Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides

08/02/2024

We are excited to partner with Mason Dixon Distillery and The Sign of the Buck for our twice weekly Tavern Tours. Mason Dixon and Sign of the Buck join our Tavern Tour partners Hotel Gettysburg, Est. 1797 , The Garryowen Irish Pub and Ploughman Cider Taproom .

At the conclusion of the tour visitors will receive a 10% food voucher for the Garryowen and The Sign of the Buck and a 10% voucher from Ploughman. Mason Dixon is offering a free dessert with a meal purchase and Lincoln One is providing one complimentary beverage. We thank our partners for giving us the opportunity to highlight their modern day taverns and restaurants.

The one hour walking tours on Tuesdays and Fridays at 6:00 p.m. focuses on the history of Gettysburg's taverns. Think of it as a non-alcoholic bar hop 😉. See our website Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides or call 717-253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour.

07/11/2024

🥵🥵🥵 A public service announcement from the Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides. 🥵🥵🥵

07/09/2024

Our Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide Ted Talk 😁 with the Gettysburg Foundation. What questions do you have for Ted? 🤔🤔🤔

Join us and historian, Ted Hirt, next Sunday, July 14 from 9-10 a.m. at the Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station for Coffee with a Historian! ☕☕ Now is your chance to ask a historian anything about Gettysburg in 1863.

Conversations last one hour and take place on the covered pavilion. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Learn more and purchase your tickets here: https://ow.ly/NlHu50St9tN

07/02/2024

From our friends at the Dobbin House Tavern. Our "Danger and Courage" walking tour covers the fighting at the Dobbin House.

See our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour.

07/01/2024

"I looked for a letter from you when I got back but did not find one. I am in hopes to get one tonight. I got the likeness of the children and it pleased me more than eney thing that you could have sent me how I want to see them and their mother is more than I can tell I hope that we may all live to see each other again if the war does not last to long."
- Amos Humiston (154th NY) to his wife Philinda.

Amos survived the fighting at Kuhn's brickyard but not the retreat to Cemetery Hill. Take a one hour Battle in the Streets walking tour and learn about the Union retreat through town. Tours are available daily at 9:00 a.m from July 1 through July 7. For more information or to schedule a tour see our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737.

06/28/2024

"I will never forget the retreat. It was something terrible. No human words can describe it, and no one who was not on the scene can realize it. Our home was in the direct path of the march...I will never forget them. Some of the retreating men went through our house, and the noise above our heads, the rattle of musketry, the screeching of shells and the unearthly yells added to the terror and cries of the women and children, were enough to shake the stoutest of hearts." - Sallie Myers Stewart

The battle in the streets on the afternoon of July 1 was brief but intense for both the civilians and the soldiers. The Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides are offering a one hour "Battle in the Streets" walking tour at 9:00 a.m. from July 1 through July 7.

To book a tour, see our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737.

06/25/2024

Civil War history is in good hands 😁

06/03/2024

We are always happy to welcome back visitors ❤️ These happy visitors toured with Guide Doug Brown last year. When they made a return trip to Gettysburg last week they scheduled a different walking tour. If you have already walked the town with us, and are a return visitor, (or even if you haven't yet toured with us), check our website @ https://www.gbltg.com for a description of the various tours we offer or call 717-253-5737 for more information. Tours can be reserved on line or by phone.

05/25/2024

Congratulations to Bill Hartman, our newest Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide! Bill joins the Guides after successfully passing both his written and oral exams.

Bill's first visit to Gettysburg was in 1970, when he came here with his father and grandfather. "They treated Gettysburg with awe and reverence," he said, "and I became devoted for life."

Prior to retiring Bill served as an Assistant District Attorney. He was also employed by the New York State Insurance Fund as a senior attorney.

Bill notes, "It is a great privilege to share the courageous and compassionate stories of Gettysburg's civilians with the guests of this great town."

Welcome, Bill!

04/08/2024

Nineteenth century advice from the Compiler on how to watch an eclipse in Gettysburg. 😎☀️🌗🌑🌒🌞

04/03/2024

This month marks a milestone anniversary for the Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides. We are beginning our 20th anniversary of providing historic walking tours of Gettysburg!

