Friends of the Selinsgrove Community Library

Awesome Gettysburg Bus Trip!

In August 2005, Friends of the Selinsgrove Community Library coordinated a bus trip to Gettysburg, PA.

Before dawn on Saturday, August 27, 2005, 85 enthusiastic travelers trooped onto two buses enroute to Gettysburg National Park to learn about the three day battle in July 1863 that changed the course of American history.

Chilled bottled water and breakfast snack bars were consumed on the way to Gettysburg. Our first stop was the National Park Visitors Center for a viewing of the Electric Map, a battlefield orientation program. With that information in mind, we returned to our buses where we were joined by a Licensed Battlefield Guide for each bus. We toured the battlefield, stopping at different monuments, and throughout, our enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides brought the events of almost 150 years ago alive. The guide for bus one, Sue Boardman, is a former resident of the Susquehanna Valley and well known to many of those taking the trip.

General Pickett’s Restaurant handled all 85 passengers with amazing efficiency, providing an excellent buffet luncheon. In the afternoon we visited the Jennie Wade House, the Hall of President and the American Civil War Museum, all of which offered many interesting exhibits.

At 4:30 p.m. we boarded our buses for the return trip home. After a fast food stop we arrived back in Selinsgrove at about 8:15 p.m. – educated, entertained … and tired!

Friends would like to thank the following:
Catawese Coach Co. (clean comfortable buses) and terrific, helpful, patient employees, Carol Snyder, Karen and drivers John Farr and Dave Forgotch
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides Sue Boardman & Mike Strong
Pepsi – for the donation of bottled water
Mark Lawrence of WKOK who promoted the trip so frequently and enthusiastically on the radio.

This was one part of the One Book, One Community events surrounding the Civil War novel "The Killer Angels". Photos were taken by Friends member, Walter Hagenbuch.