The Gettysburg Quarterly

Environmental Assessment for the Cyclorama 

Building Begins

In response to a U.S. District Court decision in the lawsuit regarding the Cyclorama building at Gettysburg National 

Military Park (NMP), the National Park 

Service (NPS) is beginning an environmental assessment (EA) planning 

process. The environmental assessment 

will describe and evaluate alternatives 

regarding the future of the Gettysburg 

Cyclorama building, a National Register 

listed structure located on North Cemetery Ridge. 

The NPS is responding to the March 31, 

2010, decision of the United States District Court directing the NPS to undertake a “site-specific environmental analysis on the demolition of the Cyclorama” 

building and to consider “non-demolition alternatives” to its removal, before 

“any implementing action is taken” on 

the building; to implement the 1999 Final 

Gettysburg General Management Plan/ 

Environmental Impact Statement by 

rehabilitating the landscape of the 1863 

battle on North Cemetery Ridge; and 

to improve visitor understanding of the 

battle action and commemoration that 

took place on North Cemetery Ridge. 

“The NPS will decide the future of the 

Cyclorama building using the National 

Environmental Policy Act process identified by Judge Hogan,” said Bob Kirby, 

Gettysburg NMP Superintendent.

At issue in the lawsuit was whether the 

NPS had complied with National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act and their respective regulations in its decision to demolish the Cyclorama building at Gettysburg 

NMP, in order to rehabilitate the historic 

landscapes of the battle line of the Union 

Army on North Cemetery Ridge.

The Cyclorama building was designed 

by noted architect Richard Neutra and 

construction by NPS was completed in 

1962. In 1999, the NPS approved a General Management Plan for Gettysburg 

NMP that called for (among numerous 

other actions) the demolition of the Cyclorama building in order to provide for 

the long-term preservation of the Cyclorama painting (a National Historic Object) and the rehabilitation of the historic 

landscapes of the battlefield. During the 

general management planning process 

the NPS consulted with the Pennsylvania 

State Historic Preservation Officer, the 

President’s Advisory Council on Historic 

Preservation, numerous interested parties, and the public. 

The Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Officer and the President’s 

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation both approved the demolition of 

the building in order to rehabilitate the 

1863 battlefield, as did the majority of the 

public comments received.

The NPS plans to launch this planning 

process as soon as possible. To be added 

to the mailing list and for more information about how to participate, contact 

GETT_Superintendent@nps.gov or call 

717/ 334-1124 x3351.

The official newsletter of Gettysburg National Military Park · Fall 2010 · Vol. 17, No. 3

The Cyclorama building along the Union army’s battle line on North Cemetery Ridge 

Park News National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior
Gettysburg National Military Park, established 

in 1895, is the site of the great Civil War 

battle that repulsed the second Confederate 

invasion of the North. The mission of the National Park Service at Gettysburg is to preserve 

and protect the resources associated with the 

battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and provide an understanding 

of the events that occurred there within the 

context of American history. 

Gettysburg National Military Park

1195 Baltimore Pike, Suite 100

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325

Phone

(717) 334-1124 

E-mail

gett_superintendent@nps.gov

The National Park Service cares for the 

special places saved by the American people 

so that all may experience our heritage.

The Gettysburg National Military 

Park Museum and Visitor Center has 

achieved Gold certification in the U.S. 

Green Building Council’s Leadership 

in Energy and Environmental Design 

(LEED®) Green Building Rating System. 

The LEED Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and 

operation of high performance green 

buildings. 

The Museum and Visitor Center 

opened in 2008 and is operated by the 

Gettysburg Foundation in partnership 

with the National Park Service. 

“Our certification at the Gold level 

highlights the Foundation’s and the 

National Park Service’s commitment to 

environmental responsibility and preservation,” said Gettysburg Foundation 

Chair Robert A. Kinsley. “When ground 

was broken for the facility back in 2005, 

we always had our sights set on achieving a certain level of environmental 

sustainability. We are thrilled that we 

have been able to exceed those goals as 

we work to preserve not only our past 

but also our future.”

