Gettysburg History

06/18/2026

That Declaration of Independence story you learned in grade school might not be 100% true. Join author Tom McMillan this Saturday, June 20th to experience the story you haven't heard.

Reserve your tickets: https://113910.blackbaudhosting.com/113910/The-Year-Tha-Made-America-From-Rebellion-to-Independence-1775-1776-20Jun2026

06/17/2026

Raise your hand if you have a history dad 🙋‍♀️

Spend Father's Day together immersed in stories of the past and enjoy a day in historic Gettysburg. Dads get in for free all day Sunday, June 21st at Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum and Shriver House Museum at Gettysburg.

06/16/2026

Introducing two more members of the talented team bringing Anna Deavere Smith’s play, Basil Biggs, to life!

Developed for ArtPhilly’s What Now: 2026 Festival, Smith’s new play traces the life of her great-great-grandfather, Basil Biggs—a farmer, veterinarian, and Underground Railroad operative who was contracted to disinter the Union dead following the Battle of Gettysburg.

A special live performance will take place in Gettysburg on July 2nd at 7:30 p.m. at Gettysburg College's Kline Theatre.

This play marks director Leonard Foglia’s third time collaborating with Smith after Let Me Down Easy and Notes From The Field. His directorial experience spans Broadway (Master Class, Wait Until Dark, Thurgood, The People in the Picture, On Golden Pond, and The Gin Game) and several opera world premieres.

Amanda Harris (general manager) is often found behind the scenes as a stage and company manager for large scale productions with theatre and circus. Some favorite credits of hers include: production stage manager - 11,000 Strings (Park Avenue Armory), Choir of Man, After Midnight (Norwegian Cruise Lines); and stage manager - 'Twas the Night Before..., Crystal, and LUZIA (Cirque du Soleil).

Reserve your tickets for the July 2nd performance: https://113910.blackbaudhosting.com/113910/Anna-Deavere-Smith-and-Basil-Biggs-A-Live-Performance-in-Gettysburg

A Q & A with Smith will follow.

06/16/2026

Last but not least, meet our third archives intern — Vanessa! She and her fellow interns are already hard at work preserving history for the generations to come.

Meet the interns! This summer we have three fabulous students working behind the scenes to help preserve and share Adams County history.

Finally, we'd like you to meet Vanessa Russo, a rising sophomore at Gettysburg College. She is majoring in history and minoring in educational studies and writing with the goal of becoming a secondary education social studies teacher. In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys reading, creative writing, and knitting.

This summer's intern projects include researching and developing exhibits based on the recent Hopkins House Museum Gettysburg archaeological excavation, updating museum displays, cataloging and photographing artifacts, reorganizing archival collections, improving storage and inventory systems, and assisting with the preservation of historic records.

Let's give Vanessa a warm welcome and applaud the next generation of historians! 👏

06/16/2026

The Declaration of Independence is one of the most historic documents in the history of the world, but most Americans don’t know the backstory of how it happened. Why were there three official printed versions? Why were there so many edits to Thomas Jefferson’s draft? Why did no one sign it until August?

Join Gettysburg resident Tom McMillan, author of The Year That Made America, on Saturday, June 20th at 10 a.m. for an intriguing look at the Declaration as the 250th anniversary approaches.

Reserve your tickets now for this Saturday's program: https://113910.blackbaudhosting.com/113910/The-Year-Tha-Made-America-From-Rebellion-to-Independence-1775-1776-20Jun2026

06/15/2026

Meet Max, one of our archives interns! We're so glad to have the next generation of historians working with us this summer.

Meet the interns! This summer we have three fabulous students working behind the scenes to help preserve and share Adams County history.

Next, meet Max Carlson, a rising sophomore at Franklin & Marshall College. He plans to double major in art history and anthropology. Max's hobbies include theater, reading, and collecting trinkets!

This summer's intern projects include researching and developing exhibits based on the recent Hopkins House Museum Gettysburg archaeological excavation, updating museum displays, cataloging and photographing artifacts, reorganizing archival collections, improving storage and inventory systems, and assisting with the preservation of historic records.

Let's give Max a warm welcome and applaud the next generation of historians! 👏

06/14/2026

The Lincoln Train Museum opened on Steinwehr Avenue in the late 1960s. A 1968 article in the Gettysburg Times said the train museum would feature "an authentic collection of steam trains, model trains, antique trains and other railroad equipment."

Did you ever visit the museum?

(1973 image, Walt & Janice Lane Collection)

06/13/2026

Introducing two new cast members in the upcoming July 2nd performance of Anna Deavere Smith's play, Basil Biggs!

Developed for ArtPhilly’s What Now: 2026 Festival, Smith’s new play traces the life of her great-great-grandfather, Basil Biggs—a farmer, veterinarian, and Underground Railroad operative who was contracted to disinter the Union dead following the Battle of Gettysburg.

Dr. Edward W. Hardy (at left) is an actor, violinist, violist, composer, and multidisciplinary performer whose work bridges theatre and live music performance. Best known for bringing the solo violin to the Off-Broadway stage in The Woodsman (59E59 Theaters, Ars Nova), Hardy served as violinist and composer for the Obie Award-winning production.
(Image by Andrew Gonzalez Photography)

Dax Richardson began his acting journey at the renowned Hedgerow Theatre before he went on to perform in an August Wilson play at The Arden Theatre and star in a CBS Sports commercial for the NCAA College Football Playoff. A rising star in the world of acting, Dax is currently training in Hell’s Kitchen with the renowned teacher and private coach John Dapolito.
(Image by Vanie Poyey)

Reserve your tickets for the live performance of Basil Biggs: https://113910.blackbaudhosting.com/113910/Anna-Deavere-Smith-and-Basil-Biggs-A-Live-Performance-in-Gettysburg

A Q & A with Smith will follow the performance at Gettysburg College's Kline Theatre.

06/12/2026

Join historian Tim Smith and his son Sam for a special FREE program at the New Oxford Train Station this Father's Day, June 21st.

To help celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States, Tim will share his knowledge of the history of transportation in the New Oxford area. From horse-drawn carriages to the automobile to the Lincoln Highway, you'll learn how transportation shaped this town.

The program will begin at 2 p.m. Bring the kids to see the train display and bring your own chair for the program.