Over the next month or so, I’ll be sharing things we stopped to do on our cross country move. I’m not the best at traveling because I need to stop every so often to stretch my legs. With the pandemic, I’m picky about where I stop because rest stops or crowded trails aren’t my favorite thing.
My husband and I have driven by the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania dozens of times. We have family nearby, and you can always see the pathways connecting different exhibits. We wanted to stop and walk around, just to see what it was all about.
The Army War College is a college for military officers but it also offers a Heritage Trail for officers and civilians to learn more about the Army. Anyone is welcome. The Army College itself is designed to “educate and develop leaders for service at the strategic level while advancing knowledge in the global application of landpower”.
At the Army War College, the Army Heritage Trail is the outdoor museum. It can be seen from the highway (how we found it) and covers about one mile. It includes highlights of the Army from most eras with different large exhibits, including tanks, walking through trenches, significant artifacts. The Army War College Heritage Trail is open from dawn to dusk (typical of any park hours). People are invited to run, walk, ride bikes, and leashed dogs are allowed.
It’s designed to allow visitors to walk into each period and live like an Army officer.
At the Army War College Heritage Trail, there are 14 exhibits including:
- Full-scale reconstructions of the French and Indian War
- Redoubt Number 10 from the revolutionary War in Yorktown
- A section of the Antietam battlefield, a Civil War winter encampment with cabins
- WWI trench system
- WWII company area
- replicated Normandy Bocage scene from World War II
- Current Operations HESCO Bastion barrier checkpoint
- An interpretation of the Vietnam helicopter air assault at Ia Drang that includes a period Fire Support Base.
- Multiple aircraft and tanks to view.
I found it to be an exciting and pleasant walk to stretch my legs.
We spent maybe 45 minutes-1 hour there but didn’t rush through and enjoyed just moving and stretching our legs. My favorite part was walking through the trench.
I knew about trench fighting from grade school, but I’ve never walked through a replica. I appreciate you’re able to stand next to life-size replicas of various pieces of Army history.
This sign in the trench amused me.
Plus, this was a meeting room in the trench.
My husband enjoyed all of the Army aviation exhibits (naturally).
If you’re looking for an enjoyable and historic stop while traveling through Pennsylvania, I highly suggest the Army War College Heritage Trail in Carlisle, PA.
Questions for you:
What is your favorite museum?
Have you ever been to the Army War College Heritage Trail?