The Round Top Museum was a Gettysburg Battlefield visitor attraction established by John H. Rosensteel in 1888 on the north foot of Little Round Top[1] near the Round Top Station and northeast of the Wheatfield Road and Grand Central Avenue (now Sedgwick Av) intersection. The museum of Battle of Gettysburg artifacts was in Rosensteel's 1884 frame home[2] and served as the "Round Top inn"[3] restaurant/small hotel.[4] On the east side of the residence, construction began in March 1902[2] for a "dancing pavilion" lit with acetelyne lamps that opened on May 25, 1902.[5] A 1906 hop was held at the "Little Round Top Hotel",[3] the "Round Top dance pavilion" was the site of a 1918 fire[4] and a 1925 stabbing,[6] and picnics at Rosensteel Park were held as late as 1957.[5] The facility also included a store where a Camp Renaissance CCC worker committed a theft in 1936.[6]

The Round Top Museum and the 1921 Rosensteel electric map museum on Cemetery Ridge were owned by the Gettysburg National Museum corporation until 1964,[7] and the Round Top Museum became part of the Gettysburg National Military Park in 1971 which used the building as an environmental resource center until it was demolished c. 1982.[8] Part of the museum's collection is in the GNMP's set of 43,000 American Civil War artifacts displayed in the 2008 Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center.[7]

References

  1. ^ Platt, Barbara (November 15, 2007). "Rosensteels could buy naming rights". As our readers see it. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  2. ^ "Improvements". Out of the Past: 100 Years Ago. May 7, 1985. Retrieved 2011-02-24. About 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon the stable of Mr. George Englebert, on Seminary ridge, took fire…"
  3. ^ "Rotarians are Hosts to Ladies Monday Evening". February 12, 1935. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
  4. ^ "Story of Old Trolley Line Told to Club". April 30, 1952. Retrieved 2011-02-26. NOTE: North of the Round Top station on the Round Top Branch was the Hancock Station near the battlefield's Vermont Memorial on Grand Central Avenue ("Hancock" Av by 1886).[1]
  5. ^ "Local Miscellany". Out of the Past: Twenty-Five Years Ago. May 25, 1927. Retrieved 2011-02-18. The G. A. R. band gave a very enjoyable concert in the Diamond last Friday evening and "the next day it rained." … The dancing pavilion recently erected by John Rosensteel at Round Top was formally opened Friday evening. The floor was beautifully illuminated with acetylene lamps.
  6. ^ "Two Are Stabbed in Cutting Affray…". September 15, 1925. Retrieved 2011-02-24.
  7. ^ Miller, Bernard V (May 19, 1971). "Action to Quiet Title to the Heirs…of Margaret E. Rosensteel". Legal Notices. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  8. ^ "Nature Study Areas Are Set For Park Here". December 28, 1971. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
    "Two Special Park Walks This Summer". July 5, 1973. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
    De Blasi, Nancy (June 11, 1982). "Draft of park plan will be printed soon". Retrieved 2011-01-26.
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