In 1967, Ed Gotwalt received an elephant from his sister-in-law as a wedding gift. Why an elephant? For good luck, of course.  On his honeymoon to Williamsburg, Va., he found another one. “Honey, I’m going to start collecting elephants,” he told his wife on the way back home.

Since then, his pachyderm passion has taken him all over the world in search of unusual additions to his collection. In 1983, his elephant collection outgrew his home and he opened up Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum.

That elephant did bring him good luck, because 42 years later his elephant collection – 10,000 pachyderms in all – is his livelihood along Route 30, just about 12 miles outside of Gettysburg, in Orrtanna, Pa.  The displays are in two long, narrow rooms, along with news clips and posters, and admission is free. Nothing is labeled, but Ed is ready to tell the story behind any particular treasure.

Ironically, he was once a peanut dealer. So, in addition to his elephant displays, Ed sells peanuts and boasts that he has the largest selection of candy in the area. You will find a lot of nostalgia in his collection, things adults will remember from their childhood, like a roomful of Pez candy. Oh, and if you think that room is part of the store, look down – you are actually standing on the bed of a truck. Ed says he needed to expand, so he backed up an old worn-out truck into a hole in the building, and built walls around it and, violá, instant addition! He even put a stuffed elephant in the cab, which you can see from the outside of the building.

His unusual livelihood has attracted the attention of movie producers who included him in a move called “Route 30,” a backwoods comedy about the friends you meet along the way.

Mr. Ed’s is a whimsical place that is a must-see when you are in the area. You can’t miss it. Just look for the life-size talking elephant out near the road. Miss Ellie is a 9.5 ft. tall white elephant with animated eyes and ears. Her voice is triggered by a hidden electric eye. Ed keeps it in good repair for the kids, and Miss Ellie blathers on about the area, tells a few jokes, and then gets sleepy.

“People need a warm fuzzy,” said Mr. Ed, “with no hassle and no push to buy anything. Just come in and look around and keep a happy thought.”

For information, visit www.mistereds.com. Mr. Ed’s Elephant Museum is located at 6019 Chambersburg Road, Orrtanna, Pa.

When visiting Gettysburg, Pa., make sure to visit the National Civil War Museum, just a short 40-mile drive to Harrisburg. 

The National Civil War Museum brings out the humanness of the war, with equal emphasis on both sides. From slavery to camp life to the turmoil of 19th-century politics, the museum will give you a better understanding of our country and its people during those tumultuous times.

The museum’s collections include more than 4,400 three-dimensional artifacts and 21,000 archival pieces. The collections include many artifacts of famous personalities of the war from General Robert E. Lee to President Abraham Lincoln. It includes “Stonewall” Jackson’s gauntlet, which was worn on the night he was wounded.

Its emphasis is on “the human side” of the conflict. You will see materials on the common soldiers, men and women on the home front, and the experiences of African Americans. The military artifacts encompass all aspects of soldiers’ experiences: from the personal equipage and weaponry of the war, to wounds, disease, prisoner-of-war experiences and the emotional drain of the conflict.

From the beginning of the tour when you view the original Confederate flag that flew over Fort Sumter, S.C., in 1861 to the last exhibit, a videotape of the 1938 reunion of Confederate and Union veterans in Vicksburg, Miss., you will see the war with more perspective. It is quite moving as you stand there and think “these folks shot at each other once upon a time,” but in the winter of their lives were united for one cause — peace.

Two of the most impressive exhibits were in the “Medicine” exhibit that tells the story of how doctors treated the wounded soldier and shows primitive medical instruments. You will see the last known surviving ambulance wagon that transported wounded soldiers from the battlefield to makeshift hospitals. You will learn that 700,000 troops died of sickness and wounds. Sadly, 400,000 survived wounds to be overcome by disease, just from the living conditions that are masterfully presented in “The Common Soldier’s” exhibit of a soldier’s campsite and their day-to-day life.

Other noteworthy exhibits that put a face on the war are the “Women in the War,” and the experiences of African-American soldiers who had a personal stake in the outcome of the war. 178,975 African-American men enlisted in the U.S. Army and over 9,000 enlisted in the Navy. They fought for their own freedom and the freedom of military slaves. They fought for equal citizenship and for recognition of their manhood and ultimately won the respect of their white counterparts.

The address is 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park, Harrisburg, Pa. For information, visit www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org or call 717-260-1861. Dial ext. 7304 for automated directions. It’s hard for some navigation systems to find it. 

