Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

1. Gettysburg National Military Park

Gettysburg Battle was the Civil War's turning point, its bloodiest battle, and the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address." Gettysburg National Military Park was established to protect the area of the battle and to interpret its landscape and events to the visitors. The park includes the battlefield, battle support areas such as areas used for reserves, hospitals, and supplies, and several relevant non-battle areas that include the Gettysburg National Cemetery. The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Cente, located within the park, contains most of the park's 43,000 Civil War artifacts, and is one of the best things to do in Gettysburg, PA. There are numerous battle re-enactments and commemorative events organized in the park every year. The park staff is also in charge of replanting the original forests and other plants that existed in the area at the time of the battle.

1195 Baltimore Pike (Route 97), Gettysburg, PA 17325-2804, 717-334-1124

2. State of Pennsylvania Monument

Nestled within the historic site of the Battle of Gettysburg stands the State of Pennsylvania Monument. It is the largest monument on the Gettysburg battlefield with the entire structure, to the tip of the sword on the Winged Victory statue, standing at 110 feet high. Visitors to the monument can climb the monument’s granite structure via a spiral staircase and enjoy a view of the surrounding grounds through a lookout point.

The top of the monument also gives guests a closer look at the 7,500-pound statue that stands on top of the monument’s dome. Dedicated in 1910, the State of Pennsylvania Monument is a great stop to the itinerary of history buffs and the like.

Hancock Avenue, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 17325, Phone: 717-334-2028

3. Gettysburg National Cemetery

Gettysburg National Cemetery was established right after the Battle of Gettysburg claimed more than 51,000 lives. With his famous Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln dedicated the cemetery, reminding Americans of the lives lost in order to keep the Union together. The cemetery is the final resting place of about 3,500 Union soldiers that died in the Battle of Gettysburg, and it is part of the Gettysburg National Military Park.

The National Park Service is responsible for managing the cemetery, which contains a number of significant monuments such as the Soldiers' National Monument that was completed in 1869 and a rostrum, built in 1879, located close to the entrance on Taneytown Road. This brick rostrum was used as a standing platform from which many presidents, including both Roosevelts and Eisenhower, gave speeches while attending yearly Gettysburg Battle memorial ceremonies.

97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325

4. Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides

It all started while the fires on the battlefield of Gettysburg were still smoldering and the blood had barely dried. As soon as the armies left, the families of the fallen soldiers and curious citizens started coming, and local residents started guiding them around. Since 1863, the role of guiding the scholars, relatives, veterans, and tourists was taken over by various groups and people who claimed to have some knowledge of what really happened and where.

The battlefield was becoming one of the most important parks commemorating the Civil War. Due to the need for highly educated and knowledgeable guides who would provide accurate information, in 1915 the Federal Government established a testing of the guides in order to ensure the quality of the information. Once tested, the guides became licensed members of the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides. Licensed guides will ensure that your visit to the Gettysburg Battlefield will be informative and exciting, and that the information you will get is accurate and interesting.

5. Eisenhower National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site (Eisenhower NHS) features the home and farm of Dwight D. Eisenhower, America's 34th president. During Eisenhower's presidency, the site served as a meeting spot for world leaders. Now, people come from all over the world to see the 40,000 artifacts contained in Eisenhower's former home.

The Eisenhower NHS also includes 700 acres of diverse, beautiful habitats, which serve as a protected area for loggerhead shrikes, short-eared owls, and upland sandpipers. Youth groups regularly visit Eisenhower NHS since there is a special program offered for students from 3rd to 12th grade.

Tour buses depart from 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, 717-334-1124

6. Gettysburg Museum of History

The Gettysburg Museum of History is located in the home of its owner and curator, Erik L. Dorr, who spent his entire life collecting American historic artifacts. Mr. Dorr is the 4th generation of a family whose farm was the location of the famous Pickett’s Charge in 1863.

After the farm was incorporated into the Battlefield Park, the family moved to the home where Mr. Dorr lives today, and the home also hosts the Gettysburg Museum of History. The museum’s collection contains not only artifacts collected by Mr. Dorr’s ancestors after the Battle of Gettysburg, but also artifacts that cover the entire American history from its founding to today. This private collection, which rivals in its size and quality many governmental and private museums, is today open to the public as part of the Gettysburg Museum of History, free of charge, as part of community service.

219 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-337-2035

7. Shriver House Museum

Walking through the Shriver House Museum is like walking back in time. The meticulously restored 1860 home is your window into an important period of American history. While walking through its rooms with a guide dressed in a period costume, you can learn how the civilians lived and what happened to them during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Your guide will tell you the story of the Shriver family while you explore their fully furnished rooms, which look the same as they did in 1860, with all the furniture, clothes, children’s toys, and other items of everyday life.

You will see the two sharpshooters who were hiding in the attic during the battle and died there. The house was also used as a hospital and a place to store medical supplies during the battle, and you will see some of those supplies, which were later found in the house.

Address: Shriver House Museum, 309 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-337-2800

8. Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum

The Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum boasts 20,000 square feet of interactive galleries and educational programming. The museum touches on three main topics: the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, care given to wounded soldiers at Schmucker Hall, and moral questions from the Civil War era.

An outdoor feature called the trails program is popular among visitors. The main outdoor trail circles the Lutheran Theological Seminary Campus and includes informative markers that describe Seminary Ridge's role in the Civil War. Museum visitors can take a self-guided tour of this area or take a tour with one of the museum's tour guides.

Address: Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum, 111 Seminary Ridge, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, 717-339-1300

9. Jennie Wade House

The area where the Jennie Wade House sits was generally seen as a “no man's land” during the Civil War, but the house became an important historic site after 20-year-old Jennie Wade was shot while preparing bread for Union soldiers. She is the only known civilian casualty of the Battle of Gettysburg.

During a tour of the perfectly preserved home, visitors can see the exact spot where the bullet traveled through two wooden doors before hitting young Jennie Wade. The home also contains a small shop where guests can buy figurines, informative DVDs, flags, puzzles, books, and other memorabilia.

Address: Jennie Wade House, 548 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA , 717-334-4100

10. The Gettysburg Diorama

The Gettysburg Diorama is a display that recreates the Battle of Gettysburg in impressive detail. The 800-square-foot diorama contains more than 20,000 hand-painted soldiers, horses, weapons, and buildings. In addition to visual detail, the diorama has a narrated soundtrack that tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg in 30 minutes.

The diorama also provides an excellent learning opportunity for youth groups. In addition to the diorama, visitors can enjoy other unique Civil War artifacts that are just steps away. An onsite bookstore contains a wealth of books, collectibles, toys, and clothing for guests.

Address: The Gettysburg Diorama, 241 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, 717-334-6408