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Tour Pennsylvania's Civil War Trails From Inside Google Earth

If you've ever wanted to tour Pennsylvania's historic Civil War sites but can't imagine navigating the perennially-unfinished death trap that is the Turnpike, we've got good news! A new project spearheaded by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office aims to deliver the state's Civil War Trails right to your desktop, blending Google Earth technology, historical information, and incredible high-def GigaPan panoramic photos. The images are so detailed that you can literally zoom in on gravestone inscriptions, to say nothing of the centuries-old houses and towns that users are able to navigate.

The project—a collaborative effort mixing the talents of the Pennsylvania Commonwealth, Google, Carnegie Mellon, NASA, and the National Civil War Museum—aims both to educate the public and to promote Pennsylvania's many historical tourist destinations. It's part of the state's broader Civil War Trails site, which catalogs everything Civil War-esque that has to do with Pennsylvania.

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Civil War Travel / Historic Travel / → All Tags

Civil War Re-enactment Travel: So Authentic You Actually Get Shot

We've never really understood the appeal of Civil War re-enactment - or the re-enactment of any war for that matter, since wars are generally unpleasant things - but we can accept that there are many die-hard Civil War buffs out there who gain a unique perspective on history by immersing themselves in it. It is possible to be too authentic, however, as a recent accident in rural Virginia shows. A man portraying a Union soldier was shot in the shoulder by a Confederate soldier during a battle re-enactment for a documentary film, sending shock waves through a re-enactment community that's always been sensitive to its public image. Retired NYPD cop Thomas R. Lord Sr. was sent to the (present-day) hospital for his battle wounds with the 7th New York Cavalry, and investigators think they've identified the Johnny Reb who fired the shot. But why did he do it? It goes without saying that loaded weapons are a no-no in mock battles such as this one, so what made this man drop a musket ball into his black powder rifle? Maybe he's been carrying a grudge against the north since 1864, or perhaps he was just trying to keep things as real as possible. In either case, we're not stepping foot on one of those battlefields without head-to-toe Kevlar, authentic or not.

[Photo: cwreenactors.com]

Related Stories:
· Civil War Re-enactor's Injury Shakes Die-Hards [AP]
· Civil War Travel Coverage [Jaunted]

Spookiest-Small-Towns-Map / Civil War Travel / History / → All Tags

Spookiest Small Towns: The Gettsyburg Restless Souls

Whatever, that's just a re-enactor... OR IS IT?

Tales of the famous historical events in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania are creepy enough by day: The Civil War's most famous battle produced one amazing speech but heavy casualties for both Union and Confederate brigades. These are not the kind of ghosts who will helpfully make you breakfast or cause your Goth stepdaughter to dance to Harry Belafonte.

Chill seekers will want a guide to look for ghosts in local sites like the Daniel Lady Farm, used as a Confederate fort and military hospital during the battle.

With Ghosts of Gettysburg, you can decide whether it's more horrible to see an undead gravedigger or get caught in an eternal reenactment of Pickett's Charge.

Related Stories:
· Green Travel: Gettysburg's New Museum [Jaunted]
· Ghosts of Gettysburg Tour Schedule [Official Site]

[Photo: chonaker]