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By Carl Whitehill
Gettysburg’s history extends far beyond the battlefield. Throughout town and across Adams County, historic homes, taverns, farms, and museums invite visitors to step inside the stories of civilians, soldiers, presidents, and families who shaped the American experience. From preserved Civil War homes to presidential estates and colonial taverns, these spaces bring history to life in deeply personal ways.
After exploring the battlefield and many museums scattered throughout Gettysburg and its countryside, take time to discover these historic homes where guides bring visitors face-to-face with the people who lived through defining moments in American history.
From Civil War-era homes to presidential estates, Gettysburg’s historic house museums offer immersive ways to experience American history beyond the battlefield.
Located along Baltimore Street in downtown Gettysburg, The Shriver House Museum has welcomed visitors for more than 25 years with a deeply personal story of civilian life during the Battle of Gettysburg. Focusing on the Shriver family – George, Hettie, and daughters, Sadie and Molly – this guided tour reveals how one family’s dreams and daily routines were forever changed when war arrived at their doorstep.
Carefully restored rooms and period furnishings help visitors imagine what life was like for Gettysburg residents caught in the middle of the nation’s bloodiest battle.
At just 20 years old, Jennie Wade became the only civilian killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. While baking bread for Union soldiers at her sister’s home on the slopes of East Cemetery Hill, Jennie was struck by a stray bullet, forever linking her name to Gettysburg history.
Today, the Jennie Wade House Museum stands as one of Gettysburg’s most visited historic homes, preserving her story and honoring the experiences of civilians during wartime.
Just a few blocks from the Jennie Wade House sits the Historic Jennie Wade Birthplace House, where visitors can learn about Jennie’s early life, family, and upbringing in Gettysburg before the battle changed everything.
Carefully decorated to reflect life in the 1820s, the home features interactive educational displays and period-accurate rooms that help visitors better understand everyday life in Gettysburg before the Civil War.
Dating back to 1810, the Farnsworth House Inn stands at the center of some of Gettysburg’s most dramatic Civil War stories. During the battle, Confederate sharpshooters occupied the attic and fired toward Union positions on Cemetery Hill. Some believe one of those bullets struck Jennie Wade just two blocks away.
Months later, the home witnessed President Abraham Lincoln’s procession to the Soldiers’ National Cemetery to deliver the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863.
Today, guided tours share stories of battle damage, civilian survival, and the lasting legacy of Gettysburg’s most famous days.
Less than a mile from downtown Gettysburg, the Historic Daniel Lady Farm preserves a 146-acre property that served as a Confederate field hospital and staging area during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Visitors can explore the historic farmhouse, barn, and grounds through guided tours or self-guided interpretive walks. Living history programs and seasonal events throughout the year offer even deeper opportunities to connect with Gettysburg’s past.
South of Gettysburg lies the George Spangler Farm, a historic site where the Spangler family endured the battle and the difficult months that followed. The farm later became one of the Union Army’s largest field hospitals.
Today, visitors can tour the stone farmhouse, Pennsylvania bank barn, and summer kitchen while learning about battlefield medicine, civilian resilience, and recovery after the fighting ended.
The site hosts guided tours, living history demonstrations, and seasonal programs throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
Gettysburg’s story begins long before the Civil War. In 1776, Reverend Alexander Dobbin built what is now known as the Dobbin House Tavern, one of the oldest surviving structures in Gettysburg.
Rev. Dobbin and his wife raised 19 children in the home, which later became a stop for travelers journeying through south-central Pennsylvania. Today, visitors can experience the house through guided tours that explore all three stories of the historic building while uncovering stories of colonial Gettysburg and early American life.
West of Gettysburg sits the Eisenhower National Historic Site, once home to President Dwight D. Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower. Long before it became a historic site, the property served as the Eisenhowers’ beloved retirement home and a gathering place for world leaders during the Cold War.
Visitors today can tour the home and grounds to experience a more personal side of presidential history and mid-century American life. Guided tours begin with a National Park Service ranger before guests continue exploring portions of the home independently.
In nearby Hanover, Pennsylvania, the Warehime-Myers Mansion offers a glimpse into early 20th-century elegance and industry. Built in 1911 as the residence of Clinton N. Myers of the Hanover Shoe Company, the mansion was designed in the Greek Revival style by Philadelphia architect Herman Miller.
Today, visitors can tour the beautifully preserved home and learn about Hanover’s industrial growth, architecture, and local history through seasonal guided tours offered from April through November.
The David Wills House, dedicated to both the Wills family and President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 visit to Gettysburg, is expected to reopen in November 2026.
The Hopkins House will soon share the stories of Gettysburg’s Black community and the Hopkins family during and after the Battle of Gettysburg, adding another important perspective to the town’s evolving historical interpretation.
Visitors during the holiday season can also experience Holiday House Tours presented each December by Gettysburg History, offering special access to historic homes decorated for the season.
And don’t forget — guided and self-guided walking tours throughout Gettysburg continue to share the stories of the families who lived here before, during, and long after the Battle of Gettysburg.
Plan your historic getaway and explore even more Gettysburg history, museums, and tours at DestinationGettysburg.com.
Check out our Getaway Guide online or have us send you one. Have an immediate question? Call us at 1.800.337.5015
Get the Guide
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