The “Old Liner” Newsletter Baltimore Civil War Roundtable
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THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER Preservation Groups would greatly exacerbate the significance that we have a duty to problem. A new casino located so safeguard for future generations.” Declare Opposition to close to this sacred soil is simply “I remember four years ago when our New Gettysburg Casino unacceptable.” organizations joined a dedicated After preliminary plans for the casino group of local activists to defeat this Proposal became public in late 2009, each short-sighted scheme the first time. Proposal poses direct threat to preservation organization performed No matter where I went, anywhere in National Park and America’s most its own independent due diligence the country, people were astounded famous small town investigation, including meeting with at the very idea of a gambling casino (Gettysburg, Pa.) – In a letter dated Mr. LeVan personally, before at Gettysburg,” said CWPT president January 26, 2010, a coalition of state reaching the same conclusion: the James Lighthizer. “There was a and national preservation groups site’s proximity to the hallowed near-universal agreement that conveyed to Adams County, Pa., ground of Gettysburg creates an locating and marketing a gambling businessman David LeVan their inappropriate juxtaposition damaging facility at Gettysburg unavoidably decision to oppose his effort to open to the national park. conflicts with the essential meaning of a casino a half-mile to the south of “We remain committed to protecting this place in American history.” Gettysburg National Military Park. In our national icon—Gettysburg A. Roy Smith, chairman of the board the letter, the Civil War Preservation National Military Park” said Tom of Preservation Pennsylvania, Trust, National Parks Conservation Kiernan, president of the National reiterated that the fundamental Association, National Trust for Parks Conservation Association. “A reasoning behind his group’s Historic Preservation and casino conflicts with the heritage- opposition to a Gettysburg-area Preservation Pennsylvania cited the based economy of Gettysburg, with casino has not changed. “We remain location’s proximity to the battlefield its meaning in American history steadfast in our opposition to any as a direct threat, noting that the today, and with its future relevance.” casino proposed in close proximity to potential development and traffic If licensed, the casino would be the Gettysburg National Military impacts place the National Park at incorporated into the existing Park. Preservation Pennsylvania’s further risk. Eisenhower Resort and Conference reasons for including this sacred After thanking LeVan for his outreach Center, just one half-mile from the place on the 2006 Pennsylvania At to the preservation community in this boundary of Gettysburg National Risk listing have not changed — a matter and his generosity to various Military Park. The site is also within casino near this highly significant site, local philanthropic causes, the four the historically sensitive “study area” in any location, is inappropriate.” groups stressed that their position of the battlefield, as defined by the In addition to the proposal’s proximity does not stem from any opposition to American Battlefield Protection to the national park, the letter outlined gambling, but, rather, from “our Program (the battlefield preservation additional concerns with the project, longstanding commitment to ensuring arm of the National Park Service). including potential impact on the that singular and significant historic Not only is this proposal significantly region’s vibrant heritage tourism sites like the Gettysburg Battlefield closer to the park than the 2006 industry. Citing current visitation are treated with the respect and Crossroads Gaming Resort and Spa statistics and scientific economic consideration they deserve.” plan, it also lies along the impact analysis, the groups “Some places are just too important Emmitsburg Road, at the heart of the concluded that “the combination of to be treated with anything less than Journey Through Hallowed Ground Civil War preservation and the family the greatest respect, and Gettysburg National Scenic Byway (created in friendly nature of Adams County has is one of those places,” said Richard October 2009) and Journey Through created a proven, winning formula for Moe, president of the National Trust Hallowed Ground National Heritage the park and its neighboring for Historic Preservation. “Anyone Area (signed into law in May 2008). communities. A casino will conflict who has visited the battlefield in Such designations are not with this proven economic engine— recent years can attest to the fact that undertaken lightly and, according to heritage tourism, and development commercial development is the letter, “reinforce our belief that compatible with and respectful of that threatening the visitor experience at this is a region of tremendous historic heritage.” Gettysburg, and this proposed casino BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER The letter further noted that the Management Plan, he didn't expect For example, he said, Petersburg has portion of Cumberland Township major changes in park policy. been working to make the story of the where the casino would be located Petersburg's General Management battle there more relevant to the local predominantly features residential Plan was modeled in some respects black community. dwellings and agricultural operations, on Gettysburg's, and Kirby said his "Telling the story of weapons and with limited and generally small-scale experience there would serve him in logistics and tactics is only part of it," commercial development good stead. The Virginia park has he said. "Battlefields are great occasionally intermixed. The groups restored key battlefield sites in recent classrooms." expressed the opinion that the facility years, developed its infrastructure, In a Park Service news release, he would “have the potential to and is in the process of acquiring a described historic sties as "rich significantly increase traffic through train station, much like the Gettysburg classrooms where we can explore our the area, generate more incompatible battlefield, he said. The Petersburg development as a nation." large-scale development, and would job, like Gettysburg, also included the "Few other nations openly reveal their likely necessitate the kind of eye- management of a national cemetery. history - the good and the bad - as we catching signage that would be out of do here in the United States," he place in what has up to now been a continued. "That alone makes relatively undeveloped area.” managing the national treasures in Va. battlefield Gettysburg a profoundly humbling and vastly rewarding experience." superintendent to take KIRBY'S BACKGROUND reins at Gettysburg Bob Kirby was appointed York (Pa) Daily Record, January 9, superintendent of Petersburg 2010 National Battlefield in Virginia in Bob Kirby will begin in March. He 2001. He previously served as replaces John Latschar, who was assistant superintendent at Delaware reassigned after the discovery of Water Gap National Recreation Area, evidence he had downloaded a 70,000-acre park in Pennsylvania sexually explicit images on his office and New Jersey. computer. Kirby's prior assignments include chief of interpretation at Lowell After nine years in charge of the battlefield at Petersburg, Va., Bob NPS photo National Historical Park, Lowell, Kirby has been named the new "Bob is a seasoned veteran who Mass, 1990-95; environmental superintendent of Gettysburg combines demonstrated leadership protection specialist, Defense National Military Park and skills with experience in managing an Logistics Agency, Ogden, Utah, Eisenhower National Historic Site. important Civil War site", National 1986-90; outdoor recreation director He is expected to assume his new Park Service Northeast Regional with the Department of the Army in post in March. Acting superintendent Director Dennis R. Reidenbach said West Germany, 1983-86; and Mel Poole will return to his position as in a news release. "As we look ahead assignments as a district ranger, sub- superintendent of Catoctin Mountain to the 150th anniversary of the district supervisor and interpretative Park in Thurmont, Md. conflict, Bob is the right individual to ranger at Golden Gate National Kirby said Friday he expected oversee both the best known Civil Recreation Area in San Francisco preparations for the 150th War park in the national park system, from 1974-83. anniversary of the Battle of and to manage a significant He has a bachelor's degree in Gettysburg in 2013 would be a major presidential site." Recreation and Leisure Studies and a focus for him early on. Asked about declining visitation at master's degree in Recreation and Though he said he'd been given Gettysburg, Kirby said it was up to Park Management from San "some latitude" in pursuing his own superintendent and staff to see to it a Francisco State University. goals under the General park was relevant to visitors. BALTIMORE CIVIL WAR ROUNDTABLE THE “OLD LINER” NEWSLETTER Gettysburg will remove building dates to 1935 and does not parcel, located only a half mile from contribute to the national significance Little Round Top and due west of modern intrusions from of the park, as documented on the Devil’s Den, has been a top land Devil’s Den National Register of Historic Places. acquisition priority for historians and NPS Press Release, February 10, The current roadways, visitor parking, preservationists for many years. 2010 and