The building itself houses fire detection systems but no fire suppression system. The materials are bound and the park’s vertical files contain mostly photographs and some original documents. There are 25-30,000 photographs which are kept in fire proof file cabinets. Winona guesstimated that there are around 400,000 papers. Because of space limitations there is no room to place a permanent staff person to look at and classify the materials which are still packed in boxes, etc. Newspapers have been microfilmed but need "finding aids" developed. A finding aid is a resource book which tells you where the document is in the archive without anyone having to go through files and boxes to find it. As we walked back through the building, Kathy Harris

on, the Park Historian, apologized for the sagging floor. Due to the weight of the materials and its containers, it is a natural occurrence.

In 1994, a Senior Archivist stated that there are 70 significant collections at Gettysburg - 4 have been processed. There are also 1,000 linen drawings from the 1890’s which show detailed plans for the development of the park. We saw some of Cope’s original watercolors for the Spangler Spring area and fencing throughout the park.

The most breathtaking document we saw was an 1898 map of the 1st and 2nd artillery lines of the Army of Northern Virginia for July 2 & 3, 1863. This map had been worked on by Cope and Edward Porter Alexander. There were eraser marks on the map showing the discussion which must have occurred between Cope and Alexander as to battery positions. The group I was with got very quiet and we let the feeling of that moment sink in. This map also shows where Avery was mortally wounded. It is now where the Press Box at the Gettysburg High School stands. Harrison said that if they had known about the map at the time of turning that land over to the borough - it probably would not have happened. There are also designations by veterans of the 55th North Carolina of Davis’ Brigade movement and the 4th North Carolina.

Kathy estimates it will take 5 years to get all of the materials categorized. She reiterated, as Dr. Latschar does, that 3/8 of every one cent of every $1,000 of taxpayer money goes to the park. We have no control over where our tax dollars go.

My next stop was the Visitor Center which houses the Museum Collection. Paul Shevchuk, who is the Assistant Museum Curator, was our guide. When you are in the Visitor Center, you are looking at 8% of the total collection. Beneath you is the remaining 92% of the largest Civil War collection in he National Park Service and the country - it is a national treasure. Paul showed us how they catalog the collection using the Automated National Cataloguing System (ANCS) which is used throughout the National Park Service as a centralized database. Currently there are 42,000 GNMP and 12,000 Eisenhower materials in the database. This is only one-half of the total collection which has been entered so far.

Humidity indicators are placed throughout the basement - one in each room housing materials. Also every item is given a paper record or "blue". Hydrothermography registers are used to measure the temperature and the humidity. Paul showed us two readouts. Straight lines for each measurement are preferred. NPS standards for temperature are 70 degrees plus or minus 5 and 40% for humidity plus or minus 5. In the collections area in the basement of the Visitor Center, the humidity fluctuates between 48-72%. We passed from one room to the next and went from 31% humidity to 37%. There is no way to control this in the current environment.

As we began to descend further into the building, Paul pointed out to us that there is no heat, air conditioning or humidity control. There are 16 rooms where the collection is housed. Our first glimpse of the collection was Room 14 which houses leather gear, letters, diaries, head gear and other items of infantry and cavalry. It is directly below the Electric Map. Paul had a Confederate kepi (one of 3 in the collection and possibly a battlefield find) out in its box. A month ago, a conservator visited the park to assess restoration of such items. For this one kepi it would cost $6,000 and 80 hours to restore. There is no reason to proceed on this because the environment would not support the restoration. Paul told us that there will be major deterioration in the textile collection over the next 30-40 years.

Room 3 where the humidity was 46% and about 15-20’ from Room 14 sits along the outer perimeter of the building itself. It is a small, narrow room with a high ceiling. But the walls are not sealed and fine, abrasive concrete dust continues to fall on the swords and cavalry implements. Muslin covers most of the collection. Paul showed us two cartridge boxes - one had mildew on it and the other had red rust which cannot be reversed - it can be stabilized but this piece is virtually lost. They use standard museum cabinets but the outside environment is slowing seeping into them. Room 5 which had a humidity reading of 52% holds a magnificent collection of rifles. The problem is the steel and wood expand and contract at different rates. Flaking rust, parts that freeze and metal that crystallizes are their biggest enemies. Paul showed us a restored rifle and one that has not been.

