Abraham Lincoln (center, facing camera) delivered the
Gettysburg Address, considered one of the famous speeches in American history.
18th century In 1760, Irishman
Samuel Gettys settled at the
Shippensburg-
Baltimore and
Philadelphia-
Pittsburgh crossroads, in what was then western
York County, and established a tavern frequented by soldiers and traders. In 1786, his son
James purchased 116 acres of his land, divided it up into 220 lots and sold them, and is thus considered the founder of Gettysburg. The borough boundary was established, with the Dobbin House tavern (established in 1776) sitting in the southwest. Beginning in 1790, a movement seeking to split off the western portion of York County into a separate county had begun. A commission was drawn up to fix the site of the new county's seat; they ultimately chose a location in Strabane Township (now
Straban Township), just northeast of Gettysburg. In 1791, additional trustees were appointed to plan to construct public buildings in Gettysburg instead of in Straban.
19th century On January 22, 1800, the
Pennsylvania Legislature created Adams County, and named Gettysburg as its county seat. In 1858, the
Gettysburg Railroad completed the construction of a
railroad line from Gettysburg to
Hanover, and the
Gettysburg Railroad Station opened a year later.
Passenger train service to the town ended in 1942. The station was restored in 2006. In 2011, Senator
Robert Casey introduced S. 1897, including the railroad station within the boundary of Gettysburg National Military Park. By 1860, the borough had grown in size to consist of "450 buildings [which] housed carriage manufacturing, shoemakers, and tanneries".
Civil War at Gettysburg Between July 1 and 3, 1863, the
Battle of Gettysburg, one of the bloodiest battles during the
American Civil War, was fought across the fields and heights surrounding the town. The
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, under the command of
Robert E. Lee, experienced success in the early stages of the battle but was ultimately defeated by the
Army of the Potomac, commanded by
George G. Meade. Lee executed an orderly withdrawal and escaped across the
Potomac River without being drawn into another battle. Meade was heavily criticized by President
Abraham Lincoln for his cautious pursuit and failure to destroy Lee's retreating army. Casualties were high, with total losses on both sides – over 27,000 Confederate and 23,000 Union. The residents of Gettysburg were left to care for the wounded, and bury the dead following the Confederate retreat. Approximately 8,000 men and 3,000 horses lay under the summer sun. The Union soldiers' bodies were gradually reinterred in what is today known as
Gettysburg National Cemetery, where, on November 19, 1863,
Abraham Lincoln attended a ceremony to
officially consecrate the grounds and delivered his
Gettysburg Address. A 20-year-old woman,
Jennie Wade, was the only civilian killed during the battle. She was hit by a stray bullet that passed through her kitchen door while she was making bread on July 3. Physical damage can still be seen in some of the houses throughout the town, notably the Schmucker House located on
Seminary Ridge. ==Industry and economy==