"The Most Famous Small Town in America"
Samuel Gettys founded the town in 1780 at a crossroads where he built a tavern for soldiers and traders who came to rest. The confluence of ten major roads of the period caused it to be attractive to travelers and settlers alike. Although known primarily its Civil War battlefield, the Borough of 7,620 residents is home to Gettysburg College and The Lutheran Theological Seminary (pictured above.)
In 1858 the Gettysburg Railroad completed construction of a line from Gettysburg to Hanover, PA. The Gettysburg Rail station opened in 1859. By 1860, the borough "had about 450 buildings [which] housed carriage manufacturing, shoemakers, and tanneries."
Centrally located in Southern Pennsylvania, Gettysburg is 52 miles from Baltimore, 90 miles from Washington, DC, and 102 miles from Philadelphia.
Battle of Gettysburg and National Military Park
Gettysburg is best remembered as being the locale of a really important Civil War battle. For three days in July of 1863, a battle between the Union and Confederate armies in and was fought in the town. Over 51,000 casualties occurred during this battle. Although the Civil War continued two years following the battle at Gettysburg, the battle is viewed as the turning point of the war. The Union victory ended General Robert E. Lee's second and "most ambitious" invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion," Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address." A National Military Park is located on the site of the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Gettysburg Geography
Geography Gettysburg is located on US Route 30 about 25 miles west of York, PA. Rock Creek, a tributary of the Monocacy River and part of the Potomac River watershed, flows along its eastern edge. According to the US Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles, all land. There many runs -- a type of creek -- and hills in Gettysburg. The most famous hill is called Little Round Top where ferocious fighting occurred during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg is in the Piedmont region of Pennsylvania.
Famous People Who Lived in Gettysburg
I'll talk about famous people who were born in Gettysburg in the "Natives of Gettysburg" page. It's worth pointing out that President Dwight D. Eisenhower retired to Gettysburg where he and his wife Mamie lived on a working farm next to the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1967 the Eisenhowers donated the farm to the National Park Service.
Gettysburg Stats and Sources
Samuel Gettys founded the town in 1780 at a crossroads where he built a tavern for soldiers and traders who came to rest. The confluence of ten major roads of the period caused it to be attractive to travelers and settlers alike. Although known primarily its Civil War battlefield, the Borough of 7,620 residents is home to Gettysburg College and The Lutheran Theological Seminary (pictured above.)
In 1858 the Gettysburg Railroad completed construction of a line from Gettysburg to Hanover, PA. The Gettysburg Rail station opened in 1859. By 1860, the borough "had about 450 buildings [which] housed carriage manufacturing, shoemakers, and tanneries."
Centrally located in Southern Pennsylvania, Gettysburg is 52 miles from Baltimore, 90 miles from Washington, DC, and 102 miles from Philadelphia.
Battle of Gettysburg and National Military Park
Gettysburg is best remembered as being the locale of a really important Civil War battle. For three days in July of 1863, a battle between the Union and Confederate armies in and was fought in the town. Over 51,000 casualties occurred during this battle. Although the Civil War continued two years following the battle at Gettysburg, the battle is viewed as the turning point of the war. The Union victory ended General Robert E. Lee's second and "most ambitious" invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion," Gettysburg was the Civil War's bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln's immortal "Gettysburg Address." A National Military Park is located on the site of the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Gettysburg Geography
Geography Gettysburg is located on US Route 30 about 25 miles west of York, PA. Rock Creek, a tributary of the Monocacy River and part of the Potomac River watershed, flows along its eastern edge. According to the US Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles, all land. There many runs -- a type of creek -- and hills in Gettysburg. The most famous hill is called Little Round Top where ferocious fighting occurred during the Battle of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg is in the Piedmont region of Pennsylvania.
Famous People Who Lived in Gettysburg
I'll talk about famous people who were born in Gettysburg in the "Natives of Gettysburg" page. It's worth pointing out that President Dwight D. Eisenhower retired to Gettysburg where he and his wife Mamie lived on a working farm next to the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1967 the Eisenhowers donated the farm to the National Park Service.
Gettysburg Stats and Sources
Sources
- http://www.gettysburg-pa.gov/
- US Census Bureau
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg,_Pennsylvania
- http://mainstreetgettysburg.org/
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/striderv/2478431534