On Saturday, May 11th the Monterey Pass battlefield will officially be added to the Civil War Trails program. This multi-state program offers over 1,500 sites across six states for travelers but not many Civil War stories are ready for prime time. “It is a story Netflix would be proud to produce but for now we are so pleased to premier it as part of the Civil War Trails program,” said Janet Pollard, Executive Director of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau. The project was the result of the hard work and dedication of the Friends of Monterey Pass Battlefield.
The new sign will be officially unveiled on May 11th, at 11995 Furnace Road at 1 PM “We are so excited to be joining the Civil War Trails program,” said Lee Royer, Chairman of the Friends of Monterey Pass Board of Directors. Lee continued, “We are especially pleased to not only attract new audiences who might already know the Gettysburg Campaign story but doing it through the eyes of a young woman caught up in the midst of the battle.”
While over 740,000 visitors explored Gettysburg National Military Park in 2023 not many likely know of the incredible Civil War battle which occurred just a few miles to the south and only 24 hours after the Battle of Gettysburg. Janet Pollard, continued, “Monterey Pass is an incredible story of a harrowing retreating during a tumultuous thunderstorm, across a mountain under cannon fire and a teenage heroine.” The new Civil War Trails sign focuses on the story of a 17 year old woman who helped lead the United States soldiers to victory.
Each Civil War Trails site around the nation is promoted internationally helping to encourage travelers to stand in the footsteps of the famous and lesser-known Civil War sites. According to the Civil War Trails staff not only is the program experiencing more growth now than during the Civil War Sesquicentennial but their visitors are getting younger. Drew Gruber, Executive Director of Civil War Trails, Inc. said, “Stories like this one help not only bring out the audience who thinks they’ve seen or heard it all already as well as the younger travelers who get really excited about personal stories.”
The Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum and Park preserves over 220 acres of battlefield offering hiking trails, a scenic overlook, guided tours, events, programs, and more. The Museum is open every weekend from April to October. For more information visit www.montereypassbattlefield.org. The new Civil War Trails sign is located at 11995 Furnace Rd., Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Be sure to snap a #signselfie and post it along with #franklincountypa.