Electric Map Opens In Hanover, Penn.

By Leon Reed · Originally published August 2016 · p. 9

HANOVER, Pa.—After a fouryear project that involved asbestos removal, replacing seven miles of wires and nearly 1,000 lights, and completely reprogramming the show, the popular Electric Map has reopened in nearby Hanover. The map was a prominent feature of the old Rosensteel Museum, which was later the Visitor Center, on Taneytown Road. Its last public show in Gettysburg was in 2008. In 2012, the map was sold at auction to Hanover businessman Scott Roland. The organizers didn’t have any engineering schematics of the original wiring. They had to rely on their own knowledge of the battle and a single video of one of the later shows to understand which lights had to be lit to match the script. The map opened to the public on June 3rd. At a reception the night before the opening, Roland stated “It’s in at least as good a shape as it was at the last public performance at old Visitor Center. We will keep working on it.” Roland hopes the map will become the centerpiece of a new conference center he is developing in Hanover. He and his executive director, Marc Charisse, former editor of the local newspaper, are also hopeful that it will draw tourists from Gettysburg,

12 miles away, to visit Hanover. “If we only draw 5% of the visitors, that’s 50,000 people a year,” said Roland. Richard Rock, a park volunteer who works at the Visitor Center front desk, said “We have had a lot of visitors asking about the map. It’s nice to be able to have brochures and to be able to tell them it’s back in operation.” For now, the show uses a recorded script from the old show at the national park visitor center, supplemented by additional narration and a laser pointer wielded by Charisse. With time, the operators hope to develop alternative programs, perhaps concentrating on more modern interpretations of the battle or focusing on specific parts of the battle. Besides the map programs, Roland’s group offers walking tours of the June 30th Battle of Hanover. For now, shows are offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with additional shows on special occasions.