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Celebrate the Holidays 1860-Style at the David Wills House (November 8, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) - The David Wills House museum is decking the halls to embody holiday traditions celebrated 150 years ago. Greenery, fruit and dried flowers add a touch of Christmases long ago to the galleries and recreated rooms. Living historians will be on hand to explain the Victorian holiday traditions and customs used in December 1860. Through Dec. 31, the museum will present an 1860 holiday. As part of the month long celebration, guests can take part in the many programs that will be offered.
On Friday, Dec. 3, the museum’s resident musician, Quinn Gilly will offer a special evening performance for visitors, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. as part of the First Friday festivities. Gilly is a self-taught banjo player and constructed his own minstrel era banjo. He will perform minstrel favorites from the 1840s to 1860s. Gilly will return Friday, Dec. 10, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., as part of the downtown’s Tuba festival. Festival goers can warm up with a tour of the museum before heading back to the sights and sounds of the festival. On Friday, Dec. 17, Gilly will perform 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The morning of Saturday, Dec. 4 will bring the melodious sounds of Victorian carolers in period dress. Carolers will entertain museum guests 10:00 – 1:00 p.m., offering 1860s favorites and some modern tunes on request.
Returning by popular request is Saint Nicholas, in his patriotic 1860s attire. Meet the Thomas Nast St. Nick and learn more about the customs of that “jolly old elf.” St. Nick will give readings of the classic poem, “T’was the Night Before Christmas,” Dec. 12, 18 and 19, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Children will also hear about the history of the candy cane and what the holidays were really like for children 150 years ago.
The museum will be open in December, Fridays – Sundays, 10:00 – 5:00 p.m. (closed Christmas and New Years Day). On Friday, Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 the museum will remain open until 8:00 p.m. All of these programs are free with general admission.
The David Wills House is a new museum located in the heart of the historic district of Gettysburg that tells the story of the aftermath of the battle and President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Officially part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the museum is operated by Main Street Gettysburg. Located at 8 Lincoln Square, the museum includes five galleries, two recreated rooms – the David Wills law office and the Lincoln bedroom, two interactive exhibits, two films, and gift shop. For more information, 866-486-5735 or www.davidwillshouse.org.
David Wills House Lecture: Campaigning for President
(November 15, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – The David Wills House is hosting an evening lecture series centered on the topics of press and the politics of 1860 in honor of the 150th commemoration of the Civil War. The next lecture, “Elections of 1860-61: The Lincoln and Davis Administrations,” is scheduled forThursday, December 9, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Joseph Mieczkowski, a Civil War living historian and educator, is a Licensed Battlefield Guide and Licensed Town Guide in Gettysburg. He is also the past president of the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable. He will discuss the election issues of 1860 and the nominating conventions, with an emphasis on Lincoln’s nomination in Chicago and the back room politics that preceded his nomination. Mieczkowski will also cover the candidates from all four political parties, the party platforms, the atmosphere in which the election took place and review election results and outcomes.
The campaign issues of economics, slavery and states’ rights fractured the Democratic Party into southern and northern factions, with Kentuckian John C. Breckinridge representing the former and Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, the latter.
John C. Bell of Tennessee represented the Constitutional Union Party. Interestingly, his running mate was Edward Everett of Massachusetts, who would later give the keynote address at the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Republican Abraham Lincoln of Illinois would win the election, carrying all 18 northern states.
Lincoln would not win a single southern state; ten did not even place him on the election ballot. In Virginia, he received just one percent of the popular vote; while in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky and Maryland, he finished fourth and in Delaware, third.
A month following the November 6 election, South Carolina was the first state to file an ordinance of secession; ten additional states would follow in the coming months. Lincoln would be sworn in as the nation’s 16th President March 4, 1861. War would officially erupt when Confederate forces fired upon the Union held Fort Sumter in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor, April 12, 1861.
On February 18, 1861, after resignation from the U.S. Senate, Jefferson Davis was selected provisional President of the Confederate States of America; he was elected without opposition to a six-year term that November.
