Allison Antrim Museum invites the public to step back to summer, July 2013, to hear and see Ted Alexander, presenting his original talk As They Saw The Rebels: Civilian Observations of the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns.Listen here on the museum website.
Ted Alexander had a special relationship with Allison-Antrim Museum. Ted passed away on July 8. He was a charter member of Allison-Antrim Museum and served on the Board of Directors. In 2001, he moved into the appointed position of “Historian” for the Museum.
Ted was the creator of the monthly speaker series beginning in 1997 and arranged for 99% of the speakers and topics. He knew people nationwide and insisted that the monthly speakers could “not” all be Civil-War speakers. Ted spoke to the membership numerous times over the past two decades.
Every Old Home Week, Ted would have a special presentation for visitors and the audiences were full. He also performed duties as one of the interviewers for the Museum’s Reminiscing Series. One Old Home Week he led the panel discussion with Vietnam Veterans. Ted served two tours of duty in Vietnam.
Ted was both a local historian and Civil War historian and was the author of and or editor of 10 books on the Civil War. He authored the book “The 126th Pennsylvania” about Franklin County’s Civil War veterans and co-authored “When War Passed this Way,” with his uncle William P. Conrad. Ted was a descendant of two members of the 126th PA Regiment.
For many years, Ted wrote a weekly column for the Echo Pilot – related to the Civil War. It was a column that was widely read. Saying, “Ted had many followers,” is an understatement. I talked to Ted too many times over the past two decades to specifically recall any or all the questions and topics that I had about Antrim Township and Greencastle, not only related to the Civil War but also related to the general history of Greencastle-Antrim.
Bonnie Shockey, president and CEO of Allison Antrim, remembered Ted, “On a phone call a couple months ago, Ted was thinking about a new Corp Rihl, four-stop “tour” for Antrim Township. I’ve known Ted since seventh grade but over the last 22 years, through the Museum, our friendship crossed the spectrum from classmate, to professional, and that of very good friend. Ted is greatly missed, and no one will be able to fill his shoes, or rise to his level of “historian.”
With sincere thanks, Ted’s wife, Billy, and daughter, Rica, have graciously designated memorial contributions may be given to Allison-Antrim Museum, 365 South Ridge Ave., Greencastle, PA 17225.
Franklin County historian Ted Alexander passed away on July 8, 2020.
Year after year, Ted Alexander spoke, wrote, and presented about the history of Franklin County. He worked for more than thirty years to educate the local community and the general public about Franklin County. Using everything in his power, he planted seeds of recognition and worked to make the public understand the importance of this place in American history.
Ted authored, edited, and contributed to 10 books on the Civil War and other aspects of American history. He offered more than 200 book reviews and articles for publications like Civil War Times, Blue & Gray Magazine, and The Washington Times. He was the co-founder of the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars and contributed as the lead historian on the development of the Chambersburg Heritage Center. Finally, he served as Chief Historian at Antietam National Battlefield for more than 30 years.
Thank you, Ted Alexander, for your passionate drive, working long and diligently, and helping to educate so many about Franklin County history. You will be missed because there is only one Ted Alexander.
Chambersburg Civil War Seminars was established in 1989 under the direction of Ted Alexander and facilitated by the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce. Since 2008, the Franklin County Visitors Bureau has served as the marketing sponsor of the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars in an effort to build the awareness of Civil War and military history in the greater Chambersburg, Franklin County, PA, and Great Valley areas. Annually, the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars offer four symposiums which included guided tours, recognized authorities on major Civil War themes, and leading authors in varied Civil War topics. The 2016 Civil War Seminars are scheduled for April 7-10, May 19-22, July 27-31, and September 22-25.
The April 7-10 seminar, Ed Bearss Symposium, is focused on more than the Civil War. It will cover the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, and World War II. Guided by Ed Bearss and Dave Friend, the tour includes Gettysburg and an opportunity to explore the role of Hispanics, Mexican Indians, Asians, and other ethnic groups that fought for the Confederacy. After exploring the Civil War, the seminar will offer “Give Them Cold Steel (or Not): A Military and Cultural History of the Bayonet” presented by Dana Shoaf and talks by Tom Clemens, John Fox III, Ed Bearss, Stuart Dempsey, Christopher Kolakowski, and Lt. Col. Ralph Peters. In addition, the symposium offers a guided tour of Kennett Square, Kennett Meeting House, Lafayette’s Headquarters, and Brandywine Visitor Center as well as talks with Dennis Frye, Steve Bockmiller and John Miller.
The May 19-22 Seminar is “Harpers Ferry to Falling Waters: Jackson in the Lower Valley, 1861” with prime presenter Steve French, a top authority of the Civil War in the Lower Shenandoah Valley. He has anchored a number of books on the subject, including an award-winning study of General John Imboden’s command in the Gettysburg Campaign. The symposium includes tours of Lexington, Va., Jackson Battle sites of 1862 in the Valley, Camp Allegheny, Cross Keys, Kernstown, First Winchester, and Front Royal. Speakers and guides include Dr. James ‘Bud’ Robertson, Jeff Wert, Ed Bearss, Keven Walker, and Jerry Holsworth.
The July 27-31 Seminar is “Gettysburg Day 3 & Beyond” and offers off-the-beaten-path tours of Gettysburg, East Cavalry Field, the Retreat, and the Confederate Wagon Train of Wounded. Speakers and guides include Carol Reardon, Jeff Wert, Ed Bearss, Eric Wittenberg, Wayne Motts, and Steve French.
The final seminar of 2016 is “Lincoln at Gettysburg” on September 22-25, and it features Joe Mieczkowski and John Schildt. This symposium promises a thought-provoking look at Lincoln and the pivotal directions that came out of Gettysburg.
With 25 years of educating the public, Chambersburg Civil War Seminars planned another excellent year of program to engage and elevate the understanding of history that happened in Franklin County and the Great Valley region.
The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore Franklin County PA and enjoy the trails of history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more….plan a visit soon
