Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center (SRMEC) will host its annual Memorial Candlelight Illumination tomorrow night, in conjunction with Legacy Weekend, a moving annual tradition that honors the lives touched by the Seminary Hospital during and after the Battle of Gettysburg.
The program is sponsored by Wellspan Health.
Since 2013, Legacy Weekend has commemorated the closure of the Seminary Hospital, which officially ceased operation on September 16, 1863, with the departure of its final patient, Lt. Col. George McFarland. This event is intended to remember the experiences of the physicians, attendants, and patients who occupied Schmucker Hall and the hospital complex which surrounded it.
Throughout the evening, seven hundred luminaria will line the historic tan bark path leading to Schmucker Hall, each one a solemn reminder of the soldiers who sought refuge within its walls, as well as those who labored tirelessly for their care.
“Legacy Weekend and the Candlelight Illumination invite us to reflect on the extraordinary human experiences, both of suffering and of service, that unfolded here in the summer of 1863,” said Rob Williams, Director of Outreach. “By remembering their names, we preserve their stories and honor their enduring legacy.”
Throughout the evening, names connected to the Seminary Hospital will be read. Additionally, on Friday evening and throughout Saturday, a living historian will present period military surgery demonstrations and interpretation on the experiences of a Civil War surgeon.
The event is open to the public, and all are welcome to walk the illuminated path, reflect on the solemn history of the site, and join in an evening of remembrance.
For more information about Legacy Weekend and Candlelight Illumination, or to sponsor a luminaria, please visit www.seminaryridgemuseum.org or contact Rob Williams at 717-339-1354 or rwilliams@seminaryridge.org.
