Gettysburg, PA – Community members, historians, and descendants of early settlers gathered Tuesday morning at the site of Gettys Tavern to commemorate a pivotal moment in local and national history: the 250th anniversary of the formation of a volunteer company that would join George Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution.
Hosted by the America 250 PA Adams County Steering Committee, the event, titled “Road to Revolution,” honored the brave actions of local men from the Marsh Creek settlement who assembled on June 24, 1775, to answer the call to arms. Their march from Gettys Tavern to Boston marked Adams County’s direct involvement in the birth of the nation.
Jill Sellers, president of Main Street Gettysburg and member of the America 250 PA committee welcomed special guests including Nanette Williams, the fifth great-granddaughter of Samuel Gettys, and Mark Gettys, a descendant who sponsored the restoration of a commemorative plaque originally installed in 1975. The newly restored plaque was rededicated during the ceremony.
Jackie White, local historian and owner of the Dobbin House—Gettysburg’s oldest building—reflected on those who arrived in the area in the early 1700s. “They thought of themselves as just ordinary citizens, but to us today, we honor them as extraordinary heroes,” said Jackie White, speaking at the June 24th commemoration of local riflemen who joined the Continental Army in 1775.
Andrew Dalton, Executive Director of the Adams County Historical Society, praised the event as both a celebration and a reminder of Gettysburg’s deeper history. “We often think of Gettysburg as a Civil War town,” Dalton noted, “but the story began long before 1863. Today we honor the courage and resolve of those who made the first stand here in 1775.”
Tim Smith, official historian of Adams County and director of education at the Adams County Historical Society, detailed the local events 250 years ago . “The shots heard around the world reverberated through the frontier of western Adams County,” said Smith, recalling how news of Lexington and Concord stirred local settlers to action in 1775.
On June 24, 1775, a group of local settlers met at the tavern and formed a militia company under Captain Michael Doudle. Within a month, they had marched over 400 miles to Boston, where they joined the Continental Army during its earliest campaigns.
The event also featured music from period performers, a display of colonial muskets, and appearances by members of the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, many dressed in 18th-century attire.
The ceremony concluded with a call for community involvement in upcoming America 250 events, which will continue across Adams County in the lead-up to the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026.
For more information or to volunteer, residents are encouraged to contact the America 250 PA Adams County Steering Committee through their official website or visit Main Street Gettysburg.