October 27, 2003

Road Trip - Day 23: Harrisburg, PA

On The Road Again...

We got an early start this morning, checking out of the Conwell Inn before 10 a.m. (That's pretty good for us!) It was raining as we left Philly, and rained off and on all day.

As we were driving out of the city, Joel had to stop by the Philadelphia Museum of Art where the infamous steps are that were in the first Rocky movie. Of course the statue was not there, as in the movie. Apparently that was a Hollywood "trick", as it resides somewhere else in the city. Joel was very disappointed that we didn't get a photo of him at the top of the steps with his arms raised triumphantly in true "Rocky Balboa" form. (I suppose we'll just have to use our imaginations on that one!) ;-)

Anyway, the drive to Hershey, PA, our first stop of the day, was uneventful except for the rain. At times it was pouring pretty hard. The trees along the highway were beautiful, and would have been more so had they not been rain drenched.

The Pennsylvania countryside was completely charming. There were numerous dairy farms along the road. Each one sat perfectly groomed on a sprawling acreage complete with rolling hills and barns and silos. The farmhouses themselves were wonderful old homes, with peeked roofs and large porches and lots of windows. Each farm looked as though its photo belonged on a wall calendar. (I caught myself wishing we had more time to explore the area and maybe do some antiquing....)

Hershey's Chocolate World

On the way through Hershey (the town) we stopped at Applebee's for lunch. We figured it would be wise to feed the kids before taking them to chocolate world....

Hershey's Chocolate World was reminiscent of Disney World, though on a much smaller scale. They have an amusement park on the grounds, but it wasn't open. Chocolate World was enough however! When we entered the building we were immediately met with the unmistakable aroma of chocolate. The kids were so excited I thought their eyes were going to pop! We took a Disney-esque "ride" through a virtual tour of the chocolate-making process. The tour started with a little history about Milton Hershey, the founder of Hershey's Chocolate, then told the story of making chocolate, starting with the rainforests where the cocoa beans are harvested. It was very informative. I never realized how much was involved in making a chocolate bar from "scratch"! Upon exiting the ride we make a b-line for the food court where they had all kinds of cookies, snacks, bakery treats, and ice cream--plus regular food as well. Joel spotted a chocolate cake of which he had to have a piece. Jenna, Zach, and I went for the ice cream. The ice cream was okay, but of course the toppings were first-rate Hershey: their version of M&M's for Zach, and Heath Bar for Jenna and me. Meanwhile Joel was in heaven with his mammoth piece of "real" chocolate cake!

While we were eating our ice cream, Zach mentioned his best friend, Ryan, so I handed him my cell phone and let him give Ryan a call. (Hey, if you can't share special moments like "Hershey's Chocolate World" with your best friend, what's the point?)

By the time we finished our desserts we were all pretty wired on chocolate. We did a little souvenir shopping while we waited for the 3-D movie to start. We got some postcards, Jenna and I each got some mini-playing cards, and I bought a water bowl for Socrates. (The bowl we brought for him is way too small.)

The 3-D movie was loads of fun. I would actually call it a 4-D movie: when they squirted water in the film, we got squirted. We also got "snowed" on, and later they dropped bubbles and streamers on us, all in sync with the movie.

We didn't have time to linger at Hershey since the National Civil War Museum (our second stop for the day) would be closing at 5 p.m. Fortunately, the museum was located just a few minutes away in the city of Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania.

The National Civil War Museum

Joel and I were pretty excited about the National Civil War Museum. It is hailed as the most comprehensive museum on the subject, and one that prides itself in being neutral where the sensitive issues of that war are concerned. And we were not disappointed.

Each area of the museum was devoted to a specific time of the war, beginning with the slave trade, then moving on to the event at Fort Sumter where the first shots were fired. Then section by section details of the war were explained, such as the military equipment, strategies, commanders, etc. of both sides, and so on. Within each area there was a television screen (or series of them) upon which were dramatized the lives of two fictional families and how their lives were affected by the war. For example, in one family there were three brothers: one fought for the north, another for the south, and the third chose to remain neutral, moving to California for the duration of the war. As we moved through the museum, we were able to follow these characters from before they actually left home to the aftermath of the war. One brother was injured, another killed, and the one that went to California returned home only to be treated as a coward and was disowned even by some in his family. The dramatization drove home to us the impact this "civil" war had on real families of the time. As we watched the re-enactment of the battle at Gettysburg, we talked about how brothers fighting on opposite sides might actually have fought in that battle over those three days. A very sobering though indeed.

The first exhibits focused on slavery were completely fascinating, as were all the others. They had actual artifacts of the period, such as neck and leg shackles, a cat-of-nine tails, and clothes worn by slaves. In this area, they also had wax figures of slaves carrying on a conversation. One of them spoke of how his wife had been sold the day before, and how he feared he would never see her again. It was all very moving.

A later exhibit displayed Ulysses S. Grant's own personal trunk, and there was an exhibit in the Lincoln area containing a swatch of the dress Mary Lincoln wore to the theater the night her husband was shot. They also had an actual bronzed face-mask of Lincoln (see note below), reportedly cast just a few weeks before he was assassinated. (Sadly, the eyes had been left untouched, so that important feature distracted from the rest.) It was an incredible feeling, however, to stand there in front of an almost exact replica of his face and head. The inscription below it mentioned one person's view of the mask, saying it clearly showed the "peace that passeth all understanding..."

(Note re: face mask of Lincoln: The photo I found online (above) was a plaster cast of the original bronze one done prior to Lincoln's death. However there is some confusion about the date the cast was taken. According to the National Civil War Museum --to the best of my memory-- the cast was done just a few weeks prior to his death. The web site showing the photo above said it was done in 1860 before the war, which would make sense as he is not very weathered and he has no beard. There is a different mask shown on that same site that was said to have been done just a couple of months before his death. It shows a marked change in his features, plus it shows him with a beard, so I'm thinking the website is correct and the museum is mistaken.)

Gratitude and Grace

Joel and I had just been talking this morning about how to help our children come to grips with liberty and all its benefits, to truly understand it, and to appreciate it. I'm not sure this museum achieved that, but if it didn't, it just isn't going to happen at this young age. Our hope, however, is that they will remember some of the things they saw and experienced today (and throughout this trip), and that in time, they will come to be truly grateful for the freedom they have and for the lives that were lost to attain it and to preserve this great country with all its freedoms.

As we continue on this month-long trip, the significance of our history becomes increasingly more poignant and meaningful to us. I, personally, have gained a deeper appreciation for my freedom and for those brave and daring souls who have gone before us to form, to protect, and to preserve this great United States of America. What a precious and unexpected gift...! Truly, God has laid His hand upon this nation. May He continue to "shed His grace on thee...from sea to shining sea."

Tomorrow we are planning to visit Gettysburg on our way to Washington, D.C. I'm hoping the rain will subside so we can experience it more fully.