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Gettysburg PA AttractionsAdams
County Historical Society American Civil
War Museum Battle Theater Civil War Battle
Reenactments Eisenhower National
Historic Site General Lee's
Headquarters Museum Gettysburg Civil
War Walking Tour Gettysburg National
Military Park Hall of Presidents
and First Ladies Museum Historic Farnsworth
House Basement Lincoln Room Museum Lincoln Train
Museum The National Civil
War Museum The National Riding
Stables National Shrine
of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Soldiers National
Museum |
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The
Adams County Historical Society, housed in a building that served as a
temporary field hospital in July 1863, contains artifacts and archives
related to the county dating from prehistory to the 21st century. Tours
of the society's holdings, for a $3 per person suggested donation, are
available on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., or by appointment.
The society's outstanding primary and secondary resource materials are
available for researchers at a cost of $25 per hour, with a $50 minimum
charge. The society is located at 111 Seminary Ridge within Schmucker
Hall (part of the Lutheran Theological Seminary Campus). Call the Adams
County Historical Society at (717) 334-4723 for information about its
hours or to make tour appointments. 
The
Battle Theater, located at 571 Steinwehr Ave., hosts two presentations
that tourists will not want to miss. Priorto taking a tour of Gettysburg's
historic battlefield, visitors should view the theater's multi-media presentation
of the three-day battle and the events leading up to it. In the Battle
Theater's other presentation, "A. Lincoln Speaks," a fictional
Abraham Lincoln recounts his youth, personal life, political career, and
anguish over the Battle of Gettysburg. Photos and questions are allowed
at the conclusion of the one-man show. Tickets prices range between $5
and $7 per person, depending on which shows tourists are viewing. Call
the Battle Theater at (717) 334-6100 for information about show schedules
and prices. 
The
largest Battle of Gettysburg reenactment in over a decade takes places
on July 4, 5, and 6, 2003 at Redding Farm on Table Rock Road. Over 15,000
reenactors in period costumes, 500-700 horses, and 100 full-size cannons
will re-create the sights, smells, and sounds of those three fateful days
in July. Tourists should arrive at least two hours early to the event;
expect heavy traffic when leaving the area. Sunscreen, applied every two
hours, is highly recommended because shade umbrellas are only allowed
up until the first shot is fired. Ticket prices vary depending on general
or grandstand seating preference, and the number of days guests plan on
attending the event. Call the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee at (717)
338-1525 for additional reenactment information or to purchase tickets.
The
Eisenhower National Historic Site, adjoining the Gettysburg National Military
Park at 97 Taneytown Road, was home to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower
and his wife Mamie. During Eisenhower's presidency, the 230-acre country
estate served as a weekend retreat, haven during illness, and meeting
place for world leaders. From 1961 to 1969, it was the Eisenhowers' retirement
home. The residence retains its original furnishings, and showcases objects
and memorabilia from Eisenhower's life and presidency. The Reception Center,
once an office for the Secret Service, contains a bookstore and restrooms.
Call the national site at (717) 338-9114 for information about its hours,
admission fees, and seasonal ranger talks and living history programs.
In
the summer of 1863, Gen. Robert E. Lee needed a headquarters close to
the Civil War action. He chose a stonehouse, built in 1834, because of
its proximity to the center and rear of the Confederate line. Mrs. Mary
Thompson, known by residents simply as Widow Thompson, owned the house
and continued to occupy it while Lee resided there. The house, located
at 401 Buford Ave., currently contains artifacts that tell the stories
of Battle of Gettysburg soldiers. The former headquarters is open from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. mid-March through November, with extended hours in the
summer. Call the museum at (717) 334-3141 for information about admission
fees and extended hours. 
The
Gettysburg Civil War Walking Tour illustrates the war's impact on civilian
life. Guests walk to many historic homes on the tour and learn wartime
residents' stories. Two homes on the tour are the Jenny Wade House Museum
and the Schriver House Museum. The Jenny Wade House Museum, located at
Wayside near Baltimore Street, is the site where a stray bullet killed
Jenny Wade (the only civilian casualty in the Civil War) while she made
biscuits for soldiers. The award-winning Schriver House Museum, an authentically
restored Civil War home at 309 Baltimore St., features a Confederate sharpshooter's
nest in its attic. Contact Gettysburg Convention & Visitors Bureau,
Gettysburg-Adams County Chamber of Commerce, or Main Street Gettysburg
to receive the complete Gettysburg Heritage Sites Walking Tour brochure.
Gettysburg
National Military Park, located at 97 Taneytown Road, comprises battlegrounds,
Soldiers' National Cemetery, a Cyclorama Center, and a Visitor Center.
