Wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters have watched their men go off to war for generations, hoping they hadn’t seen the last of them. But rather than stay at home pining from the sidelines, many women of the Civil War era found ways to serve their country that didn’t involve taking up arms. Whether running their family business, volunteering as a nurse, or documenting their experiences to be shared with the next generation, these women challenged the conventions of their time and were a force to be reckoned with.
What is the Wonder Women of Gettysburg: Hidden Valor Tour about?
While history covers the famous, our Gettysburg Wonder Woman Tour dives into the stories of the regular people of Gettysburg, women specifically, who protected the vulnerable, nursed the injured, buried the dead, and kept life as safe as possible for the families left behind as men went off to fight.
We’ll learn about the women who have statues erected about them or homes named for them—Tillie Pierce, Jennie Wade, Elizabeth Thorn—as well as women you may never have heard of—Mary McAllister, Sallie Myers and Philinda Humiston—who had a big impact on this small town during its darkest hours.