Special Exhibit

Through Aug 30

Box Car War: Logistics of the Civil War 

This exhibit will examine the tremendous efforts on both sides to supply and maintain their armies in the field. The exhibit will follow the process of raising massive wartime armies from small peacetime militia, the administrative burden of mustering in soldiers, as well as the process of providing orders on each level of the armies and navies from companies to corps, and from ship to fleet.

If you are looking for something to do on a warm, lazy summer day and want to experience a small town near the beach but not crowded with beach goers, take a trip to Milford, Del. 

Milford is located mid-way between the state capital of Dover and the southern Delaware beaches at the intersection of Routes 113 and 1. There you will find antiques galore, food to satisfy your cravings, a store devoted to everything ladybug and a museum with lots of baseball history and more. Just outside of town, you can commune with nature at the Dupont Nature Center, where you will learn all about the horseshoe crab and other sea creatures.

A stroll through downtown will take you past antique shops with treasures that need to be explored, a community theater, various other shops and onto the Mispillion Riverwalk greenway, along the Mispillion River. Historically, the river has been vital to life in Milford, providing much-needed power and a transportation route. If you get hungry along the way, stop at the Georgia House Restaurant at 18 S. Walnut Street. Built within the walls of a former hardware store, the restaurant has kept the brick walls and original wood floors. The menu features American cuisine with a southern flair: a good assortment of sandwiches, salads, soup, entrees, beverages and desserts. The salads are fresh and the food is good. If you haven’t had enough dessert, you can always stop by Dolce, up the street from the Georgia House, at 36 N. Walnut Street. There you will find ice cream, smoothies and other icy drinks, coffee and tea and bakery goods. There is WiFi as well.

Milford Museum

If you are visiting on a Saturday or Sunday, you should start off your visit at the Milford Museum, located at 121 S. Walnut Street. The museum, housed in the former Milford Post Office, contains exhibits on the Milford baseball team, World War II and Iwo Jima, mid-20th century Americana, antique dolls and the history of Milford, which was founded in 1787. 

There is also a special exhibit, which will be at the museum until the end of the year, to honor Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday. Some of the exhibits change and some are permanent. In the Lincoln exhibit, you can see a copy of a plaster cast of Lincoln’s head, which reflects the way he looked the year he was assassinated. Also, in the exhibit are chairs similar to the chairs that were in the Lincoln box at Ford’s theater, a copy of a playbill from that night, several photos, and other artifacts. The docents give detailed information about the night Lincoln was assassinated.  

If you are a baseball history buff, you will enjoy the baseball exhibit with photos going back to the early 1900s. There are also uniforms, baseball cards, a baseball glove from 1948, a signed baseball and much more.  Plan your visit for a weekend so you don’t miss out on this fascinating museum, which is open Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on Milford, visit http://downtownmilford.org. 

Ladybug Shop

Before you leave town, stop by the Ladybug Shop at 131 N. W. Front Street, where you will find ladybug everything, including baby items, household items, jewelry, artwork, collectibles, toys, garden items and more. The naming of the ladybug as the state bug of Delaware was the inspiration for the shop. Visit the ladybug website at www.ladybug-shop.com to learn more and see a list of products. 

DuPont Nature Center

If the great outdoors is calling you, plan a trip to the DuPont Nature Center, about a 15-minute drive from downtown Milford. The DuPont Nature Center, which is a part of the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, is a delight for kids and adults alike. 

The hands-on exhibits, coloring activities, live sea creatures keep kids entertained while they are learning to appreciate and care for nature. You will learn about the horseshoe crab, which is the oldest creature in the world, and its relationship with the Red Knot, a bird that is endangered. Donna Argo and Dawn Webb, who manage the center, will enlighten you on the horseshoe crab and the other sea creatures that visit or live near the nature center. You can view birds from the wildlife video cam and from the telescopes on the deck. Or, borrow a pair of binoculars from the center and use them on the deck. About 10,000 visitors a year come through the center from many countries. 

The Dupont Nature Center is located at 2992 Lighthouse Road, off Route 36, at the mouth of the Mispillion River and the Delaware Bay. The Mispillion Harbor and the Delaware Bay are important horseshoe crab spawning and shorebird feeding areas. Visit the website for hours and more information at www.dupontnaturecenter.org. 

