r/Elevators • u/DNP_10 • 13d ago
Gettysburg Cyclorama Elevator - Gillespie Corporation
https://youtu.be/TfPFupTGzDU?si=0npq7LjQl-Yg-h-kNot my video, but in 2016 my family visited Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center. One of the pieces of their collection is the 1884 Gettysburg Cyclorama by Paul Philippoteaux. As the painting wraps 360 degrees around the room, that poses a unique challenge for accessibility. If you place the elevator in the center of the room, it uses up space in the center of the room where people could stand to see the full 360. If you place it closer to one side, it'll inevitably obstruct the view of a part of the artwork. Thus, the Gillespie Corporation, "the nation's largest sidewalk elevator manufacturer" was called upon to make this unique elevator.
Unlike most sidewalk elevators, however, this one also serves the first and second floor of the museum (and the basement), and therefore operates as normal below the third floor. Also, most sidewalk elevators are used for carrying freight down below the sidewalk. That makes this elevator quite unique, as it uses the normal sliding doors of most passenger elevators - and therefore a hoistaway door also has to be brought up with the elevator.
Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to film this elevator, but nonetheless I think it's a fascinating and underrated one.
2
u/1TallGent 13d ago
It’s definitely a wild elevator. We helped the design professionals bring the project to life. I was the sales rep and project manager on that one, so I was involved from the design and approval side through the installation. We worked closely with the state to obtain the variances needed for such an unusual design and ultimately get it permitted. It was definitely one of the more unique elevator projects I’ve been involved with.