Tourists usually start in the Visitor Center, where they can peruse an
electronic map that depicts the Battle of Gettysburg's troop movements
with flashing lights. The Gettysburg Museum of Civil War, located in the
Visitor Center, contains one of the largest collections of Civil War relics
in the world. From there, tourist can move to the Cyclorama Center, which
houses additional Civil War artifacts and a Battle of Gettysburg cyclorama
accompanied by a 20-minute audio presentation. Gettysburg National Cemetery
is a burial ground for thousands of war casualties, and the site of Abraham
Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address. Call the Gettysburg National Military
Park at (717) 334-1124 for information about its hours, special summertime
walks and guided tours, and various fees. 
The
Hall of President and First Ladies Museum is a wax museum that brings
former presidents to life. Each meticulously detailed presidential wax
figure in the "Hall of Presidents" recounts the story of America
from his historical perspective in a unique voice. In "The First
Ladies Museum," guests can look at wax representations of former
first ladies dressed in authentic reproductions of their inaugural gowns.
The Hall of Presidents and First Ladies Museum even has a special exhibit
dedicated to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie
titled "Eisenhowers at Gettysburg." The exhibit depicts their
retirement years spent in their homestead near Gettysburg. Call the museum
at (717) 334-5717 for information about its hours and admission fees.
Many
entertainments await visitors venturing into the basement of the supposedly
haunted and historic Farnsworth House. In the Civil War Mourning Theater,
frightening ghost stories and horrific battle tales are told. The Spirit
Theater re-creates a Victorian-era séance with unexpected results.
The Parlor Magic Show gives guests an intimate view of prestidigitation
performed by a master magician. These eerie presentations provide guests
with plenty of spine-tingling, hair-raising fun. .jpg)
David
Wills, an attorney, welcomed Lincoln as a guest into his home the night
before the former president deliveredhis celebrated Gettysburg Address.
The Lincoln Room Museum dwells in the Wills House, located in Lincoln
Square. There, guests can view the bedroom where Lincoln slept. Part of
the Lincoln bedroom presentation includes actor Jeff Daniel's voice reciting
the Gettysburg Address. All five drafts of the Gettysburg Address are
displayed in a room next to the bedroom. The Lincoln Room Museum is open
from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the summer season, with reduced hours in
the off-season. Call the museum at (717) 334-8188 or (717) 334-2100 for
information about its admission fees and off-season hours. 
The
Lincoln Train Museum is home to the delightful "Lincoln Train Ride."
The ride is a simulation of the train journey Abraham Lincoln took to
Gettysburg to dedicate the National Cemetery. A movie plays while the
guests are on the train, giving the illusion that guests are actually
riding with Lincoln. The Lincoln Train Museum also contains the "Lincoln
Toy Train Collection," which displays over 1,000 trains. Dioramas
featuring some of the toy trains illustrate the railroad's important role
during the Civil War. The Lincoln Train Museum is located at 425 Steinwehr
Ave. Call the museum at (717) 334-5678 for information about its hours
and admission fees. 
The
National Civil War Museum tells the entire story of the Civil War, without
bias towards the Union or Confederacy. The museum houses over 24,000 items
related to the Civil War, including artifacts, manuscripts, documents,
and photographs. Its prewar collections focus on the arguments, especially
regarding the issue of slavery, between the North and the South. The war
collections, civilian and military items, strive to depict the human side
of the conflict. Exhibits include life-size depictions of Civil War scenes.
The National Civil War Museum is located at One Lincoln Circle in Harrisburg's
Reservoir Park. Call the museum at (717) 260-1861 for information about
its hours and admission fees; press ext. 7304 to receive automated directions.
The
National Riding Stables offers two-hour Ride into History tours which
cover the second and third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Licensed battlefield
guides recount historical information as guests ride through the battlegrounds
on horseback. The Ride into History Tour costs $50 per person, and is
available by reservation only. The National Riding Stables are located
at 610 Taneytown Road in Artillery Ridge Campground. Call the stables
at (717) 334-1288 to make reservations. .jpg)
Pope
John XXIII said this about St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born
saint: "In a house that was very small, but with ample space for
charity, she sowed a seed in America which by Divine Grace grew into a
long tree." The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton prepares
guests to take a self-guided tour highlighting Seton's life of charity
and relationship with God. A short presentation describes the site's historical
buildings. The National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is located 10
miles south of Gettysburg in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Admission to the center
is free. Contact the center at (301) 447-6606 for information about its
hours.
The
Soldiers National Museum displays artifacts and memorabilia from the Civil
War and other major American conflicts. Artifacts, ranging from the Vikings
to the Persian Gulf War, include swords, hats, and guns. Ten major Civil
War battles are depicted through expertly crafted miniature dioramas.
The museum also features a life-size narrated Confederate encampment.
The Soldiers National Museum is located at 777 Baltimore St. Call the
museum at (717) 334-4890 for information about its hours and admission
fees.