The National Park Service must balance land use with preservation, Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent Steve Sims told the Rotary Club of Gettysburg Monday.
Sims took charge of the historic park in January 2019 after a tumultuous few years that included the reassignment of former Superintendent Ed Clark and numerous acting or substitutes filling the position. A little more than two months into his new position, the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Sims acknowledged many changes have occurred at the park since he arrived, primarily because his predecessors were permitting events that were not allowed by law.
Heavily-armed members of the public who claimed they were protecting the park and National Cemetery from supposed flag burners that law enforcement officials previously determined to be a hoax surrounded Gettysburg on July 4, 2020.
“We did our best to keep the peace and I think we did,” Sims said.
The stressful day led to a review of the park’s rules.
Sims said state law permits the open carry of firearms, so that could not have been prevented. The park’s control lies in when events can occur in the cemetery.
The Superintendent’s Compendium, a list of rules Sims must follow, states events can only be held in Gettysburg National Military Park on Armed Forces Day on the third Saturday of May, Flag Day on June 14, the Battle of Gettysburg Anniversary on July 1 – 3, Independence Day on July 4, National Park Service Birthday on Aug. 23, National POW-MIA Recognition Day on Sept. 16, Dedication Day in November, Remembrance Day on Nov. 19, and Pearl Harbor Day on Dec. 7. The events must recognize the day’s significance.
This forced Sims to tell the Masonic Lodge, Gettysburg College, and the Sgt. Mac Foundation that long-standing traditions in the National Cemetery could not occur. Sims said the Masons and college accepted his changes, but he received much pushback from the Sgt. Mac Foundation wreath-laying program and its supporters. The Sgt. Mac Foundation is allowed to lay wreaths, Sims said, but its ceremony must be held outside of the cemetery.
“It is very important to honor our veterans,” he said. “I am a veteran and I have friends who are veterans.”
The ceremony was allowed in 2021 while rules were being reviewed but would have been likely denied this year if Sgt. Mac Foundation applied for a permit. The foundation has announced it will not lay wreaths in Gettysburg this year but plan to continue the tradition in Quantico National Cemetery.
Sims has also outlawed competitive sporting events from being held on park land.
Sims also discussed the park’s ongoing preservation efforts, the largest occurring at Devil’s Den and Little Round Top. Devil’s Den reopened last week with new walkways, which have been received with “mixed reviews,” Sims said. Little Round Top closed in July and will remain so through 2023. The park is installing four new bus parking spots, doubling the amount of wheelchair-accessible pathways, and adding viewing platforms so generations can learn and appreciate the area.
“We are in the forever business,” Sims said.
Sometimes, other creatures compete with the park’s goal of preserving lands as they were in 1863. Beavers near Devil’s Den are a current challenge, Sims said. Park policy states the beavers must be allowed to continue to build dams if they are not harming monuments or visitors.
“Until then, they continue to be our friendly, furry friends,” he said.
Sims also discussed ongoing controversies over monuments that tell the stories of Confederate soldiers and units. The park’s website, www.nps.gov/gett, tells the history and purpose behind each of the Confederate monuments.
“It is a way for the public to read for themselves the facts behind these monuments,” Sims said.
The superintendent acknowledged misinformation is challenging, and he appreciated the Rotary Club invitation and viewed it as a step toward building public trust and understanding of his job and the park’s goals.
“I actually don’t have a lot of discretionary authority,” he said.
Featured image: Rotary Club of Gettysburg President Mike Hanson, left, poses with Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent Steve Sims after the Oct. 3 Rotary meeting. (Photo by Alex J. Hayes)
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.
It’s just a shame that the National Park Service has only rarely tried to understand that this is a functioning community as well as a historic site.