On the evening of Friday, September 12, Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center (SRMEC) will once again host a Candlelight Illumination. This year the event is 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.
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 year’s event returns to the spirit of the original occasion, expanding the remembrance beyond patients to include the physicians and attendants who cared for them inside Schmucker Hall.
Beginning at 7:00 p.m., 700 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; Marching Still, a musical tribute to American Civil War poetry, will perform; and SRMEC will host a Living Museum within the exhibits.
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.
Community members are invited to take part by sponsoring a luminaria in memory of an individual. For just $25, participants may sponsor the name of a patient, attendant, or physician connected to the Seminary Hospital, or dedicate a light in memory of someone meaningful in their own lives.
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.