Room 7 & 8 are at the back of the building and houses artifacts such as shell fragments, bullets, etc. from 1863 to present day. They are placed in plastic zip lock bags, inventories are taken and then they are placed in acid-free boxes. The problem with this area is that the fire suppression system is installed in the same area causing a loss of 50% of the storage area. Paul turned off the light in this room and you could see daylight through the back door - defeating the purpose of keeping the collection in appropriate environment.

Other problems is that there is not enough room for researchers to photograph any of the collection, one room for research and that is very small. Paul stated that hopefully with the new museum they could display 20-25% of the collection.

The Cyclorama was my final stop on the open house. Brion Fitzgerald, Chief of Interpretation and Protection was our guide. We went up into the top of the drum and were able to walk down to the edge of the painting. When the painting was hung in 1962 it was not hung properly. It should be taut and tight as a drum, i.e., the Atlanta Cyclorama which is hung properly. Behind the Cyclorama is anywhere from 12-24 inches of space which is not enough room to swing the painting back and hang it taut. They would literally have to cut a section out.

The backing which was used in the early 1960’s is made of an adhesive which attracts and absorbs water. Brion told us about the leaks in the drum where the joints are cold sealed but this wears out easily. The building has a flat roof which is not good in south central Pennsylvania - better in the desert southwest. Six months ago a new state-of -the-art rubber roof was placed on the top of the drum,. One month ago the manufacturer who sold the material to the contractor came out to inspect the installation. They gave it an excellent rating. The next day during a particularly nasty nor’ easter, the roof failed and water ran down onto the painting. It had failed along a seam. A double row of seams has been installed and there have been no further problems as of this date.

However, storms with high winds last week caused water to seep in through the building joint cold seals and water was found behind the painting. There are other problems with the Cyclorama building: it does not meet ADA requirements - the ramp is too steep to get up to the painting and there is no lift. There is a fire detection system but no fire suppression system. The park would have to rely on the quickness of local response to any fire that would break out.

The painting itself from a distance looks fine - but up close the5re is a corduroy effect - it weaves and sags. One seam I looked at was open and sagging. The weight of the adhesive backing is causing stress and strain on the painting. I asked Brion how long they estimate restoration would take on the painting prior to it being hung in the new museum complex - he estimated about 2 years. They would need to remove the current backing and replace it with something lighter and more effective. The park would also like to install the original diorama at the base of the painting. For those of you familiar with it - over near the house where the surgeon is preparing to amputate a leg there is a soldier at a well drawing water in a bucket. Look carefully at that segment because part of the rope is missing - this is because the rest of the rope was part of a diorama exhibit in front of the painting.

To finish up here are some final clarifications from Brion: No contract has been signed - period. The park and the Kinsley company are still in negotiation talks. This will not be approved until you - the public - has had ample time to read the final proposal and respond with questions and suggestions. Kinsley has given the park full authority to approve design and structure before, during and after construction. He is the only person who submitted a proposal with this prerequisite in it.

Kinsley has also provided all additional information requested except for small financial information protected by law. The remaining proposers refused to.

Remember that the negotiation process also depends on how we finalize the General Management Plan for the next 20 years. The new museum would sit on 12-13 acres and would include parking. This is based on actual statistics of high peak visitorship (during the two years of the "Gettysburg" film popularity). The GMP includes traffic, parking, and all other items I have mentioned in previous columns. The museum is only a part of this overall process.

And folks - the Imax theater - if it happens at all - will not be nine stories tall. If you stand on Culp’s Hill, Little Round Top or out at the Peace Light - the new museum will not obstruct your view of the battlefield from any angle - unlike the National Tower.

So where does this leave us - it leaves us with a tremendous opportunity to provide a gift to future generations. Carol Reardon on C-Span’s "Booknotes" on February 8th stated that "every American should come to Gettysburg." Just as the men who fought there left us the Peace Light Memorial - isn’t it up to us to continue to honor their sacrifice by providing the proper environment to house and preserve those reminders of their lives. To me there is no question that this needs to be done. The people that I know and respect and work with as a GMP committee member and volunteer hold only in their hearts and minds the commitment to preserve the memory of these men and women. I am deeply disturbed by the self-motivated and self-promotional members of the Civil War community who insist on placing themselves and their interests before the memories of those men. Shame on you - it is each of our responsibility to discuss this in a rational and informative manner. The park can provide any citizen with copies of the RFP, protest letters and responses, and any other documentation, that within the statue of the law, is made public.

Their Web site also will provide you with updates on meetings and the results of those public meetings.

This was an eye opening education for me. The park is continuing these open houses throughout the spring. For more information call 1-717-334-1124. I look forward to hearing from some of you.