Manor of Maske, Gettysburg and Seven Stars, Adams County

We're once again having heat wave temperatures here in my part of the commonwealth, not helped by smoke from Canadian wildfires. As I said last time, keep your pets inside, check on your elderly neighbors, and maybe put out some bowls of water for the local wildlife if you don't live near a stream or something.

Next week's blog post will be a day early or (more likely) a day late. That's because next Wednesday is my husband Kevin's birthday, and barring any unforeseen difficulties, we will be doing... well, something. We haven't decided exactly what just yet. Last year we did a tour of Sullivan County and collected all of their markers, but this year's activity will likely be on a smaller scale for multiple reasons. Knowing Kevin, however, it'll almost certainly include collecting a marker or two while we're out and about. 

Speaking of 'a marker or two', this week's quest is technically a double-marker post. I'm cheating, however, because I only found one of them when we were in Adams County for my own birthday a few years ago. That's because we didn't have time to venture beyond Gettysburg, what with all the stuff we wanted to explore there, so I have yet to visit the charmingly-named community of Seven Stars. Once I do, I'll come back and add the second marker. The wording on them is basically the same, however, so it works well enough. The only real difference is that the Gettysburg marker indicates the eastern boundary of the property in question, and the Seven Stars marker is for the western boundary.

Gettys Crossroads and Tavern, Gettysburg, Adams County

I'll admit I was partly inspired to return to Adams County by recent events. Like many people across the commonwealth and the country, I've been fascinated by the exploits of Kevin Bacon the pig, who escaped from his enclosure a few weeks ago and was on the run. Kevin, who is a beloved pet, never went very far from his Cumberland Township farm home; he would come and eat and then leave again, and it was only last week that his 'mom' managed to catch him at last. He gained national fame as various news outlets picked up his story, and even the human Kevin Bacon took an interest in his namesake's antics. If you somehow managed to miss the nonsense and want to see what all went on, just look for the hashtag #GettysburgKevin on social media.

Happy to have their mischievous porker back where he belongs, Kevin's human parents changed the name of their Facebook page from "Bring Kevin Bacon Home" to "Kevin's Home Adventures" and revealed their plans for the farm, which is chiefly occupied by various rescue animals - they plan on opening their gates to the public, offering programs especially for children and adults with neurodivergence or mental health needs. They're also looking into writing a series of children's books about Kevin! To that end, the Rumbaughs have started a GoFundMe to bring in enough capital to improve the fencing on the farm and purchase some heaters, which will allow them to host hot cocoa events in the winter. If you'd like to help these incredibly nice people achieve their dream of sharing Kevin and his friends with the world, please check out the fundraiser by clicking here.

Well, since Gettysburg Kevin is all the rage, I thought I'd return to the time when my own Kevin and I were in that beautiful little community. Here is the story of how it all began, how an immigrant's tavern at a significant crossroads turned into a bustling borough, long before the battle which gave the community its biggest claim to fame.

The Angel of Gettysburg, Gettysburg, Adams County

Greetings, friends! I'm preparing this post in advance, because I'm going away on vacation with my parents and best friend Andrea for a week. I will actually be in Mexico at the time I would normally be blogging on a Wednesday morning.

(How are things in the future? Do we have hover cars yet?)

Kevin is at home caring for our kitties, and as I was trying to get ready, I realized that I was running out of time to get everything done. So he suggested that I do something unusual given the unusual circumstances. Therefore, rather than a marker backstory, I'm going to instead tell the backstory behind one of the many statues in Gettysburg. This article was originally published at the now-defunct Herstory Club, and when the website folded I lost most of my contributions. I did manage to save this one, though, and I'm sharing it with all of you. This is the story of one woman who, though she probably didn't see herself that way at the time, became a true hero of the American Civil War.

Old Courthouse, Gettysburg, Adams County

It's a snowy day here, so I hope everyone reading this is safe and warm. As usual with this kind of weather, I'm not feeling my best, so the result is kind of a quiet post this week. To be fair, there's only so much to be said about the subject, which no longer exists, but I will tell you what I can.

