ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Gettysburg wax museum selling historical figures

GETTYSBURG, Pa.

A life-sized animatronic Abe Lincoln is among the historical figures and tableau scenes from a Gettysburg wax museum set to hit the auction block just months after the town celebrated the 150th anniversary of his “Gettysburg Address.”

The American Civil War Wax Museum has occupied a prime spot near the center of the battlefield for more than half a century. But it recently underwent an extensive renovation and wants to take a new approach to history. As part of those changes, it is preparing to unload dozens of its historical figures — most made of vinyl, not wax — in what the auctioneer calls a once-in-a-lifetime sale.

The auction, which will take place Saturday, will feature diorama contents, tapestries, furniture and books. The items include soldiers, a Southern plantation scene and the Lincoln-Douglas debates’ stop in 1858 at Knox College. Also for sale is an enormous reproduction of Gilbert Stuart’s 1796 portrait of George Washington, which hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.

When the wax museum reopens later this year as the Gettysburg Heritage Center, its focus will have shifted to the experience of town residents before, during and after the July 1863 battle between the Confederates under Gen. Robert E. Lee and the federal troops commanded by Gen. George Gordon Meade.

“The Park Service does a fabulous job of telling the story about the battle,” said Tammy Myers, who runs the facility for FutureStake Inc. “We don’t all need to be telling the same story.”

The company estimates 9 million people have walked through the wax museum since it opened in 1962, shortly before the centennial of the battle.

While much of what those visitors saw will be auctioned off, the plan is to preserve the scene from Pickett’s Charge depicted inside the theater but revamp the presentation accompanying it. Myers said there are plans to repurpose a few of the life-sized figures for a new exhibit on the Underground Railroad.

Man steals about 40 pairs of women’s underwear at mall

DUNWOODY, Ga.

Police are searching for a man who walked into a Victoria’s Secret store dressed in black clothing and stole about 40 pairs of women’s underwear at a suburban Atlanta mall.

Dunwoody police say the crime happened Thursday at Perimeter Mall, north of Atlanta.

Police said that the suspect, who has two gold front teeth, concealed the undergarments in a bag and exited the store. The stolen items from the Columbus, Ohio-based retailer have an estimated value of $500.

Police are asking anyone with information about the crime to contact them.

Associated Press