Gettysburg is the county seat of Adams County, which consists of 21 townships and 13 boroughs. (See Adams County Vital Statistics later in this chapter.) The southern part of the county abuts the Mason-Dixon Line, and the borough of Gettysburg sits at the crossroads of two national highways—U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 15. The Gettysburg National Military Park, which commemorates the famous Civil War battle that was fought here in July 1863, surrounds the town on the south, west, and north sides.
This is a small town that fate took hold of and never let go. Generals Meade and Lee didn’t plan a battle at Gettysburg, and President Lincoln was only asked to say a few words when he dedicated the cemetery that had been created to honor those who died fighting here. But the significance of those actions lives on, with almost two million people coming to Gettysburg annually to connect with the area’s past.
Surrounded by other rural communities, Gettysburg retains its small-town ambience despite the influx of tourists every year. The Gettysburg Times newspaper regularly prints pictures of locals on their birthdays. Rich in cultural heritage, Gettysburg is home to Gettysburg College and the Lutheran Theological Seminary, both established in the early part of the nineteenth century. The college is in the northern part of town while the seminary is at the town’s western edge.
Lincoln Square is the center of town, and most directions in this guide start from this spot. The Gettysburg National Military Park Visitor Center, where you should begin your tour of the battlefield, is to the south of the square. South of the square is also where you’ll find the greatest concentration of restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing opportunities.
Visitors also come to see attractions other than the battlefield. The Eisenhower National Historic Site draws many who wish to see the farm where the 34th president resided with his wife, Mamie. Some come to seek out ghosts, others come to enjoy the rural landscape and nearby skiing, and still others come to attend the area festivals. And those of us lucky enough to live here don’t have to travel far at all to take part in all the history and fun the Gettysburg area has to offer. Perhaps that’s why you meet people who have traveled to Gettysburg year after year without fail. And maybe it’s why you won’t be in town long before you meet someone who decided to set up a permanent home in the area.
Of course, all the people enjoying themselves at Gettysburg can make for a crowded little town. The tourist season now extends from April through December, and during the summer the attractions, restaurants, and streets are packed. But the nice part about Gettysburg is that it’s still a small town not only in size but also in heart. Stop and talk to the people who live here, who manage and work at the attractions, shops, and restaurants in town. Many are genuinely immersed in the history that surrounds them, and the stories they tell are really something to hear. Some have ancestors who lived here during the battle, and many know every detail of the history of the house in which they reside.
Although the residents of Gettysburg relish their history, don’t be fooled into thinking they’re stuck in the past. Community leaders and business people are constantly trying to strike a balance between retaining the rich history of the past while finding new ways for the town to thrive. Sometimes residents disagree on the best way to move forward, but everyone agrees that Gettysburg is looking to the future as well as the past.
Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) measures 6 miles by 7 miles, and its 1,400 monuments and markers and 400 artillery pieces along 35 miles of scenic avenues pay homage to the 51,000 men who became casualties upon this battlefield in July 1863.
The opening of the new museum and visitor center at 1195 Baltimore Pike (717-334-1124) in summer 2008 was a major achievement in an immense project managed by the nonprofit Gettysburg National Battlefield Museum Foundation to restore the battlefield to its 1863 appearance. The $103 million facility replaces the old visitor center and cyclorama that are located on the actual battlefield, and the plan is to demolish their buildings and continue to wipe out landscape changes that have occurred between the time of the battle and now. Controversy swirls around the benefit of this project, but no one can deny the effectiveness with which the new center tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg within the larger context of the causes and results of the Civil War.
Designed as a Civil War–era Pennsylvania farmstead and sitting on land that saw no major fighting in the battle, the 139,000-square-foot center includes 24,000 square feet of exhibit space, a cyclorama painting, two film theaters, a book and museum store, a computer and resource room, and a 250-seat period-themed snack bar. The new Cyclorama Gallery displays Battle of Gettysburg, a cyclorama painted in 1884 whose skyline, canopy, and three-dimensional diorama, which had been missing for more than four decades, have been restored. Twelve galleries make up the museum, and 11 of them are based on phrases from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. In fact, the entire 272-word speech is etched in a 5-foot-by-7-foot, 260-pound piece of glass that is displayed in one of the artifact rooms. The Civil War collection housed here is one of the largest in the world, consisting of more than 300,000 objects and artifacts and 700,000 archival materials. Interactive stations are situated throughout the museum so visitors can personalize their experience. Five of the galleries include short video presentations and the theaters feature readings from battle participants, while the twelfth gallery showcases temporary and traveling exhibits.
