Debris of Battle with Tim Smith

From canteens and belt buckles to bullets and artillery shells, authentic objects found in and around Gettysburg form the backbone of this hands-on program.

Wearing white gloves, participants will have the opportunity to handle original Civil War artifacts and learn about the aftermath of the Battle of Gettysburg, including how area residents faced the dangers of gathering and selling these remarkable artifacts to early tourists.

Their houses were used as hospitals, their livestock was killed, their crops were destroyed, and their fields were used as graveyards.

Join Historian Timothy H. Smith as he discusses the aftermath of the battle and the resilient spirit of the Gettysburg citizens in establishing the tourism economy in the years after the Civil War.