Travel to the area of Northwest Virginia and you will eventually come across the community of Middletown. The town is one of the older settlements in Virginia, was host to many battles in the Civil War—most famously the Battle of Cedar Creek—and is home to the Wayside Inn, the oldest continuously running inn in the state.

Middletown is surrounded by panoramic mountain views and beautiful orchards, a feature that gives the area a magical quality; however, the true treasure of the community can be found merely by taking a drive into the heart of the town.

Venture down Main Street of Middletown and you’ll come across the major source of attraction to the area: the Wayside Theatre. The theatre is the second oldest professional theatre in Virginia and offers many benefits to the community and attractions to those from other areas.

Indeed, not only does the theatre provide high quality performances of timeless classics, new variations of classic productions, and plenty of new works but also high quality youth programs and tours of children’s plays. The theatre is a destination unto itself and surely deserves to be included in your getaway itinerary through the vicinity of Middletown.

The theatre is host to a rich historical background and served as a beauty salon, ice cream parlor, jail and movie house before acting as a home for the Maralarrick Players, the first group to stage live performances in the building. The site then became home to the Wayside Theatre that is known and loved by many in the Washington, D.C., area.

Although the two-hour excursion to the theatre could easily be accomplished in one day, there are also many accommodations available for those who wish to make a weekend or holiday trip, some of which offer lodging and theatre ticket packages for the theatre enthusiasts among their guests. For example, both the Wayside Inn & Restaurant and Hotel Strasburg offer lodging/dinner/ticket packages — a very convenient arrangement for travelers, as the hotels are both within 10 minutes of the theatre and offer high quality meals and service; however, to purchase the package contact your hotel of choice. Visit www.wayside.org and www.hotelstrasburg.com for details.

Those who decide to make a weekend or holiday trip of it are in for a treat beyond the high caliber productions that are generated by the theatre, which is surrounded by gorgeous landscapes, historical landmarks, and is within 20 minutes of Shenandoah National Park. The Shenandoah Valley is host to some of the most beautiful sights in the United States and, through Skyline Drive, one can also access highly enjoyable hikes, campsites and adventures through nature. The Shenandoah River is also a mere 10-minute drive away from the theatre and is another excellent source for outdoor adventure. For history buffs, the theatre is literally within five minutes of the new Cedar Creek/Belle Grove National Park, home to Belle Grove plantation, Cedar Creek Battlefield, and the Wayside Inn, all of which are deeply entrenched in the historical events of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

Pure star power and high quality performances have graced the Wayside Theatre’s stage over the past few decades. Many famous names and faces have been a part of the company, including Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon, Peter Boyle, Stacy Keach, Delane Matthews and Franc Luz, to name a few; also, who knows which future celebrities may be passing through the theatre as interns and fledgling performers? The stage is often graced by the on- and off-stage presence of performers and technicians from NYC, D.C., Chicago and more, a good number of whom have worked on independent films and large-scale productions in their respective cities.

The theatre offers a little something for everyone with performance genres ranging from classical pieces to rock and roll musicals, from historical works to slapstick comedy. Each season presents audiences with a new medley of themes and ideas brought alive by expert directing, flawless productions, and beautiful set pieces.

The theatre has an intimate feel to it, a quality that keeps patrons coming back for years on end. With just under 170 seats, there is no “bad” seat to be had; indeed, because of the small interior space of the theatre, audiences cannot help but be drawn directly into the performance from the minute the lights dim and are held captivated until the end of the show.

Finally, the theatre is much more involved with and contributes much more to the community than the average performance venue; to elaborate, not only does the theatre offer intensive acting classes for area youth of all ages but is also, quite literally, one of the main cornerstones of the local economy through its attraction of tourists and theatre enthusiasts.

After experiencing a performance, you will surely understand how the theatre truly earns its reputation as “the hardest working theatre in Northern Virginia.”

“Man of LaMancha” is playing June 6–July 4. For information, visit www.waysidetheatre.org or call 540-869-1776.

If you’re looking for a getaway to Small Town USA, look no further than Martinsburg, W.Va. 

It has all the elements weary city dwellers crave: a walkable main street through town dotted with shops, great family owned restaurants, friendly townfolk, a train station, and a history that locals are proud of and work to preserve.  

Called the Northern Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley, this area is just a 90-minute drive from the Baltimore-Washington region.  Martinsburg is in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia and easily accessible via I-81. 