Our organization began in 2004 as an offshoot of the Licensed Battlefield Guide program with an emphasis on the town and civilian history. Each guide undergoes a comprehensive study program prior to taking a written and oral test qualifying them to join our program. The Association of Gettysburg Licensed Town Historians became an LLC in 2015.

We thank our partnerships with Gettysburg's businesses for their support and we also thank the wonderfully fabulous visitors, school groups, Scout troops and other organizations who have toured with us over the years. We continue to be as committed to our mission of telling the civilian experience during the Battle of Gettysburg as we were when we gave our first tour in 2004.

The photo below dates from 2005 and shows one of our original guides, Jerry LaRussa on the right. Also in the photo from left to right: Terry Havel and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Spiek of St. Louis, Mo.

03/28/2024

It's official! 🎉🎊🎉 We are so excited to partner with our friends at the Shriver House Museum Gettysburg, PA !!! We look forward to walking through this part of town and talking about the Shriver's neighbors who were caught in the crossfire. Reservations for the one hour walking tour can be made at the link on the Shriver House website and linked in this shared announcement.

They're coming! They're coming!
So often we meet people who take a tour of the Shriver House and are surprised to learn that there was fighting in the streets of town - not just on the fields surrounding the town.

The Shriver House is very excited to partner with Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides to tell the story of the fighting in the street on 'South Baltimore Hill'. The tour will include a guided tour of the Shriver House focusing on how the fighting impacted the Shrivers. It will continue with a Licensed Town Guide walking along South Baltimore Hill (today called Baltimore Street) who will talk about the fighting in the streets and how other families were affected.
This special two-hour tour will take place on Mondays, starting at 5pm. Click on the link below to schedule join us.

I know the Stock house in this photo is on Washington Street - just around the corner from the Shriver House. But, I could not find a picture of damaged property on our street. If anyone has one, I would love to have a copy.
https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/shriverhouse/items/493509/?full-items=yes&flow=813196

03/28/2024

Congratulations to our newest licensed guide, Brenda Ritterpusch! Brenda passed the written exam in January and she passed the oral exam this past Sunday.

Brenda's love of Gettysburg began in elementary school when she read the one and only book about Gettysburg that was in the school library. She took the book out multiple times and had wanted to know more ever since.

Brenda is especially intrigued by how ordinary people do extraordinary things in the midst of unexpected circumstances that they could never have imagined. "Gettysburg is filled with these kinds of stories that never fail to inspire," Brenda said. "I hope that the examples here of costly service and selfless perseverance touch the hearts and minds of the visitors on our tours."

Welcome, Brenda! We are so happy to have you join us!

03/24/2024

These two lovely women were on our 11:00 tour today. The temps were in the upper 30's and felt even chillier in the shade and the air was brisk. 🥶 Can you guess which of these two is from Alaska and which is from California? 😉

03/23/2024

Education was important to the daughter of Gettysburg borough president David Kendlehart. Mary Kendlehart (1842-1937) wrote to her classmates about their future prospects noting that "with increased facilities for acquiring a thorough education, may you...realize the importance of diligently applying your minds to your studies."

Very encouraging words, but what opportunities were available to the 19th century woman who wanted to diligently apply to...college? Here's how Pennsylvania (now Gettysburg) College responded to the women who wanted to acquire a thorough education:

1873 - Professor Charles Hay suggests women be admitted if properly qualified

1875 - Resolution to open the college to women deemed "not expedient"

1883 - women are permitted to enroll and nine women enroll in the Prepatory Department

1888 - Beulah Tipton is the first woman to enroll in the college. However, she was unable to complete her studies due to illness.

1894 - Cora Hartman and Margaret Himes are the first two women to receive degrees

1904 - 74 women matriculated but only 17 earned degrees

1930 - the college decides to no longer admit women but will permit those currently enrolled to continue their education. Seven women graduate in 1933.

1935 - the college realizes it made a poor financial decision and readmits women and provides housing for them

1954 - Katherine Kressman Taylor (English) and E. Esther Bloss (Sociology) become the first women faculty members to receive tenure

1956 - the student body was 23% women

1972 - Title IX becomes law

1977 - the student body was 48% women

1980 - the college's women's Division III field hockey team wins the school's first national championship, becoming the first athletic program in the school's history to bring home a national trophy

2004 - Katherine Haley Will is elected as Gettysburg College's first woman president

2011 - The women's lacrosse team wins the NCAA Division III championship and goes on to win back to back national titles in 2017 and 2018

2024 - to the future and beyond

Mary Kendlehart, who became a teacher, most likely could never have envisioned how her advice would be taken to heart in the years after her encouragement to her classmates. No doubt she was as encouraging to the first female college scholars. Mary died at age 95 with the distinction of being the second oldest resident of Gettysburg.

