The Cyclorama Building's Gone

From the March 9, 2013, Hanover (Pa) Evening Sun.

I'm sure sad to have to report this, but the Cyclorama Building, despite a valiant 12 year fight to save it, is gone.  It wasn't a really pretty building, but with as long as it was around, a bit of history attached to it.

The National Park Service announced they were going to destroy it in 1999 and ever after that had a constant battle with architectural preservationists..  In January, the NPS cleared the last hurdle to its destruction and now its gone.

It was built near the site where the Cyclorama painting it housed was painted, concerning Pickett's Charge.  All this last week, people visited the site to get one last look.

The NPS wants to return the land to its 1863 appearance, an admirable thing, but one that could have had some context as to other historical features, even those not present when the battle was fought.

Of course, there is quite an industry in Gettysburg revolving around the battle, something you will not see if you go to the Battle of Antietam at Sharpsburg, Maryland.  That's a whole different environment.

Sorry To See It Go.  --Old Secesh

Cyclorama Coming Down

I was hoping they would find some way to repurpose the building, but, sadly I learn that Friday, work commenced to tear this unique building down in Gettysburg.  It housed the huge cyclorama painting for many years.

Friday. the administrative wing came down. 

Perhaps, the snow storm that hit us all day yesterday in Illinois will slow them down.

Goodbye to the Cyclorama.  --Old Secesh

Protest Planned to Save the Old Gettysburg Cyclorama Building

From the Feb. 14, 2013 Hanover (Pa) Evening Sun by Amy Stansbury.

Richard Neutra designed the Gettysburg Cyclorama Building in the late 1950s to memorialize Pickett's Charge.  The modernistic building was created to unite the country.

Last month, the National Park Service made the decision to tear the building down in keeping with its efforts to return the terrain of the battlefield to the way it looked in July of 1863.

His son, Dion Neutra is leading a protest in an attempt to save it.  This Sunday, February 24th at 1 PM, a mass meeting is planned at the battlefield.  Neutra wants the building repurposed as a Lincoln museum dedicated to the Gettysburg Address. 

As his father built the structure, the Cyclorama was on the second floor and the first was dedicated to Lincoln.

Preliminary assessment of costs put repurposing the building at $21 million and $3.3 million to tear down.  There must be asbestos in it as the repurposing an existing building is quite high to my thinking.

Of Course, I Say "Save IT!!"  --Old Secesh

Goodbye Cyclorama?

From August 27th WITF "Study calls for demolition of Gettysburg Cyclorama Building" by Megan Lello and Rachael Prensner.

A National Park Service environmental study recommends getting rid of this building which once housed a huge painting of Pickett's Charge which was moved to the new museum and visitors center in 2008.

The building has been vacant since then.  Its presence conflicts with the NPS's goal of preserving the landscape the way it looked in 1863.

I always hate to see a building torn down and hopefully they could use it for more displays.  If not, tear it down.

To Save or Not to Save.  --Old Secesh