Adams County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Adams County Courthouse, at Baltimore and West Middle Streets in Gettysburg, is a red brick building of two stories, three bays wide and six bays deep. Contracted in 1858 and ready for use in 1859, it was designed by Philadelphia architect S.D. Button and built by John R. Turner of Carlisle. Rear wings were added in 1895. Its style is basically Italianate with Classical elements, including a center entrance framed by coupled brick pilasters, a bracketed triangular pediment, and a flat roof with broad bracketed eaves. A clock tower rises about seventy feet above ground level. The building was originally painted gray, but the paint has since been removed. It served as the county courthouse for 115 years. During the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 it functioned as a command post and hospital for both Union and Confederate troops, and casualties remained there briefly afterward. Its tower appears in many panorama photographs of the town.
Significance in brief: The building served as the Adams County Courthouse for 115 years (1859-1974) and was a focal point of county life. During the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg it was used as a command post and hospital by both Union and Confederate troops. It is also cited as a fine example of Victorian architecture, blending Italianate style with Classical elements.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74001728, listed October 1, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Baltimore and W. Middle Sts., Gettysburg |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | October 1, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001728 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858-1859 |
| Architect / builder | S.D. Button, architect (Philadelphia); John R. Turner of Carlisle, builder |
| Architectural style | Italianate with Classical elements (Victorian) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in government use; condition marked altered, with rear wings added in 1895 and brickwork recently repointed. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Gettysburg National Military Park |
| Coordinates | 39.82954, -77.23221 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74001728.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4680325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.