Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District
Why it's listed
Gettysburg, in Adams County, Pennsylvania, is the setting of a battlefield district covering the ground fought over on July 1, 2 and 3, 1863. The district takes in the Gettysburg National Military Park, land proposed for Eisenhower National Historic Site, part of the Borough of Gettysburg, and surrounding parts of Cumberland, Straban, Mount Joy and Mount Pleasant townships, together with the East Cavalry Field where the cavalry battle of July 3 took place. Its significance lies in the intact terrain: ridges such as McPherson Ridge and Oak Ridge, Willoughby Run and Rock Creek, and the Railroad Cut where Davis' Brigade was trapped. Within the district are farms and houses used as Civil War hospitals, the Peace Light Memorial on Oak Hill, and the Gettysburg National Cemetery, site of Lincoln's address on November 19, 1863. About 366 Borough buildings predated the battle, and many still stand, including the Adams County Court House of 1858.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | July 1-3, 1863 |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Conservation, Military, Transportation, Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Acreage | 11820 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.