To commemorate Women's History Month the Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides are giving one hour walking tours this weekend and next Saturday and Sunday, March 30 and 31, at 1:00 p.m. Reservations need to be made at least one hour in advance. Please see our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737 for more information.

📷: sports photos - gettysburgsports.com

03/18/2024

We had a wonderful time touring Gettysburg with this Boy Scout troop from Abbottstown yesterday. These enthusiastic young men and their leaders hiked the 10 mile Billy Yank Trail on Saturday. Billy Yank usually takes six hours to complete. They were up bright and early on Sunday morning...and still smiling at the halfway point of the Historic Gettysburg Trail. This hike is a three hour, three mile tour through town that helps Scouts visualize the civilian experience during the battle. Shortly after completing our town hike they hiked the Johnny Reb Trail, a four mile, two and a half hour hike. Their leader reports the boys did well on the final leg of the hikes. Kudos to the leaders and these Scouts for their weekend achievement 👏👏👏

The Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides offers discounts to scouting organizations. Be Prepared and schedule a tour by calling 717-253-5737.

03/15/2024

In last week's post we mentioned that Helen Dortch Longstreet, the second wife and widow of Gen. James Longstreet (CSA), stayed at the YWCA on Lincoln Square. She was in town in June 1941 for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Longstreet Monument... not the monument that stands today in Pitzer's Woods but the monument that was never erected.

Helen, 42 years younger than her husband, was a staunch and tireless defender of Longstreet's war record which came under attack in the 1870's. Nicknamed the "Fighting Lady" for championing causes such as women's suffrage, civil rights and the environment, she promised her husband that "in the future so long as I shall live, whenever your record is attacked, I will make an answer."

And answer she did. In 1905 she wrote _Lee and Longstreet at High Tide_ rebutting claims that Longstreet was responsible for the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. She established the Longstreet Memorial Association in 1938 to raise funds for a Longstreet monument and she obtained National Park Service approval for the placement of the monument. However, World War II put the monument momentum on hold and Helen's project was never completed.

Helen was a trailblazer and a woman ahead of her time. In 1888, at only 25 years old, she became the owner and publisher of the _Carnesville (Ga.) Times_ and increased circulation. In 1894 she became Georgia's first woman state assistant librarian. She stood up to the Georgia Power and Railroad Company when they planned to dam the Tallulah Gorge to generate hydroelectric power. She was concerned how this would affect the river and never one to mince words or shy away from a fight she called the corporation "commercial pirates and buccaneers." She lost that battle but won the war in 1992 when the Tallulah River's natural flow was restored.

Perhaps her most unusual accomplishment was the job she started at 80 years old: riveting fuselages on B-29 bombers at the Bell Bomber Plant in Georgia. She was proud of her contribution to the home front, saying "I've been an assembler and riveter for about two years and have never lost a day from work or been a single minute late. I will quit only when the last battle flag has been furled on land and sea."

After a life of accomplishments and firsts, Helen Dortch Longstreet died in 1962 at the age of 99. During her lifetime she was a frequent visitor to Gettysburg, including attending the 1938 reunion.

In honor of Women's History Month the Gettysburg Licensed Town Guides are offering a one hour Women's History walking tour every Saturday and Sunday in March. Tours begin at 1:00 p.m. and reservations must be made at least one hour in advance. Contact us at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour.

03/09/2024

Brad explains it all....

If you never toured the town of Gettysburg, a Town Tour is a great place to begin. A Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide will take you on a walking tour and tell you about Gettysburg’s history!

In this episode, we are joined by Brad Gottfried. In addition to being a Town Guide, Brad has written 17 books on the Civil War. He also is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide. Although he has deep expertise in many facets of the Civil War, he enjoys sharing our fascinating Gettysburg history with visitors.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or at DestinationGettysburg.com/podcast 🎙

03/08/2024

At the time of the Battle of Gettysburg the house tucked into the southeast corner of the Square was the home of Joel and Juliet Danner and their seven children. The Danners purchased the home in 1834 and it remained in the family until 1925.

