In Gettysburg, PA, our troop learns about an important part of American history by visiting the place where it happened. We're fortunate that we live close enough to bring the Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge to life. At the Annual Planning Meeting, our Scouts decided to return to Camp Tuckahoe Nov. 20-22, 2026. We have reserved the "Frontier Fort" cabin, but Scouts may camp in tents if they wish. Final plans are up to our Scouts. We've received a special invitation to visit the US Army Heritage and Education Center this year. We do this trip about every other year, so the schedule varies a little. Here's what we did in 2024:
We stayed at Camp Tuckahoe, about 30 minutes north of Gettysburg. At the Gettysburg National Military Park, we viewed a film to learn more, and stepped into the "Cyclorama" to view a 360-degree painting of the Battle of Gettysburg. We enjoyed the sack lunches we packed at the cabin, and watched a bit of the historic annual parade. The first one was held on Nov. 9, 1863! We hiked around Devil's Den and Little Round Top to see where historic battles happened. New in 2024: the Scouts managed to escape from an escape room! Then, following tradition and our troop motto, we ended the afternoon with ice cream. As the sun set over the canons of the battlefield, candles were lit at the National Cemetery. Due to strong winds, they were battery-operated in 2024, but they were still beautiful. We enjoyed the illumination as names were read aloud to remember those lost in the Civil War. Back at the cabin, the Scouts made pasta for dinner, baked cookies, and played indoor or outdoor games.
Scouts and Leaders had two options: Option 1: Stay both nights. Drive up after dinner on Friday, or eat on the way, arriving by 9 pm. Stay in the cabin at Camp Tuckahoe on Friday night. Have breakfast and pack lunches on Saturday morning. Dinner is back at the cabin. We'll have breakfast on Sunday morning before heading home around 10 am. Option 2: Day only. Drive up and spend Saturday with the troop, then head home Saturday night. This is the perfect option for parents who are not registered leaders, or families with siblings, to join us for the day.