Class Year
2019
Document Type
Blog Post
Publication Date
8-10-2018
Department 1
Civil War Institute
Abstract
This post is part of a series featuring behind-the-scenes dispatches from our Pohanka Interns on the front lines of history this summer as interpreters, archivists, and preservationists. See here for the introduction to the series.
Antietam National Battlefield’s venerable Dunker Church stands out today as one of the battlefield’s most recognizable landmarks. While visitors to the park commonly seek it out as a place to explore today, the church has held several different meanings for those who have interacted with it over the years. These varying perspectives on the simple white brick structure provide great insight into how material objects influenced the attitudes and beliefs of historical actors. Across the decades, the Dunker Church has remained a key object in this regard, even as its meaning has changed depending upon the viewpoint of the beholder. [excerpt]
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Bilger, Ryan, "Antietam’s Dunker Church: Meaning in the Viewpoint of the Beholder" (2018). The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History. 299.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/compiler/299
Comments
This blog post originally appeared in The Gettysburg Compiler and was created by students at Gettysburg College.