This gazebo could once be found in the center of campus (Photo Mary Frasier/The Gettysburgian)
By Cameron D’Amica, Staff Writer
Many sophomore and first-year students at Gettysburg College have heard only faint whispers of the legendary gazebo that once overlooked Stine Lake. Many new students are completely unaware of the disappearance of the gazebo that occurred shortly before the Fall 2017 semester. Now is the time to close the case of the missing gazebo once and for all.
The gazebo was added to the Gettysburg campus in 2008, located on the sidewalk between Pennsylvania Hall and Glatfelter Lodge, to be used by the political science department as a site for student voter registration. After nine years, the gazebo, used as a meeting place for students and a popular area for photos, disappeared from campus without a trace.
Gillian Marini ‘19 fondly reminisces the days of the gazebo: “I remember hanging out there a couple times in the warm weather on the Adirondack chairs inside of it. It was always a cool place to do homework or just hang out there. And it was in a really great place on campus because of the view. You could see all of the buildings and Stine Lake. I know a lot of people say they miss it.”
The reason for this mysterious disappearance of the beloved gazebo in the fall of 2017 was due to the renovation of the College Union Building that began in the summer of 2017. The sidewalk needed to remain clear of obstructions so that vehicles could pass through until the following summer when all renovation and construction had been completed.
The CUB has been completed for months now, but there is still no gazebo present on the sidewalks of Gettysburg’s campus.
According to James Biesecker, Director of Facilities at Gettysburg College, “When construction began on the CUB in May 2017 it was removed to allow for construction and service vehicle traffic for the project. During the move, some damage occurred to the gazebo. At this time, it has not been decided whether repairs will be made and whether it will be returned to its previous location.”
At the time of initial construction, the gazebo was said to be held in storage. After some research and clues from students on campus, a gazebo has been located on campus near the ropes course adjacent to Quarry; although it is not confirmed whether this is the original gazebo.
Only time and patience will tell whether the gazebo will be returned to its position of prominence on the sidewalk overlooking Stine Lake.
February 25, 2019
It was specifically installed for Shirley Anne Warshaw’s First-Year Seminar ‘Electoral Politics’. I was in that class and yes we had to staff it and try to get students to register to vote in PA. I wasn’t the biggest fan when it was put in, but it grew on me and I was happy to see it still here when I started working at the College. Hopefully it gets put back!