Area Attractions

The Town

Part of the Marsh Creek Settlement, the setting for Gettysburg was carved out of the wilderness between 1736 and 1760 by Scots and Irish to the north and Germans to the south. In 1786, James Gettys purchased a 100-acre tract from his father and laid out 200 lots around a Square, which remains today as the center of Gettysburg. As a rural center of agriculture between Pennsylvania and Maryland towns, Gettysburg prospered and became the Adams County seat in 1800. The quiet country town was propelled into national fame when the Civil War converged upon it, and Union troops halted the northern march of the Confederate army. For the past decade, major preservation has transformed the center of town into an historic district deserving of its designation on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Battlefield

The preservation efforts initiated immediately after the battle saved much of the battlefield as a commemoration. The 25th reunion started a course of memorial building and renewed interest in preserving the battle sites. In 1895, Congress established the Gettysburg National Military Park as a memorial dedicated to the soldiers of that battle. In 1913, the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg brought state and federal funding to enhance the access to the memorial sites. This level of access and the placing of memorials on the battlefields provide a unique opportunity for visitors to walk through the actual battle sites. Gettysburg National Military Park covers 6,000 acres with thirty miles of park roads and over 1,400 monuments, and hosts two million visitors each year.

The Cemetery

A Soldiers Cemetery on the battleground at Cemetery Hill and adjacent to the Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg was established immediately after the battle. (Fifty-one thousand casualties turned many of Gettysburg’s buildings into makeshift hospitals.) During the dedication ceremony on November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address and a memorial now marks the site. Although primarily dedicated to the Civil War, the Gettysburg National Cemetery commemorates American veterans from all of America’s major wars.

Local Interest

The Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary was founded in 1826 and moved in 1832 to the current site on Seminary Ridge. Pennsylvania College was founded in 1832 and renamed Gettysburg College. The farm now known as the Eisenhower National Historic Site was the home President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower and is adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park. Adams County is well known for its apple festivals in May and October. Other activities include a scenic railway, horseback riding, bicycling, golf, and skiing.

Surrounding Area

The Michaux State Forest covers over 85,000 acres with miles of streams and many lakes and reservoirs. Over one hundred miles of roads are maintained for access to scenic spots within the State Parks of Caledonia, Pine Grove Furnace and Mont Alto. The towns of Chambersburg, Carlisle, and Hanover are each within a thirty-minute drive and well worth the visit. Located near Hanover is Cordorus State Park, and on Route 116 enroute is Calvary Battlefield.