Mieczkowski, who will appear in costume, will use political cartoons, campaign memorabilia, music and sound effects to make this exciting presentation.
The lecture, sponsored by the Historic Best Western Gettysburg Hotel, will take place at the David Wills House located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA. The lecture will run 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. and costs $20 per person. Seating is limited, so pre-registration is required. For more information, or to register for one of the lectures, please call 866-486-5735, 717-334-2499 or visit our website, www.davidwillshouse.org. Adams County Community Appreciation Day at Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center scheduled for Veterans Day, Nov. 11
Gettysburg, Pa. (Nov. 3, 2010) — The Gettysburg Foundation and the National Park Service are pleased to invite Adams County residents to a Community Appreciation Day on Thursday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day. On four designated Community Appreciation Days each year, Adams County residents enjoy free tickets to the Cyclorama, Film and Museum Experience at the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park.
The Museum and Visitor Center will be open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the first Cyclorama and A New Birth of Freedom film presentation scheduled for 8:15 a.m.; the final show will be at 4:15 p.m. Due to the popularity of previous community events, Adams County residents are encouraged to arrive early; crowds are usually lightest between 8:30 – 10 a.m., and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Advance reservations are not available for Community Appreciation Day tickets, and rain checks will not be available.) Local residents should be prepared to show proof of Adams County residence, such as a driver’s license, at the ticket counter in the main lobby of the Museum and Visitor Center.
Upcoming Community Appreciation Days in 2011 include: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 17; Presidents Day, Feb. 21; a back-to-school day held in August or early September; and Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
For more information about Community Appreciation Days, visit www.gettysburgfoundation.org or call 717-338-1243.
Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American history. Information is available at www.nps.gov/gett.
The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, non-profit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg. The Foundation raised funds for and operates the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park. In addition to operating the Museum and Visitor Center, the Foundation has a broad preservation mission that includes land, monument and artifact preservation and battlefield rehabilitation—all in support of the National Park Service’s goals at Gettysburg.
Two Exciting New Exhibits at the David Wills House
(October 15, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – November is synonymous with election time and this November the David Wills House is on the campaign trail – that is, the 1860 campaign trail. The museum will explore the historic election that foreshadowed the start of the American Civil War through a special interactive exhibit, where visitors can cast their vote for one of the four candidates in the race. Each day the ballots will be tallied and added to the display so that visitors can see how a modern vote compares to the 1860 decision.
The campaign issues of economics, slavery and states’ rights fractured the Democratic Party into southern and northern factions, with Kentuckian John C. Breckinridge representing the former and Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, the latter.
John C. Bell of Tennessee represented the Constitutional Union Party. Interestingly, his running mate was Edward Everett of Massachusetts, who would later give the keynote address at the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg. Republican Abraham Lincoln of Illinois would win the election, carrying all 18 northern states.
Lincoln would not win a single southern state; ten did not even place him on the election ballot. In Virginia, he received just one percent of the popular vote; while in the border states of Missouri, Kentucky and Maryland, he finished fourth and in Delaware, third.
A month following the November election, South Carolina was the first state to file an ordinance of secession; ten additional states would follow in the coming months. Lincoln would be sworn in as the nation’s 16th President March 4, 1861. War would officially erupt when Confederate forces fired upon the Union held Fort Sumter in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor, April 12, 1861.
However, what did the public really think of one of America’s most recognized Presidents? The Gilder Lehrman Institute’s traveling exhibit, Looking at Lincoln: Political Cartoons from the Civil War Era, will examine just that. In an age before radio, television and the Internet, Americans relied heavily on newspapers to gather information and express their opinions on politicians and Presidents.
Political cartoons appeared in newspapers and were sold individually as prints in shops, on street corners and through the mail. In many cases they prove to be vivid snapshots of the time and offensive to the modern eye. Still, they invite visitors to put aside 21st century opinions and look at a time when racism was the ingrained norm in society to see how the public viewed Lincoln, his war-time decision to emancipate slaves and his legacy.
