By Harriet Baskas, msnbc.com contributor
“So many bullets were fired during the battle of Gettysburg,” explains a label at the Gettysburg National Military Park museum, “two actually collided in mid-air and fused together.”
Who wouldn’t want to see that?
The Gettysburg National Military Park museum has several unusual Civil War-related artifacts, including these two bullets that collided and fused in midair. Photo courtesy of Gettysburg National Military Park
Millions have. Each year, more than 3 million people visit the battlefield and related historic sites in Gettysburg, Pa. And as the country marks the 150thanniversary of The War Between the States, hundreds of cultural heritage sites and museums around the country are offering events and exhibitions highlighting other unusual war-related artifacts and connections.
A few to consider:
From June 24 to July 15, the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, D.C., and the Civil War Trust are presenting a free, 3-D photographic exhibition of Civil War images dating back to 1861 and including the war’s first (and bloodless) battle at Fort Sumter.
In Rochester, N.Y., rare photography-related Civil War items on display at the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film include the one-of-a-kind Lincoln Conspiracy Album and portraits of Union Soldiers retrieved from the US Postal Service “Dead Letter File.”
“Civil War High Tech” at the Lake County Discovery Museum in Wauconda, Ill., explores the role of submarines, reconnaissance balloons, ironclad ships and other high-tech inventions of the 1860s during the Civil War.
And among the artifacts on display at the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in Virginia is Lula McLean’s rag doll, known today as the “Silent Witness.” It was taken as souvenir by a Union officer on April 9, 1865, when General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to General Ulysses S. Grant in the parlor of the McLean family home.
Read more about Civil War 150th Anniversary events.
Other stories you might like:
- Cannon fire ushers in 150th anniversary of Civil War
- How photography brought home the Civil War
- PhotoBlog: Civil War portraits, 3-D photos unveiled
Find more by Harriet Baskas on StuckatTheAirport.com and follow her on Twitter.
