BUILDING HISTORY

The Cyclorama Building is slated for demolition under the preferred alternative in the recently approved General Management Plan (GMP) for Gettysburg National Military Park. Architect Richard Neutra (of Neutra and Alexander) designed the structure in 1961 to house the 1883 Cyclorama painting of the Battle of Gettysburg, a circular panorama by Paul Philippoteaux. The building was a showpiece of the "Mission 66" building program, a $1 billion effort to improve visitor facilities nationwide in celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the National Park Service in 1966. During Mission 66, the Park Service introduced the "visitor center" as a new building type designed specifically to house an auditorium, interpretive exhibits, bookstores, and staff offices in one centralized structure. The Park Service constructed one hundred new visitor centers between 1956 and 1966; a series of distinct buildings representative of post-World War II prosperity and modern architectural design in the mid twentieth century.

CURRENT PLAN

In September 1998, the Cyclorama Building was determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places as a structure of "exceptional historic and architectural significance" within the Mission 66 context. In June 1999 the Society of Architectural Historians nominated the building as a National Historic Landmark. Despite testimonies from professionals and the public regarding the significance of the structure in U.S. history, the National Park Service is steadfast in its desire to demolish the building and construct a new 120,000 square-foot center. The new center will occupy a 45-acre intact parcel of the Civil War battlefield landscape and will encourage sprawl in an otherwise undeveloped agricultural area. reCyclorama and other interested groups believe that the GMP should be redrafted to include alternatives to demolition of the Cyclorama Building. reCyclorama also calls for reconsideration of the preferred alternative in the GMP in light of stated public opposition to the proposed plan.

reCYCLORAMA GOALS and ACTIVITIES:

* Research and develop alternatives for the re-use and restoration of the Cyclorama Building at Gettysburg in consultation with professionals and conservationists.
* Redraft the General Management Plan for Gettysburg National Military Park to include alternatives to demolition for the Cyclorama Building.
* Expand the park's mission statement to include recognition of the historical significance of the post-Civil War battlefield landscape at Gettysburg, including the Cyclorama Building.
* Restoration of the 1883 Cyclorama painting, reconstruction of the interior framework for hanging the artwork, and development of a new interpretive public program. (see photos)
* Maintain and expand related web sites to distribute current information on the debate at Gettysburg. See also "Mission 66: Modern Architecture in the National Parks"

CONTACT US:

If you have any information to post on the web site or questions regarding reCyclorama, please contact Christine Madrid French, Executive Director.

This site composed and administered by Christine Madrid French 2004.