Both exhibits will run the month of November and are included with the regular cost of admission. The David Wills House is open Wednesdays through Mondays, 9:00 – 5:00 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays.
For more information, 866-486-5735.
Special Trolley Ticket Promotes Downtown Gettysburg Visits (September 29, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – A new special ticket promotion offers Gettysburg National Military Park visitors a special rate for entrance to the David Wills House and all-day rides on the trolley. For just $5.50 for adults and $ 4.00 for youths, visitors to the park Museum and Visitor Center can buy a ticket to the David Wills House in downtown Gettysburg and an all-day shuttle pass.
In addition, the trolleys serving the Lincoln line now have a new look with photos of the park Museum and Visitor Center, and the David Wills House, and the tagline “One Ride. Great Experiences.” The trolleys are a new transportation system serving visitor and the local community in Gettysburg, Pa. They are operated by the Adams County Transit Authority.
 The special rate is one of several new ideas that are being put into place to increase ridership on the trolley. Main Street Gettysburg has been working with the National Park Service, Adams County Transit Authority, the Gettysburg Foundation, and the Borough of Gettysburg to find ways to increase ridership.
“There’s been a nice increase in the number of visitors taking advantage of the trolley to go into the town of Gettysburg,” said Deb Adamik, Main Street Gettysburg president.
The new ticket is only available at the Museum and Visitor Center at 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, and it will remain on sale through the year.
The David Wills House is a new museum located in the heart of the historic district of Gettysburg that tells the story of the aftermath of thebattle and President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Officially part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the museum is operated by Main Street Gettysburg. Located at 8 Lincoln Square, the museum includes five galleries, two recreated rooms – the David Wills law office and the Lincoln bedroom, two interactive exhibits, two films, and gift shop. For more information, 866-486-5735 or www.davidwillshouse.org.
Press Corps Living History at the David Wills House
(September 22, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – The David Wills House is hosting a living history event on the 1860s press corps in honor of the 150th commemoration of the Civil War. The living history event, offered free with the cost of admission, is scheduled for October 23, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
In the 1860s, photography was in its infancy and newspapers relied heavily on the artistic talents of sketch artists who would submit drawings of public speeches, events and individuals for publication. During the Civil War, artists were assigned to posts following the armies as they fought across the eastern and western theaters of operation.
Joseph Becker, portrayed by historian Quinn Gilly, will engage visitors regarding his job as a Civil War sketch artist for Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper of New York. Born c. 1841 in Pottsville, Penn., Becker was not formally trained as an artist. However while working as an errand boy for Leslie’s, he showed potential in his sketches and was sent to cover the Army of the Potomac, then approaching Gettysburg, in 1863. He recorded the aftermath of the battle in his sketches, including the initial burial of soldiers on the field. He was also present for the dedication of Soldiers’ National Cemetery and produced sketches of its construction.
In all, about 88 of his wartime sketches were published in Leslie’s from 1863-1865 and he went on to sketch scenes of the railroads’ push toward the Pacific Ocean in 1869. About 40 of his sketches, including the railroad construction, laborers and lives of the Chinese immigrants in San Francisco were published in Frank Leslie’s Across the Continent series, published between 1869 and 1870. Becker’s sketches of the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 boosted Leslie’s circulation to an unheard of 470,000 (for that issue alone) and earned him promotion to manager of the newspaper’s art department in 1875. He retired in 1900 and died in Brooklyn ten years later.
The living history event will take place at the David Wills House located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA 17325. The program will run 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and is free with museum admission.
The David Wills House is a new museum located in the heart of the historic district of Gettysburg that tells the story of the aftermath of the battle and President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Officially part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the museum is operated by Main Street Gettysburg. Located at 8 Lincoln Square, the museum includes five galleries, two recreated rooms – the David Wills law office and the Lincoln bedroom, two interactive exhibits, two films, and gift shop. For more information, 866-486-5735 or www.davidwillshouse.org.