The facility is one of only four Gold 

certified LEED museum projects in the 

nation, and it is the first Gold certified 

museum project in Pennsylvania. LSC 

Design, Inc., of York, Pa., is the architect of record for the museum.

“Buildings are a prime example of how 

human systems integrate with natural 

systems,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, 

CEO and founding chair of the U.S. 

Green Building Council. “The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum 

and Visitor Center project efficiently 

uses our natural resources and makes 

an immediate, positive impact on our 

planet, which will tremendously benefit 

future generations.”

The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, non-profit educational organization working in partnership with 

the National Park Service to enhance 

preservation and understanding of the 

heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg. For information, visit www.

gettysburgfoundation.org.

Gettysburg Museum achieves LEED Gold Certification 

Facility is first museum in Pa., and fourth in U.S., to achieve Gold certification

2 The Gettysburg Quarterly

Highlights of the museum’s 

environmental responsibility include:

•	 Geothermal heating and cooling 

system: 200 wells, average depth 

of 400 feet use the earth’s constant 

55-degree temperature to heat and 

cool the facility

•	 Wetlands restoration: Nearly two 

acres of wetlands were restored 

during Museum and Visitor Center 

construction

•	 Timber reuse: Existing timber was 

reused in the building’s construction

•	 Recycling: A facility-wide recycling 

program was adopted

•	 Construction waste reduction: Metal, 

cardboard and wood was separated 

during construction to minimize 

waste

•	 Storm water runoff minimization: 

Storm water runoff was reduced 

through the use of underground 

storage tanks

•	 Plumbing: Low flow toilets and sinks 

were installed

•	 Reduced off-gasses: Off-gassing 

from carpets, glues, vinyl and paints 

was reduced

•	 Low-emission vehicles and carpooling: Parking spaces will be labeled for 

preferred use by hybrid vehicles and 

by carpoolers

•	 Green power: Green power credits 

will be purchased

•	 Regional materials: Twenty-five percent of the building materials were 

produced from the region 

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Superintendent Bob Kirby, 

left, with the building’s architect, Robert A. Kinsley II, 

LSC Design Inc., of York, Pa., 

center, and Barbara Finfrock, 

Vice-Chair of the Board for 

the Gettysburg Foundation. 

Photo courtesy of the Gettysburg Foundation.
Gettysburg National Military Park’s educational 

offerings include fall and spring ranger field 

programs, as well as a December Teacher 

Workshop series, Winter Homeschool Days 

and Traveling Trunks that can be shipped to 

any school. Each year these programs serve 

approximately 18,000 school students, coastto-coast.

This year, for the first time, the reservation 

systems for these educational offerings are all 

available electronically. To get started planning 

for the best field trip ever go to Gettysburg 

National Military Park’s website www.nps.gov/

gett/forteachers. Reservations for all of the 

park’s educational offerings are now being 

accepted. 

Ranger programs, Homeschool Days and Traveling Trunks 

Await Students this School Year

The Gettysburg Quarterly 3

On June 5th, 237 Friends of Gettysburg volunteers 

descended on the battlefield and the Eisenhower 

National Historic Site for the annual Friends volunteer work day. The “Post and Worm Brigade” 

constructed 1.2 miles of Virginia worm fence 

along both sides of the Emmitsburg Road from the 

Snyder house to the Rose farm and in the fields between the Slyder Lane and Rose farm. The fences 

really make a huge visual impact when you ride 

along Emmitsburg Road. 

The Friends’ “Brush and Bucket Brigade” painted 

the show barn, breeder barn, garage and reception center at the Eisenhower farm. Part of the 

brigade was also dispatched to the Gettysburg 

amphitheater, Sherfy iron fence and the Spangler 

fence. The sites all looked fabulous with their new 

coat of paint. A new volunteer group--aptly called 

the “Iron Brigade”--cleared thickets and thorns 

away from the Bigelow fence line near the Trostle 

farm and the stone fence line near the Weikert 

farm. These 27 volunteers did a Yeoman’s job and 

their hard work is much appreciated.

