTLE. I’ve been up on this tower completely alone with a friend and we’ve heard a “THUD” sound that is uncannily just like human footsteps. Haunted? Probably not … but you be the judge yourself.
The tower is located on the crest of Culp’s Hill. It holds about 70 people (though I’ve never seen anyone enforce the prohibition against sending many more people than that up the tower). From the top of the tower, you are treated to most excellent views of Cemetery Ridge, the new National Park Visitor’s Center, the town of Gettysburg, the first day battlefield, and views east of the town of Gettysburg out US 30 (the York Pike).
Anyway, here are some of the views from the Culp’s Hill tower in case you can’t get up there yourself:
Clockwise: looking towards the first day battlefield over the town, looking east towards Hunterstown and the East Cavalry battlefield, the new Visitor’s Center, and panorama over the town of Gettysburg.
The Oak Ridge Tower
Sometimes called the Robinson tower, this squat tower used to be the same height as the Longstreet, but was cut down sometime around 1960 and reduced in size. You can see the tower off to the left — this is a view of Oak Ridge taken from the XI Corps battle line near Barlow’s Knoll. It isn’t covered like the other two towers. It is sometimes called the Robinson tower because General Robinson’s (aka the hairiest man in the Army of the Potomac — thank Bruce Catton for THAT visual) staute is located next to it.
The Oak Ridge tower affords some nice views of the First Day battlefield. Here are some of the views:
Clockwise: I believe that’s the Forney farm (always mess that one up), view towards the west (the red topped “barn” is the Herr Tavern), and Oak Hill and the Peace Light monument.
Monumental Bird’s Eye Views
The Pennsylvania Monument
Recently refurbished and reopened to the public, the Pennsylvania Monument’s top also offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. The Pennsylvania Monument is located on Cemetery Ridge near where the First Minnesota Regiment made their gallant charge. A very narrow, dark, and winding staircase leads to the top of the monument which is built as an observation platform. Although not as high as the Longstreet Tower or even the Oak Ridge tower, the views are still wonderful of Cemetery Ridge and the nearby Angle. This is also a nice place to watch the sunset, especially in the winter.
Here are some of the views:
Clockwise, you have the view towards the back of Cemetery Ridge (note the very cool shadow the Monument casts), the view towards the Angle, and a view of ground crossed by the First Minnesota regiment looking toward the Weikert farm and Little Round Top.
The Castle: the 44th New York Monument on Little Round Top
Nicknamed the castle, the 44th New York has the largest regimental monument on the battlefield. It stands on the lower crest of Little Round Top, just off of Sykes Avenue. Visitors can walk up to the lower platform next to the turret and get some great views of Devil’s Den and the Slaughter Pen. Like the Pennsylvania Monument, the stairs are very narrow and winding. Here are a couple views from the 44th New York monument:
I hope you have enjoyed this “birds-eye” view of Gettysburg courtesy of some of the towers and monuments that allow you to get a better view of the battlefield.
(And aren’t you glad the Park Service and the old War Department made it easy for you and didn’t expect you to climb a tree, a la A.P. Hill?)
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Side note: What happened to the other two towers?!?
There were originally, as stated before, five War Department towers. Two are completely gone. One tower stood near where the Cyclorama building now stands (in Ziegler’s Grove). It was torn down to make room for the new Visitor’s Center and Cyclorama (which are soon to be replaced themselves and the area restored to what it looked liked previously). The other tower stood on Big Round Top. Inaccessible except on foot after a steep quarter mile climb, the Big Round Top tower was little used. Also, it became a magnet for lightning strikes and became home for the park’s turkey and black vultures. Unfortunately, the vulture’s waste befouled the tower to such an extent that it had to be torn down.
The Oak Ridge tower was “lowered” in 1968. It was lowered due to a structural failing in the top half of the tower.
The War Department towers should not be confused with the ugly mass of metal that was called “The National Tower.” I don’t have any digitial pictures of it, but in older Gettysburg pictures, it is visible just about everywhere. It was blown up in the late 1990s. Most Gettysburg buffs didn’t shed any tears about it’s destruction.
January 15th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I’m a Licensed Battlefield Guide and I think I can help you. The red barn seen from the Oak Ridge tower is the McLean farm. The Forney house sat in front of the present site of the Peace Light and was torn down by the NPS just before the dedication of the latter memorial.