The David Wills House Offers Free Admission on Smithsonian Magazine’s 6th Annual Museum Day
The David Wills House participates as a featured museum
Gettysburg, PA - On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the David Wills House will participate in the sixth annual Museum Day. The David Wills House will join participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide to open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day Ticket from Smithsonian.com. A journey to celebrate our world’s dynamic heritage and cultural life, participating Museum Day venues emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities. The David Wills House will also feature free admission to Adams County residents.
Museum Day 2010 is poised to be the largest to date, outdoing last year’s record-breaking event. Over 300,000 museum-goers and 1,300 venues in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico participated in Museum Day 2009. Last year, two million visitors logged on to www.smithsonian.com/museumday to learn more about the program.
“Museum Day is a way for institutions like the David Wills House to give back to the community and open their doors to the public free of charge. It also is an incredible opportunity to be associated with the Smithsonian Museum community and to use an established program like this in our own community,” said Jennifer Roth, Museum Manager of the David Wills House.
The David Wills House is a new museum located in the heart of the historic district of Gettysburg that tells the story of the aftermath of thebattle and President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Officially part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the museum is operated by Main Street Gettysburg. Located at 8 Lincoln Square, the museum includes five galleries, two recreated rooms – the David Wills law office and the Lincoln bedroom, two interactive exhibits, two films, and gift shop. For more information, 866-486-5735 or www.davidwillshouse.org.
The Museum Day Ticket is available to download at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the official pass will gain free admission for two people to participating museums and cultural venues. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address. Listings and links to participating museums’ and sponsors’ sites can be found at www.smithsonian.com/museumday.
David Wills House Lecture: Hushing Up the Press in 1863 – Lessons for Our Time
(August 31, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – The David Wills House is hosting an evening lecture series centered on the topics of press and the politics of 1860 in honor of the 150th commemoration of the Civil War. The next lecture, “Lincoln and Press Censorship: Lessons Learned,” is scheduled forWednesday, September 22, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Dr. David Bulla, an associate professor of journalism at Iowa State University, will examine the lessons President Abraham Lincoln learned about the nature of press freedom. He will put the lessons the President learned into context in two ways: by looking at the nature of the Civil War press and by documenting major cases of press suppression. Historians point to at least 300 cases of press suppression against Northern newspapers during the Civil War, but that is likely too conservative an estimate, especially knowing there were over 15,000 political prisoners on the Union side during the war.
“No matter the accurate figure of suppressed Northern newspapers, the underplayed truth of the war for reunion and emancipation in the United States is that the federal government was responsible for the highest degree of newspaper suppression in the nation’s history - including John Adams’ administration with the Sedition Act of 1798 and Woodrow Wilson’s administration with the Espionage Act of 1917,” said Dr. Bulla.
Bulla focuses his research on the history of U.S. journalism, examining limitations on press performance. He concentrates on nineteenth-century newspapers, particularly the Civil War. He is a member of the American Journalism Historians Association and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the author of Lincoln’s Censor.
The lecture, sponsored by the Historic Best Western Gettysburg Hotel, will take place at the David Wills House located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA. The lecture will run 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. and costs $20 per person. Seating is limited, so pre-registration is required. For more information, or to register for one of the lectures, please call 866-486-5735, 717-334-2499 or visit our website, www.davidwillshouse.org.
David Wills House Hosts Free Programs on the Square
(June 21, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – Westward expansion and the Kansas-Nebraska Act? Tax revenues from incoming states? What do these things have to do with 1860 Gettysburg? Gettysburg, like much of the nation, was looking toward the upcoming November Presidential election, an event that would bring the controversy of state’s rights and slavery to the breaking point. Westward expansion is a major theme of that controversy.
As one of the many programs that will recognize the four year 150th commemoration of the Civil War, join the David Wills House as it investigates some of these hot button topics through a series of period debates on the square, Saturdays in July (with the exception of July 10), 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Experience what Robert G. Harper, editor of the Republican Adams Sentinel, thought of expanding the Missouri Compromise. Learn how Democrats viewed the role of national government in regards to state’s trading rights with other nations. Join in the debate and let your voice be heard.
