Gettysburg National Military Park

The park, created in 1894, preserves and commemorates the Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1-3, 1863.

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1-3, 1863, was a turning point in the Civil War.  The battle is often referred to as the “high-water mark of the Confederacy,” since this was the final large-scale push into Northern territory during the war.  Although more men died during the three days of the battle than in any battle fought before or since on North American soil, the Union victory did much to boost the morale of northern soldiers and civilians alike.

Efforts at commemorating the Battle of Gettysburg began almost immediately, as the citizens of Gettysburg were forced to cope with the slaughter that had taken place on their farms and in their streets. Burial ceremonies led to the creation of a cemetery there, the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, which became part of the larger national cemetery system in 1872. As early as 1863, the Gettysburg Battlefield Memorial Association was established and began attempting to purchase land and preserve the battlefield. The Association’s original aim was to preserve only the Union battle lines, with very little effort at commemorating the Confederate positions until 1892. These efforts eventually led to the creation of a National Military Park in 1894; it, like the cemetery, was administered by the War Department from the time of its creation until 1933, when the National Park Service took over.

An estimated 9,600 acres comprise the Battle of Gettysburg’s primary area of action.  Monuments and markers are scattered across the battlefield, and the park includes a Museum and Visitors Center.