Pennsylvania Hall, Gettysburg College
Also known as: Old Dorm
Why it's listed
Pennsylvania Hall, known as Old Dorm, is a brick Greek Revival building on the Gettysburg College campus in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It has a central section with two wings, an octagonal cupola, and a south portico supported by four fluted Doric columns. The building was first occupied for the November term of 1837 and served as the college's central academic and residential building. Its original interior held about fifty student rooms, recitation rooms, a library, and a chapel. During the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, a college professor pointed out the strategic value of Cemetery Ridge to a Union signal officer from the cupola. Confederate forces then converted the building into a field hospital, and Union troops continued using it as a hospital after July 4, caring for nearly five hundred wounded men. The building was completely restored in 1969-1970, and it now houses college administrative offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant as the architectural expression of the American Greek Revival style and as the initial building of Gettysburg College, which was the center of campus life until 1890. It also argues the building is significant for its use as a field hospital and observation point during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.
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 72001087, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Gettysburg College campus, Gettysburg |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001087 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1837 |
| Architectural style | American Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored 1969-1970 and now serves as the administrative offices of the college |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Gettysburg National Military Park |
| Coordinates | 39.83506, -77.23434 (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 72001087.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7163748
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.