These debates are free to the public. The David Wills House is located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA. For more information, or to see a program schedule, please call 866-486-5735, 717-334-2499 or visit our website, www.davidwillshouse.org.
van Tuyll to Speak
(June 3, 2010 Gettysburg, PA) – The David Wills House is hosting an evening lecture series centered on the topics of press and the politics of 1860 in honor of the 150th commemoration of the Civil War. The next lecture, “Secession, Civil War and the Confederacy,” is scheduled forThursday, June 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Dr. Debra Reddin van Tuyll, an associate professor of Communications at Augusta State University, will discuss the Civil War and the southern press, beginning with the impact of the 1860 presidential campaign and the election of Lincoln. Specifically she will explore the debates over the rights of secession, and the transformation of the southern press from predominately Unionist in sentiment to Secessionist. She will also trace the transition of Confederate newspapers from primarily political journals to information machines.
Considered a leading authority on the history of the Confederate press, van Tuyll is an author and co-editor of two books, The Civil War and the Press and the Southern Press in the Civil War. Her latest work, Knights of the Quill: Reassessing Confederate War Correspondents and Their Civil War Reporting, will be released this December.
The lecture, sponsored by the Historic Best Western Gettysburg Hotel, will take place at the David Wills House located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA. The lecture will run 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. and costs $20 per person. Seating is limited, so pre-registration is required. For more information, or to register for one of the lectures, please call 866-486-5735, 717-334-2499 or visit our website, www.davidwillshouse.org.
Evening Lecture Announced at the David Wills House
(March 8, 2010, Gettysburg, PA) - The David Wills House is hosting an evening lecture series centered on the topics of press and the politics of 1860 in honor of the commemoration of the Civil War. The first lecture, "Lincoln and the PRess," is scheduled for MArch 24, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Dr. Ford Risley, an associate professor and head of the Department of Journalism at Pennsylvania State University, will discuss how President Lincoln used the “power of the press” to his advantage. Lincoln is one of the first American Presidents to use the press to help advance his political agenda.
A past president of the American Journalism Historians Association (AJHA), Dr. Risley is the award winning author of Abolition and the Press: The Moral Struggle Against Slavery and editor of The Civil War: Primary Documents from 1860 to 1865.
Following the presentation, Dr. Risley will be available for a book signing. The lecture series, graciously sponsored by the Historic Best Western Gettysburg Hotel, will take place at the David Wills House located at 8 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, PA 17325. The lecture will run 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. and costs $20 per person. Seating is limited, so pre registration is required. For more information, or to register for one of the lectures, please call 866-436-5735, 717-334-2499 or visit our website, www.davidwillshouse.org.
The David Wills House Celebrates an 1859 Holiday Gettysburg, PA—The newly opened David Wills House museum has decked its halls to embody holiday traditions celebrated more than 150 years ago. Greenery, fruit and dried flowers add a touch of Christmases long ago to the galleries and recreated rooms. Living historians will be on hand to tell guests what was happening in and around Gettysburg during December 1859. Through Dec. 31, the museum will present an 1859 holiday. As part of the month long celebration, guests can take part in the many programs that will be offered. Come in and warm up from the cold on December 11th. The museum will be open until 9 p.m. for Tuba Carol Fest on Lincoln Square. Enjoy a candlelit tour while taking a break from shopping or enjoying all the other sights and sounds downtown Gettysburg has to offer. On Dec. 5, 6 & 12 Victorian carolers will celebrate the sounds of Gettysburg with traditional holiday songs. Join in the merriment from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This program is free with general admission. Saint Nicholas will be decked out in his 1860’s finest and will be on hand to read the book, “T’was the Night Before Christmas.” Start a new holiday tradition with your family and hear this classic read by St. Nick on Dec. 13, 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Children will also hear about the history of the candy cane, and what the holidays were really like for children 150 years ago. This program is free with general admission. Restored Portrait of James Wills, father of David Wills, Unveiled GETTYSBURG – The David Wills House Museum unveiled a recently restored portrait of James Wills, father of David Wills. The portrait, by artist David S. Forney, was received by the Adams County Historical Society from a member of the Wills Family in 2004. At that time the likeness was not identified. Thanks to a photograph held by another branch of the family, a copy of which was given to the Society, the identity of the man was discovered to be the father of David Wills. The painting just underwent conservation by Cumberland County based conservator Brian R. Howard of Brian R. Howard Associates, Inc. The cost of the conservation work was slightly over $5,000 and included the repairs to the actual canvas, cleaning of the work, and restoration of the frame. This expense was underwritten by donations