Dobbin House Square Dedications

The Historic Dobbin House welcomes all to celebrate the 250th birthday of the 1776 Dobbin House and the opening of Dobbin House Square. The event also includes the dedication of the Dobbin House Semiquincentennial Bell and the Charters of Freedom.

Saturday, August 29, 2026, beginning at 10:00 am
Next to the historic Dobbin House
89 Steinwehr Avenue, Gettysburg, PA

10:00 am Ceremony
Honor Guard of Fife and Drums and Spencer’s Additional Continental Regiment; ribbon-cutting to open Dobbin House Square, an outdoor museum and public welcoming space for education, reflection and community; special guest speakers; unveiling of the Pennsylvania Semiquincentennial “Liberty Bell” dedicated to the 250th birthdays of the 1776 Dobbin House and the United States; unveiling of the full-scale replica “Charters of Freedom” featuring the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, selected Civil Rights Amendments, and the Gettysburg Address; and a seven-cannon salute honoring the Dobbin House and the United States of America.

12:00 pm–3:00 pm Family-Friendly Activities
As an official America250PA Adams County event, the celebration continues throughout the day with self-guided tours of the historic 1776 Dobbin House; living history reenactments featuring a civilian market, hearth cooking, tailoring, a recruiting station, a staff officer, and 18th-century tavern life; demonstrations of the writing style used on the Declaration of Independence; colonial music by troubadour John Durant; a children’s scavenger hunt and coloring with prizes; and the opportunity to “make history” by signing the official Dobbin House 250th Birthday Book.

7:00 pm–9:00 pm Live Irish and Scottish Celtic Music
Award-winning Celtic band Cormorant’s Fancy performs live in the outdoor tent with Irish step dancers.

9:00 pm–10:00 pm Grand Finale Revolutionary Screening
A movie presentation projected onto the front of the 1776 Dobbin House, enhanced by surround-sound speakers for an immersive finale.

The celebration commemorates two remarkable 250th anniversaries while honoring the history of the Dobbin House and the founding of the United States.

About the Dobbin House Tavern

Opened as an authentic colonial tavern in 1978, the Dobbin House Tavern is one of Gettysburg’s most treasured landmarks. Built in 1776, it is the town’s oldest building and celebrates its 250th birthday alongside the United States in 2026. Carefully restored to reflect its original appearance, the historic stone home features period furnishings, seven fireplaces, hand-carved woodwork, and authentic 18th-century décor that brings early American history to life.

Today, the Dobbin House includes the Springhouse Tavern for casual dining, the Alexander Dobbin Dining Rooms for fine dining, the Abigail Adams Ballroom for banquets, the Gettystown Inn with lodging in three historic buildings, the Country Curiosity Store, and guided four-century history tours. The Dobbin House remains one of Gettysburg’s most distinctive historic destinations, combining colonial hospitality, dining, lodging, and living history in an authentic 1776 setting.