James Pierce is perhaps best known as the father of Tillie Pierce, the young heroine who authored At Gettysburg: What a Girl Saw and Heard of the Battle. Yet his story is interesting in its own right. Originally from Maryland, Pierce wore many hats in Gettysburg, serving as a butcher, grocer, property owner, and businessman. […]
Wednesday, May 13th, 3 to 5 p.m. Join historians Jean Howard-Green, Tim Smith, and Andrew Dalton for a special walking tour through Gettysburg’s historic Third Ward, where generations of the town’s Black residents built lives, businesses, churches, and community. Along the way, participants will explore sites connected to Gettysburg’s Black history from before the Civil […]
Born in December 1844, Daniel Skelly was 18 years of age at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg. Like many other townspeople, he witnessed the carnage of the battle and its aftermath firsthand. And like many citizens of the town, he shared his story many times. In 1932, with the help of his son, […]
Saturday, May 23rd from 3 to 4 p.m. Garden Room, Shriver House Museum, 307 Baltimore St., Gettysburg From dangerous holiday games to forgotten disasters, strange failed inventions to parlor pranks, this program – including live demonstrations and audience interaction – is sure to entertain both history and non-history enthusiasts alike. Viewers will be left […]
Saturday, May 30th from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Battlefield Overlook Event Center, 625 Biglerville Rd., Gettysburg At a critical moment, with the fight for independence hanging by a thread, General Washington risked it all with a daring campaign to cross the Delaware River in the dark, strike the German garrison at Trenton, and […]
In the winter of 1777, General George Washington and the Continental Army set their sights on a little village in southeastern Pennsylvania called Valley Forge. The hardships they faced there would go down in history, but what drove them to this desperate situation? Step beyond the story of what happened at Valley Forge to consider […]
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 […]
Tour Ms. Hettie's Kitchen Garden Sunday, June 28th, 10-11 a.m. Shriver House Museum, 307 Baltimore St., Gettysburg Have you ever wanted to know what civilians would have grown in their garden during the Civil War? Today, Hettie Shriver’s garden has been transported to the past, and features the herbs, plants and vegetables that Hettie […]
Fields of Fire: Gettysburg's First Day Farms July 1, 10-11:30 a.m. Battlefield Overlook Event Center, 625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg Join historians Jim Hessler, Andrew Dalton, and Phil Spaugy for an in-depth exploration of three farms—Harmon, Forney, and McClean—at the heart of the Battle of Gettysburg’s first day. Spread across the fields west and north […]
Fire a Civil War Rifle! July 1, 12-1:30 p.m. Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum (outdoors), 625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg Don’t miss this rare, hands-on opportunity to fire an authentic Civil War firearm. Under the close supervision of expert instructor Phil Spaugy, participants will load and fire one blank cartridge, gaining firsthand insight into the experience […]
Fire our Civil War Cannon! July 1, 2-4 p.m. Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum (outdoors), 625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg On July 1st, you can take part in the firing of our reproduction 10-pounder Parrot rifle. Ticket holders will have the opportunity to join our trained cannon crew and pull the lanyard (rope) to fire a […]
Behind Union Lines: An Exclusive Tour of the Jacob Weikert Farm and Field Hospital July 2, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 1051 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg Join historian Tim Smith and Abbie Hoffman, director of the Shriver House Museum, for a special tour of the Jacob Weikert Farm — one of the most significant Union field […]
Sneak Preview of the Jack and Julia Hopkins House July 2, 2-4 p.m. 219 S. Washington St., Gettysburg Step inside Gettysburg History’s ongoing restoration of the Jack and Julia Hopkins House (219 South Washington Street), the future home of Gettysburg’s new Black History Museum. Join historians Jean Green and Andrew Dalton as they share the […]
Anna Deavere Smith and Basil Biggs: A Live Performance in Gettysburg July 2, 7:30-9 p.m. Kline Theatre, Brua Hall, Gettysburg College In honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, acclaimed playwright, actor, and professor Anna Deavere Smith brings Basil Biggs to Gettysburg for a special presentation of selected scenes. Developed for ArtPhilly’s What Now: 2026 Festival, Smith’s new […]
Civil War Book Sale and Author Signings at Beyond the Battle Museum July 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum, 625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg Browse hundreds of new and used Civil War books and join us for author signings with: Tim Smith (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) Cindy Small (10 a.m. […]
'The Gettysburg Book: A Father, Son & The Killer Angels' Film Premiere Friday, July 3rd from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Majestic Theater, 25 Carlisle Street, Gettysburg A new film set to be released this summer will explore the untold story of Michael Shaara’s creation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Killer Angels, which directly inspired […]
