Antietam National Battlefield — Attraction in Shepherdstown

The little brother to Gettysburg is often overshadowed and overlooked but is well worth it. The park sits just outside of Sharpsburg, just a bit south of I-70 and a bit east of I-81, signage off of both and on the roads leading clearly marked. So getting to it from either DC or Baltimore isn't much of a hassle. Parking looks like it could be an issue on days where they could be really busy, but for the sunday afternoon i went, with perfect weather, i didn't have any issues finding a space.

The main parking area sits just outside of the visitors center, which i can't say much on being i have yet to step a foot in it. Right from the get your within spitting distance of several monuments and battlefield sites. But don't let this fool you, this park is expansive. I would recommend getting a map from visitor center. The main tour is a self guided auto tour, you'll see the blue markers around the roadways. Don't stay in your car the whole time ,get out and explore the sites and monuments. There are also a number of trails that run though the park, many of which are interconnected. Most will run you though parts of the battlefield, while others (like the farm trails) will take you more into the wilderness areas along Antietam Creek.

Speaking of the wilderness, don't think Antietam is all about the battle. This is a great spot for enjoying nature in Western Maryland. The views from many of the high points of the park into the surrounding areas are stunning. On top of it, there is a lot, and i mean a lot of wildlife to observe. A number of species of butterflies pass through or are residents of the parks. Not uncommon to see dear or rabbit as well. Also a number of bird species, all of which the Park Service can help you out in identifying. But the most ubiquitous furry creature is the groundhog, and you will see many of them in the summer. If you see a big hole in the ground somewhere, it's more than likely a groundhog burrow.

One of the big things i like about Antietam as opposed to Gettysburg is that the area surrounding it isn't significantly developed. Not a number of hotels, resorts, shops, and related things. The area has kept its small town, Western Maryland, rural character. With that, i would also recommend checking out the small (and i do mean small) town of Sharpsburg if you have a chance, it's right adjacent to the park. The town is quaint and small with a couple of shops and taverns on the main drags. Your also not to far away from Shepherdstown, Boonsboro, Williamsport, and Hagerstown (it being the largest of the...

Somehow Gettysburg is free, but it costs $10 a person to enter here. The NPS recently finished a remodel of the visitor's center, but failed to put in more parking so be prepared to park in muddy grass depending on the timing of your visit. After paying your fee you can watch a 30 minute film in which you will hear which battalions advanced where and when with absolutely no context.

There is a tiny two-room 'museum' from which all artifacts have been removed. Apparently there was a waterleak in Sept 2023, but as of end of May 2024 the park still had somehow been unable to rectify the situation. Behold your admission fee at work!

A park program was held at noon on the day of our visit. Hoping to get more context for the battle and its importance, etc we attended only to find the talk was being given by an intern who recited the exact same material as the film (battle movements without context, no reasons why decisions were made, why it was important, etc.) Except with greater difficulty remembering names and events. There is a difference between spouting facts and interpreting events and we got a lot of the former.

On the content of the 'museum', you can very much tell this is a post 2020 project. Almost 90% of the small space is devoted to slavery. There are many historical sites in which to learn about the atrocities of slavery , and while it definitely should be mentioned here, I found myself appalled by the almost complete lack of museum space given to the literally THOUSANDS of men who died on this very site in the war which would abolish it. You will not learn one thing about even a single man who sacrificed his life that day. Men are reduced to numbers and locations. On one prominant display one man figure actually represents 50 real men. These sad souls do not even get an individual figure to represent their pain and suffering.

In the end you will leave with a feeling of disgust for what feels like a barbaric and absolutely pointless battle, in which neither side accomplished anything but the murder and maiming of thousands of healthy young men. Perhaps an appropriate lesson to take...

We had talked about going to Antietam for years and finally decided it was time. We stayed at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn because of its strong historical ties to the area and to the battlefield. Through the Inn, we opted to see Antietam with a guide, one of the smarter things we have done.

Why? Because this Battlefield is vast. Dr. Schildt, a medical doctor and author of books about Antietam, gave us a perspective of the different sectors along with backstories that we could not have gotten otherwise. He answered our many questions patiently and fully. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with him and are grateful for the knowledge he shared.

There is a self-guided driving tour with markers along the route with shallow pull-offs so you can get out of the car and walk to the monument or field or building. If you see an upside-down cannon, it means that's where a general was either killed or mortally wounded. There are a ton of informational plaques all along the roads and trails.

My favourite story was of a colonel who had befriended a dog who came into the camp. Sadly, both the man and the dog were killed in a battle. They were buried together, just as they fell. Many years later, a lady bought a farmhouse nearby and kept getting calls at night that her dog had gotten loose. Turned out the dog was visiting the grave of the officer and the dog.

If you want to visit every single feature of Antietam, it will take several days. There are miles of trails and even more miles of roads. There are so many plaques to read as well as the inscriptions on the numerous monuments. We were satisfied with a more abbreviated approach.

The visitor' centre is large, well-staffed and filled with exhibits as well as the requisite gift shop. Unfortunately for us, many artifacts had been removed due to recent flooding. There is a large observation area on the top floor, giving a sweeping overview of that part of the Battlefield.

i will add that the National Park pass we bought several years ago turned out to be a real help. If you have a pass, it's good not only for yourself but also 3 other...