Martinsburg Roundhouse Center

Your visit to Martinsburg should begin at the Martinsburg Roundhouse Center. Whether or not you’re a train enthusiast, you will be fascinated by the history of the 1842 B&O roundhouse that brought Martinsburg to life and sustained the city after the Civil War decimated the region. It was burned by Confederate troops under Col. Stonewall Jackson in 1862 and again by vandals in 1990.

The complex consists of the West Roundhouse, East Roundhouse, Bridge & Machine Shop and the Frog & Switch Shop, which are rare and outstanding examples of their types, designed by the engineers of the B&O. It is the only cast iron framed roundhouse still standing in the world today.

The Berkeley County Commission is in the middle of a restoration that they hope will breathe new life into the area as a venue for holding a variety of events, including fairs and festivals. Right now they are holding fund-raising events there, such as the Roundhouse Rail Days, which will be held at the Frog & Switch Shop on Oct. 3 and 4. 

The commission just completed a pedestrian bridge that takes you over the tracks from the visitor center to the roundhouse. Tours are by appointment only.  For information, visit www.martinsburgroundhouse.com.

Downtown Martinsburg

You can walk from the roundhouse to Historic Downtown Martinsburg, along Queen Street. If you come on the first Saturday of the month (in season), you will enjoy strolling through three blocks of vendors, music, food, crafters, flea market and fun activities for the family. Be sure to notice the murals throughout the town as part of the town’s Vacant Window Project.

In April 2000, Eva and Francesco Visone heard of a shooting in Chevy Chase, Md., where they lived, near the Washington Zoo. “I’m going to find Small Town America,” Eva remembers telling her husband. And they did. Nine years later, they are the owners of Casa Visone, an elegant Italian restaurant at 120 N. Queen Street. The couple serves up delicious, homemade Italian cuisine. 

Belle Boyd House 

The Belle Boyd House was built in 1853 by Ben Boyd, father of the notorious Civil War spy, Isabella (Belle) Boyd, who evesdropped on Union soldiers and crossed enemy lines to deliver messages to leaders like Stonewall Jackson. A house she lived in at 126E. Race Street in Martinsburg is open to the public Mondays–Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In it, you find information on Belle and an eclectic mixture of local and Civil War-era memorabilia and artifacts. For information, visit www.bchs.org.

General Adam Stephen House

A trip to Martinsburg is not complete without visiting the home of Martinsburg’s founder, General Adam Stephen at 309 East John Street. Stephen provided leadership as a colonel in the French and Indian War and as a major-general during the American Revolution. He acquired the house on 225 acres in 1770. He operated a nearby mill, a distillery and an armory in what was to become the town of Martinsburg. 

The Adam Stephen House is furnished with antique pieces from the period of 1750–1830. Make sure to ask for a tour of the cellar (the cave entrance) in which there is a tunnel leading to downtown Martinsburg. 

In the adjacent Triple Brick Museum, there are many artifacts and memorabilia of the history of life in Old Martinsburg from the 1800s to the early 1900s. 

Cider Mill House B&B

Innkeepers Ed and Kat Cimaglio face a challenge when weary, stressed out guests visit their bed and breakfast in Hedgesville, W.Va., just a short drive from Martinsburg. Their challenge: How to loosen them up and help them relax during their stay. It’s not a hard thing to do at the Cider Mill House B&B at Willow Run Farms. Ed and Kat are warm and welcoming. 

 Cider Mill House, an original 200-year-old stone farmhouse, is the former family home of Kat Zinner Cimaglio. The house is carefully restored and beautifully decorated to reflect the 18th-century farmstead lifestyle. Period lodging rooms, most with private baths, are charming. 

Ed and Kat start your day off with a full gourmet breakfast of either homemade French toast, pancakes or a fancy omelette. Fresh fruit, rolls and pastries, hot tea and coffee, are among the many selections visitors will wake up to before enjoying the beauty of the farm. 

Cows, goats, guinea hens and wild turkeys dot the beautiful landscape. Activities include sitting on the front porch in a rocking chair, listening to the sounds of nature, walking on the three miles of hiking trails around the farm, swimming and breathing in fresh air. Come in, pull up a chair and sit a while! You’ll be glad you did.

For information, visit www.cidermillhouse.com.

For information on the Martinsburg-Berkeley County area, visit www.travelwv.com. 

Civil War battlefields have always been hallowed ground for visitors to learn about the history of our country. But, much of the drama of the war is usually left up to your imagination as you picture soldiers fighting and dying on the exact spot where you are standing. 