The Friends of Gettysburg is the member organization of the non-profit Gettysburg Foundation. To 

learn more about how you can support battlefield 

Friends of Gettysburg Volunteers Build Fences and More

Hardy Friends of Gettysburg volunteers formed the “Iron Brigade” to clear brush from a 

fence that Friends volunteers had built several years ago. Photo courtesy of the Gettysburg Foundation.

The park is offering a new opportunity this 

year: Winter Homeschool Days. Participation 

can be reserved now too, and include a handson history fair and other opportunities for 

homeschool families and co-ops. Additional 

educational programs include: Workshops 

for Teachers - in early December, providing 

full days of continuing education for Civil War 

Science, Language Arts, and a Soldier Camp 

just for teachers; and Traveling Trunks on the 

life of the Civil War Soldier that can be reserved 

throughout the school year and shipped to 

schools all across the country. 

Please also be sure to check out the “Best Field 

Trip Ever! Planning Kit” on the website, a coordinating pdf document that provides all your 

options, planning tools, chaperone information 

and everything else you will need for a successful Gettysburg field trip (including reservation 

instructions for the park’s Museum, Film and 

Cyclorama painting programs, and Licensed 

Battlefield Guide tours). 

Sample Ranger Field Programs:

Determination & the 15th Alabama Infantry - 

Climb Big Round Top and attack Little Round 

Top after a forced march, and without any 

water! This program illustrates the strength, 

stamina and determination of these Confederate infantrymen, and then explores how your 

students can apply these lessons to their lives.

Caring for the Wounded - Students follow the 

path of a soldier from camp to campaign to 

battle to first aid to transport to field hospital 

and finally to recovery. Activities include roleplay, walking, carrying, and some lifting and 

climbing. 

Life of a Civil War Soldier - Students participate 

in activities that present the training, equipment, life and feelings of the volunteer soldiers. This entails walking, running, standing 

and sitting. 

“Unfinished Work”: Soldiers’ Cemetery & the 

Gettysburg Address - Students work in small 

groups simulating the process of soldier identification following the battle. They then read 

the letters of soldiers buried in the cemetery, 

graveside, and apply them to Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address – a unique and emotional 

primary source experience.

preservation go to: www.gettysburgfoundation.

org.
4 The Gettysburg Quarterly

Gettysburg Staff Assist with Oil Spill Response

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Gettysburg National Military Park

1195 Baltimore Pike, Ste. 100

Gettysburg, PA 17325

Brion FitzGerald, the park’s Deputy Superintendent, went to work on the oil spill response 

in the Gulf of Mexico in early June. Brion is a 

Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves 

and was re-called to active duty for 60-days. The 

Coast Guard is the lead federal agency in charge 

of the response to this unprecedented environmental disaster. He is working long days in 

Louisiana, assigned as a Parish President Liaison 

Officer in Plaquemines Parish. Plaquemines Parish is--by a significant margin--the most heavilyimpacted location in the oil spill area. The Parish 

President, Billy Nungesser, has made frequent 

appearances in the national media voicing concerns about spill impacts and response. Brion’s 

responsibility is to provide clarity on response 

operations to Nungesser, to voice his concerns to 

the Unified Area Command and provide briefings 

to the office of Secretary of Homeland Security on 

the same. His goal is to keep the political side of the 

response from impacting the operational side, thus 

allowing the 3,000+ responders in the Plaquemines 

Branch to focus on the critical response.

Prior to his appointment as the Deputy Superintendent earlier this year, Brion had served as the park’s 

Chief Ranger since 1995. He is 32 year veteran of 

the NPS and has served as an enlisted member and 

officer with the U. S. Coast Guard Reserves for 19 

years. 

In late May, Katie Lawhon, the park’s Management 

Assistant, was also detailed to work on the federal 

response effort for oil spill. Katie spent two weeks 

working in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. She assisted with logistics for congressional and 

VIP visits to the spill area and served as the National 

Park Service spokesperson with the news media 

on beaches and barrier islands within Gulf Islands 

National Seashore wherever oil was washing up.

Brion FitzGerald, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard 

Reserves, and Deputy 

Superintendent, 

Gettysburg NMP, working in Plaquemines Parish, 

Louisiana, responding to 

the oil spill.

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C ATM