"2008 = worst attendance at Gettysburg in 20 years" Topic

The National Park Service has released the visitation figures for 2008 for the Gettysburg National Military Park. Despite the attraction of the new Visitors Center, overall visitation was the worst it has been for more than 20 years.

Park officials blame high gas prices in the summer and the poor economy in the fourth quarter for the marked decline.

2008: 1,530,351 visitors

2007: 1,722,148

2006: 1,740,765

2005: 1,780,001

2004: 1,798,820

2003: 1,844,088

2002: 1,907,433

2001: 1,866,780

2000: 1,616,584

1999: 1,716,238

1998: 1,776,060

1997: 1,801,470

And yet, that's STILL 1.5 million visitors.

If the peak had been at 3 or 4 million, 1.5 would be worrying. As it is, the stated causes are probably spot on.

The extra volume had to have been from the summer. It didn't seem any emptier in G'bug last November for Fall IN. If anything, I thought there were more people out and about that weekend than the previous year.

Which would tie into the high gas prices theory nicely.

Scott….
May I also humbly suggest that it may also have something to do with the prices of many hotels and restaraunts in Gettysburg?

Those places really do provide an example of the definition, "highway robbery"….

Murph,

Agreed!

I live here in York County, and hotels and food is quite reasonable in both Hanover and York, yet the tourists insist in staying in Gettysburg. Drive a bit more, and save a lot… and we welcome the tourist cash!!!

Farstar,

Attendance peaked at well over 2 million during the heyday of the Gettysburg movie and Ken Burns' The Civil War. It steadily declined after that before leveling off at 1.7 million or so in an average year.

And, yes, it will be interesting to see what happens this year – lower gas prices than last year, but worse economy, and the novelty of the new VC is wearing off (and it now costs money to see the Museum versus free admission last summer).

A couple of the Bus Tour places are not opening this year, having closed over the winter, and a couple tourist traps are gone, as well as The Spot, a bookstore/restaurant that has been replaced by a French bistro.

If a few more tourist traps in the right location were to close, that could result in more of the battlefield getting purchased by preservation groups and restored.

The 11% drop in attendance between 2007 and 2008 is actually a lower percentage that the average National Park Service attraction – some parks were down 40-50%!

Another subtle factor -- the 2008 budget for tourism from the state funds allocated to Adams, York, and Lancaster counties was slashed and the monies moved to the budgets for Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (thanks to our big city Democrat governor who rewarded his cronies). Lancaster County reported a larger drop in tourists than Adams (and of course, that number will go down a wee bit with the convention moving out).

What tourist item is there to go visit in Pittsburgh???

The science museum, the Heinz history center, the ft. pitt museum.

Nearby are Bushy run battlefield, Ft. Necessity, Juomonville Glen, Ft. Ligonier.

So there are some things to see in Pittsburgh. If you like the SYW/Pontiac's uprising there is a good bit of history in the region.

If you like union history it was the site of a number of famous union things, like Homestead.

In non history related things there is the Carnegie museum which has the best collection of dinosaurs I've ever seen and I've been to see quite a few of them.

For people less discerning there is also the Andy Warhol museum.

And, don't forget the Pirates and Steelers, and of course, my favorite Pittsburgh attraction, Kennywood Amusement Park.

The governor's rationale was that the relatively prosperous southern tier was getting far more tourism dollars per capita than necessary, and he wanted to promote other areas where tourism dollars might provide a cash boost to the local economy, sort of a share the wealth plan. Of course, this also helps his image with his power base and provides jobs for his constituents versus rather heavily Republican strongholds.

And, don't forget the Pirates and Steelers, and of course, my favorite Pittsburgh attraction, Kennywood Amusement Park.

The Pittsburgh Steelers can burn in hell, the players, the coaches, the fans…they deserve more damnation and hellfire than even damnation and hellfire can give them. No form of everlasting torment is "enough" for them.
To be a Steelers fan, you have damned yourself, your ancestors, your family, the guy that just happens to live next door, (yes, the stigma carries that far), and your children and future descendants.
Truly your name shall be cursed forever…

Iteresting as the park is changing for the better. The new visitor center is wonderful. The battlefield is being returned to the way it was in 1863 as much as possible.

I was there in Nov. at FALL IN and was shocked to see how much it had changed. The Peach Orchard has been replanted to the size it was during the battle, roughly three times the previous size. Trees along the ridges from the first day have been removed. You can really get the view of rolling hills now.

the most dramatic was Little Round Top. The trees are cut back on Devil's Den. It's wide open. Also the trees beyond. As the assault from the second unfolded, Vonfederate formations would have been seen a great deal further away, but then disappear into a depression.

My buddies and I did line of sight test from different locations (Ya, we're fanatics) and it really changes your outlook on the battle.

From what I heard, the old vistors center and Cyclorama building are to be removed and Cementary Ridge will be returned to what it looked like during the battle.

Oh,ya, Murf, you might want to talk to somebody about that whole "Steelers" thing. Keeping your true feelings inside about that team is not good for you.

Gee Scott, I was there three times last year! Don't think I can do better than that! Rob

(For history guys with wives or girlfriends there is a great quilting shop in Littleston, near Hanover and a really great fabric shop, Burkholder's (SP?)just north of Lancaster. Two of the three visits last year were "her" idea.)

Scott, I'm sure it's all your Democratic Gov's fault. Always is. Add gee, let's not forget who got you where you're at right now. Why does everything boil down to this with you people? The economy sucks, everything & everyone is hurting. And it aint your Gov's fault, far from it.

It's interesting. I thought National Park visits were up. I guess the gas prices affected tourism.

Go Steelers! And go Confederates, too, just to irritate anyone not irritated by the first statement! ;)

As a Browns fan, I certainly respect (and very much envy) the success the Steelers have had so far. Perhaps someday we long-suffering Browns fans will finally get to watch a Super Bowl with a Cleveland team??? Nah… we are realistic.

And, I apologize for my political remarks. I'm not pro-Republican or pro-Bush. I am just very much anti-Gov. Ed Rendell.

Nuff said.

Back to wargaming!!!

Oddball wrote:
"The trees are cut back on Devil's Den. It's wide open."

When I was there a couple of years ago, I was able to immediately identify what all the AAR's refer to as "The Rocky Gorge"--the Plum Run valley between Devil's Den and Big Round Top. As I remember it used to be almost completely overgrown. Not anymore.

Oddball also wrote:
"My buddies and I did line of sight test from different locations (Ya, we're fanatics) and it really changes your outlook on the battle."

Agreed. I was there in Feb. 2007--did the Visitor Center last Nov.-- walking around and through the Rose Woods, Stony Hill, Wheatfield, Houck's Ridge, LRT, BRT, the Timber's property, Rose property, Peach Orchard, Trostle Farm, etc… for hours in the cold and snow. No leaves, means better LOS.

The latest news is that the Park Service is now replanting three historic orchards totally 30 acres as the next step in the battlefield rehabilitation project.

I imagine they are under lots and lots of pressure to just sell it off and develop it. Sooner rather than later it will happen. Sad.

Looks to me like the numbers have dropped steadily since 2002. IMO, there's still no greater place to be on earth than in Gettysburg, will be heading down there in two weeks for a toy soldier show on the 26th.