from the Donors to the Adams County Historical Society, including the Strong Family Endowment; Military History Online, Battle of Gettysburg, Internet Discussion Group; and Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable. The portrait is on long term loan to the National Park Service from the Adams County Historical Society and will be on display beginning November 17, 2009. Come view this historical treasure and enjoy the Meet & Greet programs the David Wills House Museum will present on November 19th and 20th. For more information please call 1-866-486-5735 or visit our website www.davidwillshouse.org. Letters to Lincoln Visitors to the David Wills House can spend a few minutes to write letters to Abraham Lincoln in a new program that begins Friday May 15, 2009. The letters will be collected at the end of the six months and will form the basis for a special exhibit in November at the David Wills House to commemorate Lincoln’s 200th birthday year. “Each month we will be asking our visitors to write to Lincoln on a topic like the David Wills House, the Gettysburg Address, and other specific questions related to the 16th President,” said Jennifer Roth, manager of the David Wills House for Main Street Gettysburg. “Our visitors have such a personal connection to the stories we tell here. We wanted to give them an opportunity to put some of those thoughts down onto paper in a short note to President Lincoln.” The letters will be collected through September 30, 2009. During November, 2009, they will be displayed in the David Wills House in a temporary month-long exhibition. The program is open to all ages and is free with admission to the David wills House. The David Wills House is new museum in the town of Gettysburg that tells the story of the aftermath of battle and Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Officially part of Gettysburg National Military Park, the museum is operated by Main Street Gettysburg. Located at 8 Lincoln Square, the David Wills House is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. Admission is $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors and $4.00 for children ages 6-18. For information on this program and the museum please call 1-866-436-5735. Gettysburg National Military Park and Main Street Gettysburg Press Release Explore Lincoln and the Aftermath of Battle at the David Wills House, Opening February 12 "After the battle, Gettysburg became a vast hospital and morgue: dead and wounded soldiers outnumbered civilians eleven to one," - so begins the Battle's Aftermath exhibit at the David Wills House, opening February 12 in downtown Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of Gettysburg National Military Park. For the first time ever, the National Park Service has created a museum to tell the story of the aftermath of battle, and Lincoln’s visit to the give the Gettysburg Address. "The home of David Wills, a prominent citizen of the town, become ground zero in Gettysburg's recovery effort, with Wills himself fulfilling the roles of the CDC, the Red Cross, and FEMA combined," says Dr. John A. Latschar, Superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park. In honor of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday on February 12, the David Wills House will celebrate an official ribbon cutting, offering visitors a new look at the little-known story of the aftermath at Gettysburg and Lincoln’s visit to give the Gettysburg Address. Grand Opening events will take place throughout 2009 – Lincoln’s bicentennial year. The museum includes seven galleries filled with displays, original artifacts, and featuring two films: “Battle Ground to Hallowed Ground” which explores Cemetery Hill’s transition from a Union army defensive position to the site of the National cemetery; and “A Brief but Immortal Speech” which investigates the meaning of the Gettysburg Address from November 19, 1863, to today. Two rooms are restored to their 1863 appearance: Wills' office as he received letters from families looking for loved ones after the battle and began planning for the cemetery and its dedication; and the bedroom where Lincoln stayed and prepared to deliver the Gettysburg Address. Main Street Gettysburg will operate the museum located at 8 Lincoln Square in downtown Gettysburg, in partnership with the National Park Service. The property is on the National Register of Historic Places and has just had a $ 7.2 million overhaul to rehabilitate its historic features and develop the museum exhibits. Winter operating hours will be Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In spring and fall the hours will be Tuesdays through Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In summer the hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. On February 12 admission will be free to all. Regular entrance fees will be $6.50 for Adults; $5.50 for Seniors; $4.00 for Youth (6-18); and Children 5 and under are free. For group tour reservations call tollfree: 866/486-5735. Main Street Gettysburg is a nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation and economic revitalization of Gettysburg for the benefit of its citizens, businesses, and visitors. For information about the benefits of becoming a David Wills House Charter Guardian, contact Main Street Gettysburg at 866-486-5735 or at www.davidwillshouse.org. Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers' National Cemetery, and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American History. Information is available at www.nps.gov/gett. David Wills House Transition Planned
Main Street Gettysburg announced on Thursday (April 28) that they will be transferring the operations of the David Wills House over to the partnership between the Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Foundation beginning January 1, 2012.
