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Lincoln in Gettysburg
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Spend a two-day weekend in Gettysburg on our roadtrip honoring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Explore Civil War and Underground Railroad sites that spotlight the hallmarks of Lincoln's presidency, a time defined by the American Civil War and Honest Abe's efforts to end slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Fact: Lincoln's assassination was the first presidential assassination in U.S. history.
PrintEmailDay One - Gettysburg
>>>>>>>>>>Even President Lincoln enjoyed a good roadtrip; though his was by train- you can follow Lincoln to Gettysburg for a historic experience. Make your first stop the Hanover Junction Train Station in York County, where Lincoln's train stopped on his way to Gettysburg on November 18, 1863 for the dedication of the Soldier's National Cemetery. The station was restored to its 1863 Civil War appearance in 2001 and a Civil War Museum is open to the public.
Continue on to Gettysburg, where you can visit the Historic Gettysburg Railroad Station head house, built in 1859. The station served as the western terminus of the Gettysburg Railroad line to Hanover, Pennsylvania. Lincoln arrived here by train on November 18, 1863. The station served as a field hospital during the Battle of Gettysburg, transporting 15,000 wounded soldiers after the battle. Today, docents will interpret the history for your understanding.
A visit to the David Wills House, opening November 18, 2008, provides a look at the effects of the Battle of Gettysburg on the town, the aftermath of the Battle, David Wills, President Lincoln, and the Gettysburg Address.
While downtown, a guided walking tour can be arranged to explore more of Lincoln's time in Gettysburg.
At the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, opening April 14, 2008, explore the new museum, which includes the history of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, and a look at Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address. Continue your experience with a Licensed Guided tour of the Battlefield. Ask to include the Soldiers National Cemetery, where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, and where Civil War heroes were laid to rest. A few blocks away, discover the Lincoln Cemetery, a historically African American cemetery where several members of the U.S. Colored Troops were laid to rest.
Lincoln in Gettysburg PHOTO GALLERY:
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Places to stay
- Best Western Gettysburg Hotel Est. 1797
- Farnsworth House Inn
- Gettystown Inn Bed & Breakfast at the Dobbin House
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More sights
Visitor information
Day Two - Gettysburg
A visit to the American Civil War Museum provides a 45-minute, self-guided museum tour describing the events leading up to and through the American Civil War, concluding with a reading of the Gettysburg Address.
Afterward, jump on the Lincoln Train Ride at the Lincoln Train Museum and ride aboard the Presidential Train with President Lincoln as he travels to Gettysburg to dedicate the Soldiers' National Cemetery with a few appropriate remarks. While at the museum, view the Lincoln Toy Train Collection with operating layouts featuring over 1,000 trains and colorful dioramas illustrating the role of the railroad during the Civil War.
Tour the Shriver House Museum, a historic home, to learn about the civilians of Gettysburg who lived through the three-day battle and the aftermath that changed their lives. Understand the Civil War through the lives of one family that was typical of the time.
Lincoln is forever tied to the issue of slavery in the United States, and a Quaker Valley Underground Railroad Tour will explore this within the history of Adams County. Free African Americans and Quakers in Adams County helped to operate the local Underground Railroad, concealing escaping slaves and helping them onward to freedom. This guided tour introduces you to those who sought freedom and those who fought for it who lived just north of Gettysburg, in the heart of our scenic fruit belt.
Lincoln in Gettysburg PHOTO GALLERY:
Click the above image to see a full-size version.