The holiday season is fast approaching, and why not start off your gift giving season with a little something for yourself! Receive a "Leader of Gettysburg" limited edition sculpture by Francis Barnum when you spend $250 or more in a single transaction in our store or by catalog order. Sculptures available are Hancock, Buford, Hood, Reynolds, Hill, & Meade. Pieces limited to availability. Offer valid November 15 - 25, 2007. 

Shaara Named A Keynote Speaker for Dedication Day

Special Appearance at Gift Center

Best-selling author Jeff Shaara is invited to Gettysburg to be one of the keynote speakers at the annual Dedication Day ceremony in honor of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  On November 19^th 2007, Shaara, along with Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, will address the crowd at the Soldier's National Cemetery just as Abraham Lincoln did 144 years ago.  The Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania hosts the event each year and strives to find speakers who can commemorate the anniversary of the address fittingly and evocatively.  Shaara will join an elite list of previous speakers such as Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Shelby Foote, Lynne V. Cheney, General Colin Powell, and most recently Tom Brokaw.  Shaara will also be on hand to present The Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction, given in honor of his father, the author of the novel, The Killer Angels.

In addition to the appearance at the Dedication Day Ceremony, Shaara will be making two appearances at the Gift Center.  He will be on hand to meet visitors and autograph copies of his books on November 18^th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and November 19^th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. He is in the process of writing the second volume of the World War II trilogy that started with, The Rising Tide. The second book, which at this time does not have a title, will begin in England, in early 1944, move through the invasion of Normandy, and the extraordinary action beyond. This latest publication has been scheduled for release in June 2008 to coincide with the anniversary of D-Day. 

All of Jeff Shaara's books will be available for purchase at the Gift Center prior to his appearance and throughout the week.  If you are interested in purchasing a book, orders can be placed by visiting the Gift Center's website at www.GettysburgMuseum.com. Books can be personalized and shipped after Shaara's appearance.

Andrew Chernak to Release Drummer Boy; Completes Bronze Commission

Artist and historian Andrew Chernak will be in Gettysburg on November 17^th to release his latest figure, The Drummer, during the annual Remembrance Day observance. Chernak, who has been extremely busy with commissioned work, is excited to release this latest sculpture of an Irish Brigade drummer boy at the Battle of Fredericksburg. The cost of the piece is $60 and is an edition limit of 500 pieces.  This is the final pewter sculpture he will release in 2007. Chernak will be appearing at the Gift Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Remembrance Day and will be available to meet visitors and autograph sculptures. 

As the year draws to a close, Chernak is ever busy completing commissioned projects that span throughout the country, in addition to continually working on the Gold Star Mothers National Monument that will reside in our nation's capital.  Recently he completed two monuments,"The Battlefield Cross", in bronze.  They are life-sized replicas of his pewter sculpture, Freedom's Sacrifice. One monument resides in Veterans Memorial Park in Dixon, Il. and the other at the Alaska Veteran Memorial in Anchorage, AK. Pewter sculptures of Freedom's Sacrifice (Vietnam), Freedom's Price (D-Day 1944) and Freedom is Not Free (911), are available for purchase at the Gift Center.  Each sculpture is $95 and a limited edition piece.

Although he devotes much of his time to the bronze statuary he is commissioned to produce, he still pursues his passion for Civil War pewter sculpture.  Chernak's attention to detail is undisputed and second to none.  Over the course of the year, Chernak has produced three Civil War pewter sculptures.  His 8^th annual event miniature, The Bugler, was released in April along with, A New York Yankee, the first of a two-sculpture set that portrays Union soldiers enjoying what little free time they had playing baseball. In July, The Pitcher, the companion piece to A New York Yankee was released. 

Lucy Cadwallader has a unique way of reaching across time and tying families together.  Through the art of Victorian hair jewelry, Lucy is able to take the hair of loved ones and create intricate pieces of jewelry.  Jewelry of all kinds such as bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and brooches can be created using human, horse or synthetic hair.

Hair jewelry can be dated back to the 1500's. These early pieces were worn to remind people of their mortality. Over the years, hair jewelry has gone in and out of style as many fashions do.  The meaning and symbolism has also changed over time and the jewelry is now a means to keep loved ones close to us. At the time of the American Civil War, hair jewelry became popular once more as women wore the hair of husbands and sons in brooches and lockets, while soldiers may have a watch chain made from the hair of a loved one back at home. 

The painstaking process of creating a piece of hair jewelry can take anywhere from 8-10 hours or days depending on the size and detail of the piece. The process begins by sorting the hair, counting the hair, and then tying the strands into groups.  From there the work is done on a circular table with the findings being attached after the piece is set.

Every clasp and setting of Rebecca Marie Jewelry comes with a touch of history. Jewelry maker, Becky Schmehl, has always had a love of jewelry, especially antique pieces.

 "I felt I needed my own creative outlet, and jewelry seemed to be the perfect choice," states Becky.

By using antique settings to re-create jewelry of a by-gone era, Becky is able to pass a bit of history on to her customers. Every piece of jewelry is hand-set by Becky. She works very hard to use colors and settings that suit a variety of styles.

Fashion is constantly changing, and over the years antique and Victorian jewelry has been revived and becoming more of a trend. Becky strives to make her pieces look tasteful and elegant, yet be reasonably priced.

"My goal is to make jewelry that has the look of age, but is affordable to everyone."  

Jewelry can also be customized at your request.  Most pieces can be done while you wait!   Becky Schmehl will be appearing at the Gift Center Saturday, November 17^th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in conjunction with the Remembrance Day observance.  For more information visit our website at www.GettysburgMuseum.com

Annual Nancy Wilkins Remembrance Day Bake Sale Benefits American Cancer Society

Looking for some hot coffee, tasty treats, or healthy snacks?  Look no further!  The annual Nancy Wilkins Remembrance Day Bake Sale hosted by the Gift Center will once again be set up for the Remembrance Day observance on Saturday, November 17^th.  All proceeds benefit the local American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event. 

Over the years the bake sale has grown and become a Remembrance Day tradition.  The growth and success of the sale is largely due to the help of Terria Chernak, wife of sculptor Andrew Chernak.  Over the past three years since Terria began coordinating the sale, the proceeds have multiplied exponentially! The amount of time and energy Terria devotes to the event is remarkable.  She spends months planning the sale and gathering donations, not to mention recruiting help for the event. 

The American Civil War Museum and Gettysburg Gift Center website has a new look and a new home on the world wide web!  After much planning and a lot of work, GettysburgMuseum.com went live on August 28, 2007.  Visit our site today and see how easy it is to navigate, find the products you want, and see what we have to offer! We're constantly adding new products to our online store so stop back and visit us frequently! Can't find something?  Send us an email, we'll do our best to locate the product you want! Our goal is to make your visit with us, whether it be online or in person, memorable yet effortless.  

Make sure to visit us at our new home on the web at www.GettysburgMuseum.com

Gift Center Official Bookseller for Lincoln Forum

The Gettysburg Gift Center has a number of events taking place over the next few months. Make sure you mark your calendar for these special events!

December 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 2007

6:30 p.m.  - Live Nativity hosted by the Gift Center.

July 4, 5, & 6, 2008 - 145th Gettysburg Anniversary Reenactment

Events will take place all weekend at the Gift Center and throughout town. 

August 9 & 10, 2008

Francis Barnum's 80th Birthday Bash - Join the Gettysburg Gift Center in celebrating Francis Barnum's 80^th Birthday!  Come and enjoy a weekend of fun, laughs, and walks down memory lane!

Most weekends, March to November, Living History encampments and presentations. Free and open to the public.