Gary Adelman, the chief historian of the American Battlefield Trust, has spent decades turning casual curiosity about the past into a lifelong mission of preservation and education. His journey began on the last day of his sophomore year of high school, when a single book about the photographs of the Battle of Antietam changed the direction of his life. As a self-described “D history student” at the time, Adelman never imagined he would go on to author or co-author dozens of books and articles and become one of the most recognizable faces in Civil War media. He credits the work of photographer and author William Frassanito with sparking his obsession with historical photography and battlefield landscapes.
The American Battlefield Trust, originally founded to preserve Civil War battlefields, has expanded over the past decade to include Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites. While land preservation remains the core of its mission, the organization has grown its educational outreach significantly since 2011, producing podcasts, animated maps, and video content that reach millions of viewers. Adelman became the Trust’s education director in 2010, when the organization had only two people on his team. Today, that department has grown to seven full-time staffers and dozens of contractors.
Much of that expansion is credited to the success of the YouTube channel, which the Trust began focusing on seriously around 2018. “This is our primary way that we interact with the public,” Adelman said during a live-streamed conversation with fellow historians JD and Charlie. Despite admitting that he is not featured in two-thirds of the Trust’s videos, Adelman has become the public face of the organization, a role he says he never expected. Adelman’s brand of infectious positivity is something he says is genuine, not just a camera persona.
He traces that outlook to his childhood and his years managing restaurants as a young man, where he developed a low tolerance for unproductive complaining. That attitude, combined with his enthusiasm for history, has made his videos popular with audiences who respond to his energetic style. One of his greatest passions is “then and now” photography, matching historic images with modern views of the same locations. It was that interest, first ignited by the Antietam book, that led him to write books like *Manassas Battlefield Then and Now*, which helps readers visualize what battlefields looked like during the war compared to their present-day appearance.
“Time passing over a place has always been one of the most fascinating things to me,” Adelman explained. He is often asked how he locates the exact spots where famous photographs were taken, a skill he says requires careful analysis of landmarks and details, as well as the discipline to question one’s own theories rather than confirming them. Among the many photographs he studies, Adelman singles out the Massaponax Church photos, particularly the series showing General Ulysses S. Grant meeting with General George Meade, as among his favorites.
He also mentions a stark winter photograph of Fort Richardson, a simple image he describes as one of the prettiest of the war. When it comes to battlefield preservation, Adelman cites Brandy Station as a major accomplishment, noting that the Trust has helped preserve thousands of acres where none had been protected before. He also highlights work at Glendale and Malvern Hill, where the Trust added roughly 1,500 acres to the 42 acres that had been preserved for over a century. Perryville, Kentucky, grew from about 300 acres to 1,200 acres, preserving nearly the entire battlefield.
Asked which battlefield draws him most, Adelman is unequivocal after Gettysburg: Antietam. He points to its iconic locations—the Hagerstown Pike, the Cornfield, the Burnside Bridge, and the Sunken Road—as well as the battle’s direct connection to the Emancipation Proclamation. He also mentions Manassas as a frequent destination, along with Perryville, Franklin, and Cold Harbor. For those who might find the study of battlefields and the carnage of war difficult, Adelman offers a welcoming perspective.
He notes that some people connect with history through solemn reflection, while others, like himself, approach it with irreverence and curiosity. He recalled his first visit to the position of the dead sharpshooter at Devil’s Den, where he immediately set up his camera and lay down on the spot to recreate the famous photograph. Adelman’s path was shaped by more than books. He acknowledges a natural inclination toward then-and-now comparisons from a young age, even taking photographs of buildings before they were demolished so he could later document their replacements.
He also credits a love of films like *Raiders of the Lost Ark* for sparking deeper interest in history, a sentiment his fellow historians echoed during the conversation. His boundless energy is something viewers frequently ask about. Adelman says he has always been a person who loves being awake and alive, and he disdains idle complaining. He rarely drinks caffeine and has never needed artificial stimulation to maintain his enthusiasm.
Talking about his favorite subjects, particularly the Civil War and photography, gives him a natural boost that only intensifies when audiences respond positively. “I’m alive right now. I’m reaching people and I’m so grateful that this is happening,” he said, acknowledging that while minor celebrity can feel strange, his motivation comes from the impact he is having, not from ego. Looking ahead, Adelman encourages viewers to support the American Battlefield Trust and to sign up for its email updates, which highlight new land preservation opportunities and tours.
He also invites history enthusiasts to attend the Image of War seminar, a photography-focused event he has organized for nearly 25 years. Scheduled for October 3 through 5 in the Fredericksburg area, the seminar will feature presentations in 2D and 3D and even a wet plate photographer. He also highlighted the Trust’s annual conference in Boston in early May, teacher institutes, and special events for high-level supporters. During the live conversation, he joked about the “curse” he and JD have experienced when collaborating on videos, noting that some of their joint projects saw sudden drops in viewership.
One of their collaborations was even hit with an age restriction shortly after it became a best-performing video, causing it to plateau. Despite these quirks, the two historians agree the curse appears to be broken, and their recent collaborations have performed well. As the conversation wrapped up, JD promoted his ongoing series on the Guadalcanal campaign, noting how much of that battlefield has already been lost. He mentioned a Chinese company that recently purchased a critical part of the Alligator Creek battlefield, bulldozing it to build a concrete plant, and urged support for preservation efforts.
Adelman echoed that sentiment, expressing gratitude for the technology that allows historians to share their work with a global audience. He closed the livestream by thanking viewers for their passion and support.