BRIEFING (#3): NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE-ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERPRETIVE AND EDUCATIONAL SITE ON ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD.

February 9, 2005

Antietam National Battlefield

6^th Congressional District (MD)

BRIEFING (#3): NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CIVIL WAR MEDICINE-ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERPRETIVE AND EDUCATIONAL SITE ON ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD.

Background: The National Museum of Civil War Medicine is a non-profit museum and educational facility located in Frederick, Maryland. The museum is highly respected among the medical community and civil war enthusiasts. It contains the largest collection of period and medical implements and is an affiliated with the Smithsonian.  Over the past four years staff at Antietam has worked successfully with the staff of the NMCWM on a variety of interpretive, educational and heritage tourism programs. Annual visitation to the National Museum site in Frederick is 75,000 visitors, but due to its urban location they lack space to conduct living history interpretive programs and on site education programs.  Over 13 years ago the National Museum approached the NPS to base its entire museum and collection at Antietam, but at that time the effort failed. 

SUMMARY:  On 6/21/2004, the Superintendent of Antietam NB met with Mr. George Wunderlich, Executive Director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine to discuss the establishment of an education and interpretive facility near Antietam. 

Mr. Wunderlich and his staff have been in discussions with a local landowner concerning the rental of a historic property for this facility. The discussions had reached an impasse due in part of financial issues and expectations on both sides. During this meeting, I suggested we tour the Joseph Pry House as a potential site for the annex museum. The Pry House and Farm is a large three story brick house, located just off of Maryland Route 34, east of Sharpsburg. The house served as Union General George McClellan’s Headquarters on the day of the battle, but it also served as a hospital site for many weeks/months after the battle. The house was partially destroyed by fire in the 1970’s and has been restored by the National Park Service. Its last administrative use was as quarters for park employees in the early 1990’s.

The adaptive use of the house and barn would allow space for site specific Antietam interpretive exhibits, room for living history displays (exterior), and use of the barn as an educational/group facility. All interpretive exhibits/displays will be approved by the NPS but funded by the National Museum. The NMCWM will also assume costs of utilities, and routine maintenance. The NMCWM is addressing their donor base for funds for overall maintenance of the structure. The National Park Service will continue with scheduled repair/rehab and cyclic maintenance projects for major upkeep of the structure.

Both organizations will benefit from exposure to increased visitation and interpretive/educational opportunities. Savings to Antietam from transfer of utility costs alone is estimated (using 2003 figures) to be $12,000. 

Working with staff of the NMCWM, Mr. Tom McConnell, and Maria Lurie of the Solicitors Office, a 5 year Cooperative Agreement has been developed and within two weeks will be finalized.  With signature of the final agreement the National Museum anticipates opening the Pry House Medical Museum on April 28, 2005. 

Letters of project support have been received in this office by:

Senator Barbara Mikulski (MD)

Senator Paul Sarbanes (MD)

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (6th District-MD)

Gregory Snook, Chair-Washington County Commissioners

Thomas Riford, Executive Director, Washington County Convention/Visitors Bureau

Brien Poffenberger, Executive Director-Washington County Chamber of Commerce

Senator Donald Munson (Washington Co-MD)

Delegate Chris Shank (Washington Co.-MD)

J.W. Howard