What a full week the conference will be. As the state’s most popular family tourist destination, there is plenty to see and do in Gettysburg. Monday will feature an optional pre-conference tour of the Eisenhower National Historic Site, Ike and Mamie’s home and farm. Following this tour and the annual LHA Board of Directors meeting, the opening banquet will take place at our host hotel, the Eisenhower Hotel & Conference Center.
Tuesday morning, it’s on the bus early for a full day of touring the Lincoln Highway west of Gettysburg. This tour, coordinated by former LHA Director-at-Large Olga Herbert, promises to be packed with iconic sites along the way. You’ll visit the Coffee Pot in Bedford, the Lincoln Motor Court, and the site of the SS Grand View Point Hotel (the Ship Hotel), from which one can see three states and seven counties on a clear day! Lunch will be hosted by Olga at the Lincoln Highway Experience Museum near Latrobe. The tour will visit the Flight 93 National Memorial, one of the historic crash sites on September 11, 2001. And of course you will see the many murals, concrete posts, and pieces of roadside architecture which make a road trip on Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Highway so special. The evening will feature a meal at the hotel, followed by a speaker and social time in the bookroom.
Following a long day on the bus Tuesday, the Wednesday trip will be a bit more relaxing as the tour heads east from Gettysburg. Coordinated by former LHA Pennsylvania director Mindy Crawford, the buses will visit the historic cities of York and Lancaster before lunch and an afternoon in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, with stops in such interesting villages as Bird-In-Hand and Intercourse. And certainly, no Lincoln Highway tour would be complete without a visit to the famous Haines Shoe House. You will return early enough to allow you to “do the town” of Gettysburg Wednesday evening. Everyone is encouraged to venture downtown to walk the streets, visit the shops, and experience the flavor of this great Civil War town. Horse-drawn carriage rides are available for those who would rather ride than walk. And for those who are a bit daring, maybe a ghost tour will be a part of your evening plans!
Rest up for Thursday, another busy day. Only one more full day left, and there’s lots more to see and do! After breakfast, several seminars will offer insight on the area and happenings concerning the Lincoln Highway. Then it’s back on the bus for a short ride to the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center. There, you will tour the museum and visit the famous Cyclorama, a painting in the round from the 1880s that depicts the climax of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg. Following lunch, we’ll again board the buses for an afternoon tour of the park with a licensed battlefield guide, certainly a highlight of the week. The day will conclude with the closing banquet and awards presentation, honoring those who have contributed so much to this organization over the past year.
It’s now Friday, the final day of a busy conference week. There will be a breakfast buffet, followed by the annual membership meeting before good-byes are said, many lasting for another year. For some, it means a drive to the city of Cumberland, Maryland and the optional post-conference tour on the Historic National Road and Route 66. More information on this tour is available at the tour’s official web site.
To join us at the 24th Annual LHA Conference, simply download the registration form, complete it and send it in as instructed. This registration includes the conference meals and activities, excluding lodging. As in any popular tourist area, there are many hotels, motels, bed and breakfast venues and campgrounds nearby from which to choose.
For your convenience and best value, we have reserved a block of 60 rooms at our host hotel, the Eisenhower Hotel & Conference Center, for nights beginning Monday, June 13, and departing Friday, June 17. These rooms have 2 queen or 1 king-sized bed, and are available at a special conference rate which includes daily breakfast of $99 per night (plus tax) by contacting the hotel directly at (717) 334-8121. Be sure to mention the Lincoln Highway Conference to secure this special rate. These rooms are available until May 13, 2016, but don’t wait to reserve yours, as they will certainly fill up fast. The Conference Center is located at 2634 Emmitsburg Road (Business Route 15), south of town and the military park.
The Borough of Gettysburg is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 30 and 15 in south central Pennsylvania. Nearby airports are located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (45 minutes); Baltimore, Maryland; and Washington, D.C. (both 90 minutes).
Don’t miss the opportunity to attend this conference. Make this the start of your 2016 summer vacation. Gettysburg awaits!
— Jim Cassler
2016 Conference Chairman