Two of the Danner daughters, Annie and Irene Danner Reinwald, were committed to public service; specifically the challenges faced by working women of the early 1900's. They campaigned for a fair minimum wage for women, brought cakes and cookies to the factories, and opened their home as a place where women could meet and relax after their shift and socialize. Their home was also a meeting place for various women's organizations.

One of those service clubs, the Acorn Club, met at the Danner house in 1919 with a specific goal in mind: the formation of a YWCA. Annie died in 1920 but Irene continued supporting the Acorn Club. The Acorn Club had an insurmountable problem in their quest to start a YWCA in Gettysburg: finding a permanent location. The formation of the YWCA became a reality when Irene bequeathed the house in trust for the establishment of a YWCA upon her death in 1925.

The YWCA Gettysburg chapter was organized the following year and incorporated into the national chapter in 1929. The YWCA picked up the mantle of the sisters in their dedication to the welfare of women. They sponsored or provided meeting space for women's clubs such as the Girl Reserves, the Home Crafters, the Maple Leaf Club , the Business and Professional Women's Club and the Annie Danner Club for Industrial Girls.

The Annie Danner Club, formed in 1927, eventually evolved into a service organization. Services they provided the community included decorating the Square at Christmas, serving Easter Sunday breakfast and serving dinners at the monthly Rotary Club meetings. They also raised money for the YWCA.

Two guest rooms were added to the Danner YWCA in 1935. One visitor who checked in was Helen Dortch Longstreet, the widow of General James Longstreet. More on Helen's visit next week.

The YWCA offered a variety of programs for the community throughout the years. The current Advocacy Director of the YWCA, Nancy Lilley, recalls making her first...and last...apple pie at YWCA class at the Danner House in 1979.

As the YWCA expanded to include recreational activities that required more space they relocated to their current location on Fairfield Road. But it's roots were planted and nourished at 12 Lincoln Square thanks to Annie and Irene.

To commemorate Women's History Month we are offering 60 minute Women's History walking tours every Saturday and Sunday in March starting at 1:00 p.m. Contact us at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour. Reservations must be made at least one hour in advance.

📷 : courtesy of the Gettysburg YWCA.

03/01/2024

She lived up to her name. Patience. Even though Pennsylvania ended slavery in 1847, Patience was never emancipated. She was counted as enslaved on the 1850 United States Census.

The "lady" of Thomas Stevens, Esq. referenced in Patience's obituary is Magaret Hatter (aka Hatton) Stevens, the daughter of Patience's enslaver; however, the Stevens' are not listed as slave holders in the 1850 Census. Patience died on November 4, 1858.

To commemorate Women's History Month we are offering 60 minute Women's History walking tour every Saturday and Sunday in March. The tours begin at 1:00 p.m. Cost is $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for students ages 9 -17. Children under 8 years old are free.

Contact us at https://www.gbltg.com or call 717-253-5737 for more information or to make a reservation. Reservations must be made at least one hour in advance.

02/28/2024

Happy Birthday to Rev. Schmucker, BMOC 🎂🎂🎂

Today marks the 225th birthday of Gettysburg College’s founder, Samuel Simon Schmucker. Originally chartered as Pennsylvania College on April 7, 1832, our community has upheld Schmucker’s vision for an institution dedicated to advancing the cause of liberal education. Given that liber forms the Latin root of “liberal” and means to “free,” our education has long been grounded in independent inquiry and exploration.

Schmucker was born on February 28, 1799, in Hagerstown, Maryland—about 30 miles south of Gettysburg. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton Theological Seminary to become ordained as a Lutheran minister. Schmucker then became a member of General Synod, the first national Lutheran body to be formed in the U.S. in 1820. He founded the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 1826, where he then served as a professor.

To better prepare students for theological studies, Schmucker created the Classical Preparatory School, also known as the Gettysburg Academy and the Gettysburg Gymnasium, in 1827. Schmucker then founded Pennsylvania College in 1832 to serve as a sister institution to the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Ardent abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens helped Schmucker solicit state funding for the College’s land and the first major building—Pennsylvania Hall.