“This was a collaborative decision between Main Street Gettysburg, the Gettysburg Foundation and the National Park Service. We believe this is a good decision for the organizations involved, but most importantly for the community,” said Em Cole, Chair of Main Street Gettysburg.
The David Wills House opened in 2009 as an official site within Gettysburg National Military Park, operated through a partnership by Main Street Gettysburg. As a national park site, the museum attracts visitors to downtown and tells the story of the aftermath of the battle, and Lincoln’s visit to the give the Gettysburg. Address. “We thank Main Street Gettysburg for doing the heavy lifting and taking on the important job of start-up operations for the David Wills House in what has been a challenging economic climate for everyone,” said Bob Kirby, superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park.
“This consolidation is a way to save operational dollars, while enhancing and sustaining a quality museum experience in downtown,” said Deb Adamik, President of Main Street Gettysburg, “a museum experience that MSG has successfully created and we all want to see maintained.”
“Since the Foundation has staffing already on board to do marketing, ticketing, and accounting, we can economize while still ensuring a high quality visitor experience at the site,” said Joanne Hanley, Gettysburg Foundation president.
“We saw attendance increase this year when the Gettysburg Foundation began selling tickets and increasing their marketing efforts. As a result we began discussing ideas with the Foundation and NPS about streamlining operations and seeking efficiencies. I am very appreciative of the supportive partnership that MSG has with the NPS and Gettysburg Foundation.” said Deb Adamik, president of Main Street Gettysburg. “Likewise, we were happy to step up when asked by the Gettysburg National Military Park to begin operations at the Wills House and contribute to such an important endeavor.”
“The transition will allow Main Street to redirect their resources to the business and community needs that were defined last year during the Gettysburg 20/20 planning session in 2010. For example, one of the many priorities is the coordination of the American Civil War150th Anniversary that began this month and goes through 2015,” Adamik said.
“We thank Main Street Gettysburg, and especially the staff at the David Wills House for their hard work, and their excellent job in starting up the Wills House operations at a critical time,” Kirby said.
David Wills’ home was not just the center of Gettysburg — it was the center of the immense clean-up process after the Battle of Gettysburg and where President Lincoln put the finishing touches on the Gettysburg Address. The speech transformed Gettysburg's community from a place of devastation to the symbol of our nation's new birth of freedom.
Main Street Gettysburg is a nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation and economic revitalization of Gettysburg for the benefit of its citizens, businesses, and visitors. For more information go to www.mainstreetgettysburg.org.
Gettysburg National Military Park is a unit of the National Park Service that preserves and protects the resources associated with the Battle of Gettysburg and the Soldiers' National Cemetery, and provides an understanding of the events that occurred there within the context of American History. Information is available at www.nps.gov/gett.
The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, non-profit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg. The Foundation raised funds for and now operates the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, which opened in April 2008. In addition to operating the Museum and Visitor Center, the Foundation has a broad preservation mission that includes land, monument and artifact preservation and battlefield rehabilitation—all in support of the National Park Service’s goals at Gettysburg. Information is available at www.gettysburgfoundation.org.
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