A buddy of mine was visiting me a week ago and we decided to do a road trip to West Virginia panhandle to check out the neighborhoods in that area and visit a few hobby shops. We finished up our trip and had some time of daylight remaining, so we decided to cross the river and check out some of the Antietam battlefield.
We did not have much time before nightfall and the park closing, so it was going to just be a stop and the actual museum. Well, that did not work out so well! We got there and found that he artifacts had all been removed, due to a flood… Well, off to plan B!
We checked out some of the markers around the main building and then got in our car and started the driving tour. We started at the top at the cornfield fight and moved through the markers on the map, grabbing pictures as we went. The sun was going down fast, so we went to the observation tower at the sunken road. We climbed the tower and checked out the views and the road.
The sun was going down fast, so we made a beeline for Burnside’s Bridge. We got there in time to walk the bridge area and check out the McKinley Monument. With that, the sun was down and it was time to get some dinner.
I have not been to this battlefield in a very, very, very long time… As one of the best preserved battlefield, it was definitely worth a visit. I need to plan to go back when I have a day and the time to do all the walking trails. Seeing how the terrain rolls and all the blind spots, it makes it much clearer why the different areas of the fighting went the way they did!
If you’re in that part of Maryland and have a little time, take the driving tour. If you have more time, walk some trials. Maybe you will have better luck with the museum!
- Manteuffel