Monterey Pass’s Civil War Story Is Netflix Worthy
On Saturday, May 11 the Monterey Pass battlefield was officially added to the Civil War Trails program. This multi-state program offers more than 1,500 sites across six states for travelers, but not many Civil War stories are ready for prime time.
“It is a story Netflix would be proud to produce, but for now we are so pleased to premier it as part of the Civil War Trails program,” said Janet Pollard, executive director of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The project was the result of the hard work and dedication of the Friends of Monterey Pass Battlefield.
“We are so excited to be joining the Civil War Trails program,” said Lee Royer, chair of the Friends of Monterey Pass Board of Directors. “We are especially pleased to not only attract new audiences who might already know the Gettysburg Campaign story, but doing it through the eyes of a young woman caught up in the midst of the battle.”
While more 740,000 visitors explored Gettysburg National Military Park in 2023, not many likely know of the incredible Civil War battle that occurred just a few miles to the south and only 24 hours after the battle of Gettysburg. “Monterey Pass is an incredible story of a harrowing retreat during a tumultuous thunderstorm, across a mountain under cannon fire, and a teenage heroine,” Pollard said. The new Civil War Trails sign focuses on the story of 17-year-old Hetty Zeilinger, who helped lead the United States soldiers to victory.
The Monterey Pass Battlefield Museum and Park preserves more than 220 acres of battlefield, offering hiking trails, a scenic overlook, guided tours, events, programs, and more. The museum is open every weekend from April to October. For more information, visit www.montereypassbattlefield.org. The new Civil War Trails sign is located at 11995 Furnace Road, Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. Be sure to snap a #signselfie and post it along with #franklincountypa.
Each Civil War Trails site around the nation is promoted internationally, helping to encourage travelers to stand in the footsteps of the famous and lesser-known Civil War sites. According to the Civil War Trails staff, not only is the program experiencing more growth now than during the Civil War Sesquicentennial, but their visitors are getting younger. Drew Gruber, executive director of Civil War Trails Inc. said, “Stories like this one help not only bring out the audience who thinks they’ve seen or heard it all already as well as the younger travelers who get really excited about personal stories.”
