Gettysburg Archives

Remembering Botanist Thomas Meehan, his Brother Joseph, and Botanizing at Gettysburg

“A curatorial assistant named Elana Benamy was digitizing plant images at Drexel when she came across a milkweed specimen. What made her take a double-take was the date and location of the plant specimen. The plant was labeled ‘Battlefield of Gettysburg, August 20, 1863.'” November 19, 1901 On this day, the British-American nurseryman, botanist, and…

Milkweed and Memories: A Botanical Discovery at Gettysburg

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. August 20, 1863 On this day, dear readers, we find ourselves transported to a time of great turmoil and unexpected botanical discovery. The year was 1863, and the echoes of cannon fire had…

When Olmsted Walked Among the Fallen: A Landscape Architect at Gettysburg

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. July 18, 1863 It was on this day in 1863 that Frederick Law Olmsted, the illustrious father of American landscape architecture, trod upon the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, a mere fortnight after that…