“To Ponder and Dream”: Gettysburg’s Conflict Heritage and Cultural Constructions of History in its Museums

Authors

Camryn Counsil, Gettysburg CollegeFollow

Class Year

2025

Document Type

Student Research Paper

Date of Creation

Spring 2025

Department 1

Anthropology

Abstract

After providing brief historical context and a review of relevant literature, this paper analyzes four overarching concerns that inform the work of Gettysburg’s museums and historical organizations: ensuring commercial success, including underrepresented stories without alienating visitors, balancing scholarly and emotional approaches, and acknowledging the larger political implications of their choices. Using an anthropological approach, this work shows how these larger economic, social, and political concerns influence the construction of history and memory in a conflict heritage site like Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Comments

Written for ANTH 400: Capstone Experience in Anthropology

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Counsil, Camryn, "“To Ponder and Dream”: Gettysburg’s Conflict Heritage and Cultural Constructions of History in its Museums" (2025). Student Publications. 1158.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/1158