CWPT Posts Second Video Against Gettysburg Casino

Civil War Preservation Trust Press Release
September 3, 2010

National Celebrities Appear in Second Film Opposing Gettysburg Casino Proposal

"The Gettysburg Address" underlines America's ongoing committment to this unique location

On the heels of the heels of the momentous two-day public hearing in Gettysburg, Penn., concerning a second attempt to bring a casino the doorstep of America’s most iconic battlefield, the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) has unveiled a second film underscoring the importance of protecting this hallowed ground.

In the video, an all-star cast including Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough, actors Sam Waterston, Matthew Broderick and Stephen Lang, and Medal of Honor recipient Paul Bucha recites Abraham Lincoln’s immortal Gettysburg Address.  The speech, possibly the most famous presidential address in American history, was the “few appropriate remarks” that Lincoln delivered on November 19, 1863, at a ceremony dedicating Gettysburg National Cemetery.

The film is available online at:  http://www.civilwar.org/video/the-gettysburg-address.html.

The Gettysburg Address is a companion piece to the nine-minute video submitted to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board as testimony by the local opposition group No Casino Gettysburg.  In that film, the same prominent individuals reflect on the unique qualities of Gettysburg and its seminal place in American history, urging its protection for future generations of Americans.

The original film, Our Gettysburg Legacy, is available online at www.civilwar.org/gettysburglegacy.

Both projects feature musical scores by Oscar-, Golden Globe- and Grammy-winning composer John Williams.  Despite their high quality, both productions are purely volunteer efforts, with all cast, crew and talent donating their time and skills on behalf of the preservation cause.

After viewing the films, the public is invited to add their own voices to the chorus calling for the protection and safeguarding of Gettysburg by visiting http://www.speakforthefallen.com to submit written comments to the Gaming Control Board.

With 55,000 members, the Civil War Preservation Trust is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s remaining Civil War battlefields and encourage their appreciation through education and heritage tourism.  Since 1987, the organization has saved more than 29,000 acres of hallowed ground, including 700 acres at Gettysburg.  CWPT’s website is located at www.civilwar.org.

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