GDG- Triangular Field

[Bob Vary]

As of 2002 tour guides were still being told not to use any stories that
appeared in Nesbitt's books.  The feeling, at that time at least, was that
as long as Nesbitt is allowed to copyright his printed presentations the
tours do not want their guides using those stories out of fear of
litigation.  It's better to make up stories for the tours and avoid having
issues with publishers of printed material.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com [mailto:gettysburg-bounces at arthes.com]
On Behalf Of Margaret D. Blough
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 7:57 PM
To: GDG
Subject: Re: GDG- Triangular Field

Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:


>>One reason for that is that all of the stories in the various Ghosts of
Gettysburg books have been copyrighted and cannot legally be used by the
ghost tours without permission.<<
Actually, that's not correct. It probably was the understanding, though, at
the time that your son gave tours, but it hasn't been the case since 2001.
In 2000, Mark Nesbitt sued the owners of the Farnsworth House ghost tours
for copyright infringement. In 2001, Judge Sylvia Rambo ruled that with one
exception (a story in which Nesbitt admitted an error was made in the
printed version), the stories were in the public domain and, thus, their
content could not be copyrighted.  She ruled that Nesbitt could validly
copyright his printed presentation of the stories, though.

Regards,

Margaret


-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: gburg74 at comcast.net 

> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes: 
> 
> 
> My son used to give ghost tours in Gettysburg. He can tell you for a fact
that 
> many, if not most, of the ghost stories have been made up in recent years.
One 
> professor at the college has even admitted making up one of the more
famous of 
> them. Guides are also encouraged to make things up. One reason for that is

> that all of the stories in the various Ghosts of Gettysburg books have
been 
> copyrighted and cannot legally be used by the ghost tours without
permission. 
> 
> On the other hand, I was seriously spooked one evening at dusk in the
Triagular 
> Field when I swore I heard footsteps right in back of me as if walking
through 
> the high weeds. But nothing was there. Probably the wind, or deer in the 
> woods, but it sure sent a bit of a shiver down my spine. 
> 
> Back to lurking with the other ghosts. 
> 
> Bob 
> 
ysburg/