When visitors tour Gettysburg, they don’t have to picture the battle in their minds. The restoration of the Gettysburg National Military Park and the new Cyclorama bring the Civil War to life in dramatic ways and will make you appreciate this time in our American history. If you haven’t visited the park in a few years, it is a must-see for families, especially this year for the Lincoln bicentennial.

Cyclorama

The return of the Philippoteaux Cyclorama is worth the trip in itself. In September 2008, the 377-foot long, 42-foot high 3-D painting of “Pickett’s Charge,” which took place on July 3, 1863, was returned, and the newly restored Cyclorama, housed in the new Museum and Visitor Center, is larger than life. 

As visitors climb the stairs into the tower, they feel as if they are stepping back in time to July 3, 1863. As they overlook the battlefield on that day, it is frozen in time. Wait! Is it the battlefield or is it a painting? You turn around and round and won’t know where to look — it’s all so beautiful. 

However, as the audio narrated script begins, you hear the story of “Pickett’s Charge,” and the sound effects and lights that highlight portions of the 360-degree oil-on-canvas painting give the illusion of movement. Rocks, weapons and other objects in front of the painting bring a sense of depth. You will literally feel like you are part of that climactic Confederate attack on the Union center as the 47 scenes spring to life, putting you in the middle of the battle.

Completed and exhibited in 1884, it is one of the last surviving Cycloramas in the United States. 

Battlefield Tour

After viewing the Cyclorama in the new Museum and Visitor Center, you will feel as if you have already toured the battlefield. It seems easier to get your bearings as you view the 1,400 monuments and markers that dot the landscape of the 6,000-acre battlefield.

There are many ways to tour the battlefield. There are licensed battlefield guides, bus tours, Park Ranger-guided walking tours, and CDs for self-guided tours. You can pick the best way to see the battlefield. But it is all worth viewing. And be sure to bring your camera — the scenic rural Pennsylvania countryside is part of the experience.

Walking Tour of Gettysburg

In July 1863, citizens of Gettysburg watched as 163,000 soldiers waged battle for three days in their town and on their farm fields. Before the battle ended, many of their homes and churches became makeshift hospitals. Civil War-era buildings are marked by bronze plaques. As you walk the streets of Gettysburg and learn about how it recovered from the devastation of battle, you will gain a new appreciation for this town and its sturdy citizens. 

The best place to start is the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau at the David Wills House, 8 Lincoln Square, in downtown Gettysburg. 

The 1863 house just reopened in February as a visitor information center, part of the Gettysburg National Military Park. The museum includes seven galleries, including the restored office where prominent attorney David Wills coordinated post-battle recovery efforts and invited a war-worn President Lincoln to deliver “a few appropriate remarks” when he dedicated the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. These remarks became known as the Gettysburg Address.

Visitors will be able to see the restored second-floor bedroom where the President finished revising the Gettysburg Address on Nov. 18, 1864.

Farnsworth House Inn

One of the most fascinating and different experiences I’ve ever had is an evening at the Farnsworth House Mourning Theater, 401 Baltimore Street. Thinking it was a dinner theatre presentation, I was in for quite a surprise when our host came for us dressed in full 1860s funeral attire and took us to a dark, eerie decorated parlor with a casket in the corner. 

As we were seated, he explained that there was so much bloodshed and death in town during the battle that the Farnsworth House, noted as one of the most haunted inns in America, is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the brave soldiers who fought on both sides. Each dinner is dedicated to the memory of a slain soldier. 

The menu consists of foods that may have been served to mourners paying their respects to the family of a deceased loved one, whose body was laid out in the parlor. 

The host will explain the meaning behind a lot of funeral traditions we still observe today, like the reason flowers are sent — to cover up the smell of a decomposing body, which was laid out for three to four days to make sure the person was dead.

The house, originally built in 1810, was constructed by John McFarland. During the battle, the house sheltered Confederate sharpshooters, one of whom it is believed accidentally shot resident Jennie Wade, who died in the three-day struggle — the only civilian to be killed in the Battle of Gettysburg. There are more than 100 bullet holes in the south side of the building.

After the meal, there is a candlelight ghost walk to the cellar of the Farnsworth House, where you will hear tales by candlelight of phantom specters still believed to haunt the town and its battlefield. It will be a night you will never forget. For information, visit www.farnsworthhouseinn.com.

For more information on Gettysburg, visit www.gettysburg.travel.