To get the most out of your visitor experience, you’ll want to view the 20-minute film A New Birth of Freedom, which is shown every 30 minutes throughout the day and features the voices of Sam Waterston and Morgan Freeman. After the film visitors are shown to the cyclorama auditorium to view the restored Battle of Gettysburg painting. Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park is still free of charge but an entrance fee (another controversial decision) is now being charged at the visitor center to explore the museum and view the film and the cyclorama painting. Admission to the exhibits, film, and cyclorama is $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for senior citizens and those in the military, and $5.50 for those ages 6 through 18, while children younger than age 6 are admitted for free.
Tickets to Eisenhower National Historic Site are sold at the center, which is also where the tours depart from. The museum and visitor center open at 8:00 a.m. daily. They close at 6:00 p.m. in April, May, September, and October; at 7:00 p.m. June through August; and at 5:00 p.m. in November through March. Gettysburg National Military Park is open 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. April through October and to 7:00 p.m. November through March. You can visit the battlefield on foot, on bicycle, on horseback, in your car, by bus, or by Segway. It’s up to you whether you want to explore on your own or you’d like someone to help interpret the events of July 1863.
The short films Fields of Freedom and A New Birth of Freedom put the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War in perspective, and they serve as excellent introductions to your battlefield explorations. Fields of Freedom is shown at Gateway Gettysburg, and A New Birth of Freedom plays at the GNMP visitor center.
Of course, the number one attraction in Gettysburg is the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP), and this site of the three-day battle in July 1863 that many feel was the turning point of the Civil War is usually what brings travelers to Gettysburg. Many people feel one trip to the battlefield isn’t enough; in fact, some visit time and again, and others move here to be nearer. Gettysburg and the battle are so intertwined that an entire chapter of this book is devoted to the Gettysburg National Military Park and the role of reenactors in the Gettysburg experience.
This chapter covers the other attractions that Gettysburg has to offer, and it’s split into three categories—historical, general, and ghostly. Since most visitors here are interested in history, the chapter begins with that category. Around town there are many attractions that help one interpret the battle and the entire Civil War. Since President Lincoln made his famous address here, you’ll also find attractions dedicated to Lincoln. And another president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who made a farm near Gettysburg his home, also shares the historical attractions spotlight.
If you need to take a break from all this historical knowledge, check out the general attractions Gettysburg has to offer. You can visit a winery, take a scenic train ride, or visit some of the fruit orchards in the area. After all, Adams County is the leading fruit-producing and -processing county in the state of Pennsylvania. Tours are also available that take you on walks in town, drives through the countryside, and romantic jaunts around town and the countryside in horse-drawn carriages.
I doubt many visitors leave Gettysburg without taking a ghost tour. At times it seems the ghosts are as big an attraction as the history that was made here. There are numerous tours to pick from that will satisfy your curiosity about the spirit world.
Kids love stories, and Gettysburg has some of the best. Stories of honor and bravery in wartime, stories of ghosts and eerie happenings, stories of the Underground Railroad—you can find them all and many more as you explore Gettysburg and the battlefield. The area also allows kids to get physical, whether it be by hitting a golf ball, driving go-karts, or making a teddy bear. And the richness of the orchards that surround the area gives the kids an opportunity to commune with nature, and to eat some fruit that they pick themselves.
Gettysburg has something for every member of the family. Many of the other chapters of this book have activities kids would also enjoy; be sure to especially check out the Recreation and Attractions chapters for other kid-friendly fun. Most of the activities within this chapter are either free of charge or cost between $4 and $6 per child.
Gettysburg is within easy driving distance to major East Coast cities. Washington, D.C., is only 79 miles away, Philadelphia is 125 miles, and New York City is 224 miles from town. The cities I’ve chosen for day trips are a bit closer to home. Both Baltimore and Hershey are less than 60 miles from Gettysburg, and Harrisburg is just a bit more than 30 miles up U.S. Route 15 North. So why not take a little road trip while you’re in the area? Each destination has unique charms that are just waiting to be discovered by you.