Daniel Alexander Payne, Gettysburg, Adams County

Don't forget that this coming Saturday, September 24th, is Free Admission Day at all participating Pennsylvania Trails of History sites! I'm hoping to head up to Eckley's Miners Village, because every other time I've planned to go there I've had to cancel. Check out this page for a list of participating sites, and indulge yourself in some free history near you.

Meanwhile, my new friend the Hometown Historian has produced the start of a new playlist, in which he features YouTube channels and other sites which provide him with information and inspiration. I am extremely touched to be featured in this first video, which can be found here; I'm "last but not least" in quite a bit of illustrious company, so definitely check out some of the other recommendations he makes too!

As for today, we'll take a look at a gentleman who spent an important chunk of his life in Gettysburg, but isn't famous for being connected to the battlefield.

Eddie Plank, Gettysburg, Adams County

As I mentioned when I wrote about the Pottsville Maroons, I am not the biggest sports fan in the world. I respect the athletes and everything; I just don't find it very entertaining to watch other people play a game. I support the Philadelphia teams more out of proximity than anything, though between the Phanatic and Gritty I also think we have the best mascots. 

Having said that, I can definitely appreciate that sports have had a role in the history of our country and our state, and when I was in Gettysburg for my birthday last year, I discovered the story that I'm sharing with you today. I'd never heard of Eddie Plank, but he's quite the legend in his hometown.

Thaddeus Stevens, Gettysburg, Adams County

As my Facebook followers are aware, I went radio silent for much of the past week due to being on a desperately-needed vacation. For the first time since 2019, my beloved Zenkaikon once again took place at the Lancaster County Convention Center and I was there for the whole thing, participating in discussions about my favorite media and admiring the colorful costumes and hugging people I had not seen in far too long. It is my happy place and I missed it more than I can say. (To use a modern colloquialism: If you know, you know.)

It was originally my intention to do this as a double marker post. However, there is simply too much to say about this particular subject; I can't confine myself to just one. So since there are two markers, in two counties, and a lot to say... you get two posts. The timing of this is deliberate, because the gentleman in question is observing his 230th birthday this coming week, and the two posts will be examining his life and legacy in both Gettysburg and Lancaster. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gettysburg, Adams County

I'm not a big fan of winter, as you might have guessed from previous posts. The temperatures this week have been remarkably unpleasant, even for January. So I'm heading back to my sunny weekend in Gettysburg for today's quest.

I'm sure that Dwight Eisenhower doesn't require much of an introduction. He was a hero of World War II, President of the United States, and so on. I imagine that at least some of my readers are also aware that, after his Presidency, he retired to a beautiful farm on the outskirts of Gettysburg, which today is a historic site toured by thousands of visitors annually. However, that's not where we're going, because that's not where his Gettysburg marker can actually be found.

Wills House, Gettysburg, Adams County

As some of my readers may remember, September is my birthday month. I was the unlucky kid who would start school every year during the week of her birthday. As an adult this hasn't been a problem, though, and I usually take some kind of a day trip to mark the occasion. This year was a minor milestone, so my husband Kevin and I fulfilled a standing wish of mine to visit Gettysburg. After all, what kind of a Pennsylvania historian doesn't make at least one pilgrimage to the site of one of the biggest battles of the Civil War? 

I will admit that, growing up, I never quite grasped the full significance of Gettysburg. I know we covered it in school, but my memories of the lessons have mostly faded; but I stuffed my brain with all kinds of interesting discoveries during this trip and I truly enjoyed myself. Much like Brother Genitivi in the Dragon Age games, I don't know how to take a vacation without learning as much as I can about wherever I am. 

A quick shout-out to Larry at the For The Historian bookshop on York Street! Larry was kind enough to express interest in my blog as I was buying research materials and even accepted a small pile of my business cards to give to his regulars. If you're in Gettysburg, definitely drop in on the store.

Of course, the big thing that everyone in this country remembers about Gettysburg is a little two-minute speech known as the Gettysburg Address. It has its own marker, which I photographed and will be covering on another occasion, but today I'm going to tell you about a related location. Abraham Lincoln slept here.