As Schmucker stated, Pennsylvania College would promise “to exert a salutary influence in advancing the cause of liberal education.” Following the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania College was renamed to Gettysburg College in 1921.

Now 191 years since our founding, Gettysburg College continues to build upon the foundation Schmucker first laid for us, and today, we celebrate his birthday!

02/24/2024

You can't win if you don't enter so....enter and maybe you'll win! Good luck!

As a thank you for reaching 50,000 followers we're giving away a trip to historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania! 🎉

Your prize will include an overnight stay at The Gaslight Inn Bed and Breakfast, a gift card to dine at The Sign of the Buck, and tickets to Adams County Historical Society at Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum.

Enter by March 1 for a chance to win. The winner will be contacted via email March 4, so keep an eye on your inbox 📩

To our followers, thank you for joining on this journey as we share the story of Gettysburg and Adams County.

Enter here: https://destinationgettysburg.com/contest-win-an-overnight-stay-in-gettysburg/

02/23/2024

Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable president...and Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide...Bruce Davis presented an informative and engaging talk on Gen. O.O. Howard at last night's meeting. The slides are the bomb, especially the '48er's slide. The presentation begins at 20:00.

02/22/2024

Check out this Smithsonian article on Gettysburg's Lincoln Cemetery.

Denied burial alongside Union soldiers killed during the Battle of Gettysburg, the 30 or so men were instead buried in the all-Black Lincoln Cemetery

02/16/2024

To commemorate President's Day we are offering a one hour presidential walking tour on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, February 17-19. Tours begin at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on all three days. Tours are $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for ages 9-17. See our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call (717) 253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour.

02/12/2024

We took time out from our monthly meeting yesterday to celebrate a milestone birthday for our most experienced guide, Jerry LaRussa. In addition to the milestone birthday Jerry also celebrates 20 years as a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide. Happy Birthday to the man, the myth, the legend and the og! 🎂🎉🥳

02/06/2024

Many thanks to .com for including us on their "14 Must See Attractions in Gettysburg" post. We appreciate the shout out!

We are beginning our 20th year of providing walking tours in Gettysburg. Pictured here is author and guide Brad Gottfried.

📷: Rusty Glessner

01/20/2024

Good luck to these five prospective Gettysburg Town Guides who are taking the written guide exam this morning.

01/12/2024

The 1963 Centennial Commemoration of The Gettysburg Address was historic in more ways than one. On November 19, 1963 two distinguished Black Americans took their places on the speaker's platform.

Washington Rhodes, president of The National Newspaper Publishers Association, and famed contralto and civil rights activist Marian Anderson were part of the program featuring speeches by prominent politicians, including former President Dwight Eisenhower. Rhodes spoke out against "second class citizenship" while Anderson sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and "Lead Kindly Light." The latter song was a last minute substitution for "Abide in Me", which Anderson was scheduled to sing.

Ever the professional, Anderson said she could sing "Lead Kindly Light " as long as she had a hymnal and so the hurried search began for a hymnal. Rev. Dr. Paul Reaser from St. James Lutheran Church provided Anderson with a personally inscribed hymnal which she used and then kept as a souvenir.

The Gettysburg Times reported that "the exquisite singing of Miss Marian Anderson charged the atmosphere, bringing forth a deeply felt emotional response from all and tears to the eyes of many."

After the program Anderson was unable to leave the platform due to "the crush of dozens of Negro youngsters who scaled the structure and clung to the railing while she autographed their programs."

Take a 60 minute Black History walking tour this weekend and learn more about Gettysburg's Black History. Tours are scheduled at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 13; Sunday, January 14; and Monday, January 15. See our website at https://www.gbltg.com or call (717) 253-5737 for more information or to schedule a tour.

source: "10,000 Are Thrilled and Emotionally Moved...". The Gettysburg Times. Nov. 20, 1963. p.1

01/05/2024

Huzzah! And congratulations to our friends at the Adams County Historical Society at Gettysburg! The Beyond the Battle Museum has won the distinction of being named the #1 new museum in the U.S! It is a well-deserved honor.

But that's not all. The WWII American Experience World museum placed at #5!

We are thrilled to share that we have won “Best New Museum” in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for us throughout the contest. We are grateful and honored by the incredible support of our friends, both locally and nationally.

Read more here: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/travel/best-new-museum-2024/