Awards and Recognitions Available to Multiple Programs
Gettysburg Heritage Trails Program
The New Birth of Freedom Council, the National Park Service, and the Gettysburg National Military Park/Eisenhower National Historic Site are proud to offer Scouting groups the opportunity to participate in the Gettysburg Heritage Trails program, which includes a stop at the Visitor Center/National Cemetery, two hiking trails through the battlefield at Gettysburg, a walking tour of historic downtown Gettysburg and a tour of the Eisenhower National Historic Site. The National Park Service and the New Birth of Freedom Council have published a trail guide for each of these five trails and tours (the current edition was revised in April 2011, 17th edition). These trail guides can be ordered directly from the York or Mechanicsburg Service Centers and cost $1.95 per guide. In addition, a limited number of trail guides are also available at the Gettysburg National Military Park.
The five program elements are:
The York and Mechanicsburg Service Centers can accept credit card orders by phone for trail guides by calling (800) 569-5197 (outside York) or you can order these materials on-line.
Program Descriptions
The Visitor Center/National Cemetery and Eisenhower sections are question and answer exercises, as outlined in the trail guide. The trail hikes through the battlefield are designed to give participants a soldier’s perspective on what happened on the battlefield.
The Billy Yank trail is a 10-mile hike through the battlefield and takes approximately six hours to complete, while the Johnny Reb trail is a four-mile hike and takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. Please be sure to carry plenty of water with you as there are no water fountains along the trails.
The Historic Gettysburg Trail is a walk through the downtown area to help visitors imagine what it was like to live in Gettysburg in July 1863. This trail is approximately three miles and takes 2-3 hours to complete.
Your group is encouraged, but not required, to view the Gettysburg Multimedia Experience, which includes the film “A New Birth of Freedom” and the Gettysburg Cyclorama program. Please call the reservation office for tickets at (877) 874-2478 or visit the park web site at www.nps.gov/gett for more information.
Awards
The basic patch is awarded for completing the Visitor Center/National Cemetery section. The Billy Yank and Johnny Reb side segments are awarded for those two trail hikes and the Historic Gettysburg patch is awarded for the completion of the guided walk, and the Eisenhower star patch is awarded for a visit to Eisenhower National Historic Site and completion of that section.
Current prices (as of 8/1/10) for Gettysburg items are:
To receive the Trail Medal, Scouts must have completed the entire set of requirements for each patch segment. Additional shipping and handling charges apply for mail orders. You can order these materials on-line or the York and Mechanicsburg Service Centers can accept credit card orders by phone at (800) 569-5197 (outside York).
Additional information on the awards may be obtained from the New Birth of Freedom Council at (717) 766-1591 or (800) 569-5197 or visiting their website.
The five program elements are:
- The Visitor Center/National
- The Billy Yank Trail
- The Johnny Reb Trail
- The Eisenhower National Historic Site
- The Historic Gettysburg Trail
The York and Mechanicsburg Service Centers can accept credit card orders by phone for trail guides by calling (800) 569-5197 (outside York) or you can order these materials on-line.
Program Descriptions
The Visitor Center/National Cemetery and Eisenhower sections are question and answer exercises, as outlined in the trail guide. The trail hikes through the battlefield are designed to give participants a soldier’s perspective on what happened on the battlefield.
The Billy Yank trail is a 10-mile hike through the battlefield and takes approximately six hours to complete, while the Johnny Reb trail is a four-mile hike and takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete. Please be sure to carry plenty of water with you as there are no water fountains along the trails.
The Historic Gettysburg Trail is a walk through the downtown area to help visitors imagine what it was like to live in Gettysburg in July 1863. This trail is approximately three miles and takes 2-3 hours to complete.
Your group is encouraged, but not required, to view the Gettysburg Multimedia Experience, which includes the film “A New Birth of Freedom” and the Gettysburg Cyclorama program. Please call the reservation office for tickets at (877) 874-2478 or visit the park web site at www.nps.gov/gett for more information.
Awards
The basic patch is awarded for completing the Visitor Center/National Cemetery section. The Billy Yank and Johnny Reb side segments are awarded for those two trail hikes and the Historic Gettysburg patch is awarded for the completion of the guided walk, and the Eisenhower star patch is awarded for a visit to Eisenhower National Historic Site and completion of that section.
Current prices (as of 8/1/10) for Gettysburg items are:
- Main Gettysburg patch – $2.25 each
- Johnny Reb, Bill Yank, Eisenhower, and Historic Gettysburg segments – $1.00 each
- Plastic Patch Holder – $1.00
- Gettysburg Trail Medals – $5.25 each
To receive the Trail Medal, Scouts must have completed the entire set of requirements for each patch segment. Additional shipping and handling charges apply for mail orders. You can order these materials on-line or the York and Mechanicsburg Service Centers can accept credit card orders by phone at (800) 569-5197 (outside York).
Additional information on the awards may be obtained from the New Birth of Freedom Council at (717) 766-1591 or (800) 569-5197 or visiting their website.
