Gettysburg Tower Falls

July 3 -- — To the joy of historical preservationists, a steel tower that stood over the location of the Civil War’s most famous battle was demolished today in an effort to restore the battlefield to its war-era appearance.

The Gettysburg National Tower, which a private company opened in1974 over the objections of park officials, fell on the 137th anniversary of Pickett’s Charge, the climactic standoff of the three-day Battle of Gettysburg. In that battle, Union forces turned backthe charge of Confederate troops under the direct command of Gen.George Edward Pickett.

The bloody battle took place along Cemetery Ridge, a shortdistance from the tower site and many historians see it as the turning point of the Civil War. Although there were casualties of nearly 60 percent, Pickett’s rebel troops broke the line but were unable to hold their position.

Demolition of the tower was part of a National Park Servicecampaign to remove modern structures built on the battlefield. In June, a federal judge ruled in favor of the government in a lawsuit seeking permission for control of the site and took the tower away from its former owners, Overview Limited Partnership. According to Overview Limited Partnership, the tower measured393 feet from its base to the tip of an antenna at its top.

Restoring Sacred GroundBefore the tower’s fall, National Park officials and preservationists called the demolition the first step towards restoring a sacred land in United States history .  

“This is truly a great day for everyone who cares about our nation’s sacred ground,” said park superintendent John Latschar.

Preservationists said the historical importance of Gettysburgrequired the correction of past “mistakes” by the government thatallowed the modern intrusions.

“To a preservationist, demolition is almost always an uglyword,” said Richard Moe, the president of the National Trust forHistoric Preservation. “But not today. Today, we’re doingsomething right.”